SummitPost.org

seanfromcarson wrote:Well, I was planning on climbing Baldy tomorrow, but I just called the Angeles National Forest number and they say it's under an avalanche warning and closed.

Bummer.

Huh?!? Why on earth would there be an avalanche warning? It hasn't snowed significantly in weeks! The snowpack should be very well consolidated and thin, right?

I called Mt. Baldy visitor center and they said it's not closed, they posted a warning about a week ago and haven't yet pulled it. Whether or not their is current danger or not is up to you. I dont see why there would be any danger though.

Anyone been up there recently? I too was planning on going tomorrow.

I can't go tomorrow but I'm planning to go on Sunday. The forecast includes possible showers and windy conditions Saturday night into Sunday morning. I'll be carrying skis up the Ski Hut Trail, hoping for a little bit of skiable snow in the bowl.

Should get some snow down to 4k' by Sunday.

I'm thinking of charging it on Sunday as well. If anyone goes up tomorrow please post snow conditions for the bowl... not sure whether to bring my beater or my brand new LibTech. I just popped her cherry this afternoon at Snow Valley. Snow was actually super good... not to wet. Only 54 degrees. Should of worn trunks.

I suggest the beaters. I heard the skiing was great Thursday but there's a lot of ski grabbing manzanita rearing its head. My bud skied from the summit to the hut but he needed lots of tight turns! You may also have to take the skis off for a short distance traversing from 3 pin.....It's been warm since then, too.

The crux tomorrow will probably be the road. Looks like I'm bailing on Baldy because of it.
Maybe the tram....

Went today. Snow is thinning out and slush by 1pm. There's supposed to be a big storm coming through tonight/sunday morning, but who knows...

Went up today also. Here are my pics of todays conditions:

http://www.digitalalpine.com/gallery/76 ... 0705_dAZAx

Did the Devil's Backbone route today, and despite the warnings of lifties trying to be helpful, no crampons or axe were needed. It was a little slick on the way up, but by the time I was coming down I was walking through more mud than snow.

Just a few old avalanches. There was potential on some of the chutes, but no one seemed dumb enough to head up them.

Oh, got it. Hard to catch the humor via the interwebz haha.

Baldy got about 6 inches of new snow yesterday (Sunday, 3-22-09). I carried my skis up about 1,000 feet past the ski-hut. Even with the new snow it wasn't very skiable there. I couldn't see more than a couple hundred feet in any direction, so I couldn't tell if the coverage was better farther up in the bowl. At 1:00 p.m., alone on unfamiliar terrain, in near white-out conditions, I decided to head back down. It turns out that I carried my skis up and down for nothing more than training weights. Even though I didn't get to ski it was still great to be out there.

Went up there today with the intention of skiing Baldy Bowl. Just about all the snow has melted with the exception of a few ribbons that will probably be gone this week. If anyone might be interested in linking up for some spring skiing in the Eastern Sierra for the rest of the season let me know.

Anyone go up this past weekend? Conditions in the bowl? Past ski hut?

Planning on climbing the bowl next weekend if snow permits. Wanted to know if the bowl has the snow in it to be worth climbing it - if not, crampons and ice axe stay in the car. Or is there still enough coverage to need these items?

Thanks

you might ask over here:

http://sangabrielmnts.myfreeforum.org/