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

Awesome pictures Mark. Great job for the first real snowfall up there.

Wow Mark! Spectacular photos! Nice day on the mountain. Hoping the snow sticks... I might be down south, sooner than later.

We went up the Backbone yesterday (11/24) from the Notch to Baldy Summit. Cold & windy-clouds and snowfall starting around 8000ft, with 50-100ft visibility. A lot of snow on the mountain, with 3-4ft drifts on the ridge and icy patches on a few of the exposed sections. The big snowfield going up to the summit of Harwood was somewhat eerie in the low light and wind-something of a moonscape stretching up forever. Around 9500ft we starting coming up out of the clouds, and upon reaching the summit emerged into a brilliant, beautiful, and very cold day. Didn't take a thermometer, but I'd say the windchill was near 0. Overall a very good day to be there.

A lot of beautiful snow & ice covered trees

Heading up the trail from the end of Backbone Rd.

One of the narrow sections of the Backbone.

The vast snowfield going up to the summit of Mt. Harwood

Crossing the saddle between Harwood & Baldy- very cold & windy here.

Starting to break through the clouds

Nothing but sunshine and freezing fingers up top!

The clouds mostly burned off while we were on top, and visibility was great on the way down

Baldy Bowl from the Notch

Beautiful sunset from the Notch

Hi Mark and Nick you caught the "Day" Side note When I get to the top of Baldy the secret view is to the East out into the desert. I spent about 25 years walking East and then back into LA towards Palmdale and just below Baldy on the Tower lines so everyone can have lights and inter net? Must of been something other than that HUH?

If anyone is going up Baldy today, I'd be interested to know current conditions... Heading up tomorrow.

MC, We were there on Thursday and conditions were typical for this time of year.
Occasional patches of snow after the hut and total snow coverage on the summit.

We had microspikes and used them to get through the tree shaded slope just beyond the bowl, and again near the summit, they were not needed anywhere else. There was some ice in the path but crampons and ice axes were left in the car.

I went up Bear Canyon on Tuesday and I didn't hit any significant patches of snow until after the 9,000 foot mark. There were a few drifts as deep as a foot, especially closer to the summit, but mostly it was no more than a couple inches deep.

Baldy today was a shorts day, warm, little if any breeze. Bowl is dry, micro spikes when needed above the switch backs through the trees. No snow or rain for a few days, possible chance middle of the week.

Thanks guys... What I needed.

I went up the Hut trail today and did not run into any snow until I was in the Rock Garden area. There were patches along the ridge and then once on the ridge to the peak was all snow. It is surprising that on Thursday Mark and others did the Bowl and now there is no snow! Temps were brisk and there was some wind going up the ridge above the west bowl. Coming down I saw M.C. and Norma going up. It was good to see them considering it was a year ago since Shin's 300 that I saw them last. It was a good day. Hopefully more snow this week!!

Baldy from the other side..




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Baden-Powell

Just another Bitchen day on Baldy...12-8-13

No posts since the 9th?

Wanted to say Merry Christmas from the summit this morning, but I forgot my phone.

Shin and I had the upper mountain to ourselves until on the way down. Unfortunately, it was so windy, the summit couldn't be enjoyed, so we had a quick turn-around.

There's only a bit of snow in the trees above the Ski Hut and a bit more near the summit. A few days on mild weather like today, and it will go back to summer conditions.

BTW: I confirmed that Baldy IS EASIER than Owens Peak today and have passed Shin's Mt. Whitney Qualifier by beating 2 1/2 hours up today... Now all I need to do is beat My Qualifier, which involved dropping about 10 more pounds! (If you don't recall, Shin said I was not allowed to head back to Whitney until I could climb Baldy in less than 2.5 hours.)

Luckily igloo building just requires a good shovel. Any extra weight will just help keep ya warm. At least that is what I am telling myself!

Des, Frank, and I started at Vincent gap parking and went to Baden Powell area over to Mt Burnham. On are way back we summited Baden Powell and enjoyed the views.. Had fun in the snow today with up to 6 inches in a couple of places. Micros were a fine thing to have today but I forget mine and followed Des tracks when needed.. Windy at times low was 37deg.

Just another bitchen day on the other side of Baldy

mark
pictures here Mt Burnham and Powell 12-28-13

1:30p Looking at Baldy from Baden Powell with new camera Santa brought

When I started up the Ski Hut trail at 9:30 this morning the pile of rocks (too big to be called a cairn, more like a stele) was intact. When I came down, about 1:30, it had been destroyed. As it turned out, just as I was getting down to the road there were 3 people standing there with the NFS map looking puzzled. They asked me if this was the trail up Baldy. There really needs to be a visible marker there. (I remember that the first time I went up, in 1988, I missed the turn-off and walked about 1/2 mile too far up the road before turning back and finding it.)

Does anyone know what the conditions are like on Icehouse Canyon/Cucamonga Peak? Do you think micros are necessary?

I have not been there in several weeks and I guess microspikes are not needed for Icehouse Saddle, but I would bring them for Cucamonga just in case.

This Morning On Baldy...















Pictures Here