Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Conditions On Baldy

Hi All,

Another great day on Baldy. Beautiful, clear morning. Chilly on the summit with the west wind. Went up solo but ran into Randy & hiked to the hut with him. On the summit there was Frank & Desiree.

Also in response to Shin's post, I did see that same person again who I saw last time taking apart one of the shelters. We passed at the top of the last steep part above the saddle, him coming down, me going up. Was wearing what looked to be the same reddish-colored shirt, has medium-brown longish hair pulled back in a bun or pony tail, wears black horn-rimmed glasses somewhat geeky looking. If anyone spots him. I did not want to confront him. I would venture to say he looks like a Baldy local. He's probably on this board reading about himself......

Great to see you Cat. We reached our objective, but did not finish until just before dark. A long but very nice day.

I did notice the wind break was trashed....again.

Were the windbreaks dismantled when you went up, CatB?

I was on top today and the windbreaks were in good condition. It was an almost perfect day for a hike up Baldy. If there hadn't been some haze in the basin it would have been absolutely perfect. Still, you could see Catalina clearly and San Clemente Is. if you knew where to look.

Had a great sighting of an adult male sheep who just kept grazing as I came close to him.

Also many birds at the creek crossing. Besides the usual juncos, chickadees and nuthatches there was a whole flock of LBJs. (Birder technical jargon = Little Brown Jobs, otherwise unidentified.)

I hiked the Bear Flats trail (AKA the Mt. Baldy Death March) today. Had the trail to myself almost all the way. 5 guys came up to a little way above the chaparral switchbacks but it looked like they were just up to get a good view of the mountains from Telegraph around to Cucamonga, Ontario, and Sugarloaf.

There are now signs at the upper parking area saying Private Property, No Parking, Violators will be Towed.* It's not a big deal right now since there's another parking area a few yards down the road. But I have seen times in the summer when both areas were full of cars. And the Hikers Welcome sign has been taken down, also. (There is a sign in the church parking area that says Hikers Welcome.) I had interactions with 2 locals who were very friendly which is what I've come to expect.

Last week I posted that the windbreaks were in good condition. They're not now and I was probably wrong about them then. The windbreak that I mostly sit in to have my lunch is in pretty good shape but most of the others have been trashed. From the outside they appear to be OK but the inside areas are full of rocks. I just hadn't looked inside them last week.

Wasps (the insects, not the social category) are out in huge numbers at the summit and they're very aggressive about trying to get your food. I finally gave up and came part way back down to finish my lunch.

Have you noticed how that trail gets a little longer and a little steeper every year? I think it's probably plate tectonics, stretching and tilting the surface in that area.

*I think the tow away signs are a bluff. They don't cite the authority for towing nor give a number to call if you come back and find your car gone. But I don't plan to test it and see.

Yesterday's weather left Baldy nice and white, good for a winter hike before Halloween!

Hi Scott932394,
Mt. Baldy had her first snow for this season.
Yesterday was a perfect day a hike with blue sky, firm fresh snow on the trail, no wind, and good friends.

Snow was melting fast late morning.
Mt. Baldy road was free of snow or ice.
No ice axe or crampons are needed if you use trekking poles.
Beyond Ski hut, the snow level was 6-8 inches to the summit.

Photos are my WPSMB album link.

Frank, Des, Lou and Paco started at Middle Fork Rd along Lytle Creek and hike up to Cucamonga Pk.. 10hrs and 15min hike. Started at 6am and got back ay 4:15. My first time up this way to Cucamonga, a really nice way to go. Did not take micros I knew I would not need them but it would have made it easier if I had them,Des used hers for awhile. Windy at times found shelter at summit for lunch. After Icehouse Saddle only saw 3 people up and back to Saddle.. great times with friends..

mark
Photos Here

On Saturday my friends and I hiked up the Register Ridge trail and descended via Devil's Backbone to Baldy Notch. There were a few spots on the RR where the trail was covered in snow and we had to be careful, but it was okay with trekking poles. We brought microspikes, but didn't have to use them. There was no one else on the trail, except for one guy coming down (yes, coming down) once we almost hit the Backbone Trail. He seemed quite experienced. As we neared the summit, the snow was deeper and more plentiful, so we left the trail and hiked in snow all the way to the top.

On the Backbone Trail, the snow was mostly slush, except for a couple of dicey spots in the shade toward the north side. There were lots of small "creeks" and "rivers" on the trail as the snow was melting fast. I've posted a few of my pics below.

Going up the Register Ridge Trail. We encountered significant snow around 7,000ft.


Not much in the Bowl.


On the Devil's Backbone Trail heading toward the summit.


Making a beeline through the snow; almost at the summit.


The snow was patchy on the summit.


My friends and I descending from the summit.


Devil's Backbone Trail heading toward the Notch.


You can view the full album here: Hikergirl on SmugMug

I've been meaning to reply to this thread for a long time, but life seems to have a way of... getting in the way lately.

It was great to finally meet a few of you and I hope can hike with you at some point. If you see me out on the trails, be sure to say hi. I'm usually dressed in a similar fashion and if it's allowed, will most likely have the mutt with me too.



















Shin asked me about my screen name. This is why it's 63ChevyII:

Nice Ride ChevyII..

Question.. Has anyone been up skihut to the summitt today
(Friday) or yesterday. Any snow to play with.. if so
about where does it start. Going up in the morning.

Thanks,
Rick

Rick, I was hoping to see your TR so I would know what to expect tomorrow morning ;-) .......

-cat b.

Hi All,

Baldy was very crowded... manker flats trail.. just a little
slush in the trees after the ski hut. No wind to speak of.
all in all a great day.

Happy Hiking to all.
Rick

After hiking Baldy last week I brought my poles into my apartment to replace the duct tape I keep wound around the top of the shafts (for emergencies). Usually they just ride around in the back of my car between hikes. Today as I got my gear together at the Falls Rd parking area I realized my poles were resting comfortably at home.

After considering and rejecting the idea of scrubbing the hike altogether I decided I could hike to the hut without poles. I've been regularly using poles for at least 40 years so I thought it would be interesting to see what it was like to hike without them.

I made it to the hut with no problem and decided to go on to the summit. The second half was tough with only my 2 hind legs. I really need for my shoulders to take some of the work load off my knees and hips. By the time I got to the summit my bottom half was telling me in no uncertain terms to never forget the poles again.

I wasn't willing to come down the ski hut trail without poles so I returned via the Backbone Trail and fire road. Even with the lack of poles it was a great, if crowded, day on Baldy.

YEP great day it was..



10am


42deg. good hiking weather

We have decided to go down south and make our first trip to Baldy. Hope to see some of you out there..

Mark or anyone that was there, is the person sitting across from Tracie in this picture a guy named Dan? If it's who I think it is he was there 24 hours before that sitting in the same spot.

Hey Patrick yea that's him mummified in place..

Dan walked up while we were there, Enjoy his story's he has to tell, something like #579 summits or around there for him...

Damn I cant wait for retirement, and hike for a living

BTW: you missed Tracies Gingersnap cookies and my chocolate chip

mark

I've heard rumors that he had increased his visits to Mt. Baldy because he is concerned that Shin may pass him by...

It was just a Daja vu as my mind had the vision in it when I left the summit then 24 later you post that picture, twilight zone moment - yeah I committed to Sam Page to do something Sunday morning with him, otherwise I might have come to the summit again just for the two kinds of cookies, I'm silly like that