Oh yeah, don't eat at the Notch. Eat at Baldy Lodge.

TacoDelRio wrote:Oh yeah, don't eat at the Notch. Eat at Baldy Lodge.

+1 The Notch sucks.

Fuller Ridge is sweet if you can drive to the T/H. Gives you a great view into Snow Creek drainage, the site of a recent bust of trespassing climbers!

You are looking at some real mileage on some of these routes. Fwiw, you might find travel a bit easier if you get an early (alpine) start. Miles of slush can be fatiguing...

Oh, here's what Baldy looked like yesterday. I started a small slide in the bowl in the early afternoon:
http://picasaweb.google.com/EManBevHill ... directlink

Man, I can't believe there's still that much snow up there!!

Soggy, if you ain't the early bird, Bruno!

Baldy Bowl looks like a big shit stain today...ON the climber's left; great rockfall area.

As for sloggin' San Jac and Gorgonio......pfffft! I'm an old lady and I've dayhiked both these bitches early Spring without snowshoes - post-hole YES - but I've done them both in under 12 hours in exhausting conditions.

It is definitely corn conditions in San Bernardinos, I would hazard to guess that San G will have great corn on South Fork. Great thing about snow.....you don't NEED a trail. Blaze one of your own!

Have fun!

Thanks everyone again for the info. It helped me have an enjoyable trip.

Did Jacinto via the Marion Mtn trail. Needed crampons above 7300' on Sunday. Realized I forgot my sunglasses at this point and had to go back to the car to get them. The trail was hard for me to follow, so routefinding issues led to a 13 hour day. Two climbers had left the day before me on this trail - they got lost and were benighted. SAR found them on the Palm Springs side of the mountain!

Bailed on Gorgonio on Monday - didn't want another 14 mile day and snow was basically present at the trailhead. Did a quick hike up Morton Peak instead. Nice views.

Did the Baldy Bowl (thanks for the suggestion) on Monday. Ice axe and crampons needed past the hut. Fun climb, although Baldy was socked in the whole time. Got hit with the storm just below the top. I had on every article of clothing I brought with me.

On the way back to the Bay Area I did Frazier Mountain. The road was gated at the ranger station, making for a dull 14 mile road hike. Stormy weather there too.

I envy you California folks. Must be nice to have a good training spot like Baldy that close.

WoundedKnee wrote:Thanks everyone again for the info. It helped me have an enjoyable trip.

Did Jacinto via the Marion Mtn trail. Needed crampons above 7300' on Sunday. Realized I forgot my sunglasses at this point and had to go back to the car to get them. The trail was hard for me to follow, so routefinding issues led to a 13 hour day. Two climbers had left the day before me on this trail - they got lost and were benighted. SAR found them on the Palm Springs side of the mountain!

Bailed on Gorgonio on Monday - didn't want another 14 mile day and snow was basically present at the trailhead. Did a quick hike up Morton Peak instead. Nice views.

Did the Baldy Bowl (thanks for the suggestion) on Monday. Ice axe and crampons needed past the hut. Fun climb, although Baldy was socked in the whole time. Got hit with the storm just below the top. I had on every article of clothing I brought with me.

On the way back to the Bay Area I did Frazier Mountain. The road was gated at the ranger station, making for a dull 14 mile road hike. Stormy weather there too.

I envy you California folks. Must be nice to have a good training spot like Baldy that close.

Take any photos?

WoundedKnee wrote:Thanks everyone again for the info. It helped me have an enjoyable trip.

Did Jacinto via the Marion Mtn trail. Needed crampons above 7300' on Sunday. Realized I forgot my sunglasses at this point and had to go back to the car to get them. The trail was hard for me to follow, so routefinding issues led to a 13 hour day. Two climbers had left the day before me on this trail - they got lost and were benighted. SAR found them on the Palm Springs side of the mountain!

Bailed on Gorgonio on Monday - didn't want another 14 mile day and snow was basically present at the trailhead. Did a quick hike up Morton Peak instead. Nice views.

Did the Baldy Bowl (thanks for the suggestion) on Monday. Ice axe and crampons needed past the hut. Fun climb, although Baldy was socked in the whole time. Got hit with the storm just below the top. I had on every article of clothing I brought with me.

On the way back to the Bay Area I did Frazier Mountain. The road was gated at the ranger station, making for a dull 14 mile road hike. Stormy weather there too.

I envy you California folks. Must be nice to have a good training spot like Baldy that close.

Thanks for the report. We went up Vivian Creek to San G. last Saturday - it was still mostly snow from Vivian Creek Camp up to the summit, so a long 11 hours hiking up and down, plus an hour spent on the summit - that would have been tough after your long day on San Jacinto. Morton Peak is a great little peak - I often head up that fire road when I want to try to jog up a hill.