Recidivists! Nice job, you guys. Did you avoid cliffing out this time?

Nice. Did Ryan bring any sake for the top?

I'm hoping to climb this Friday but I am taking someone without mountaineering experience. What are the conditions like right now? Could we make it to the summit with just poles - no ice axe or crampons?

catalyst81 wrote:I'm hoping to climb this Friday but I am taking someone without mountaineering experience. What are the conditions like right now? Could we make it to the summit with just poles - no ice axe or crampons?

You should be fine without ice axe and crampons unless you get a pre dawn start: Mt. Baldy May 25, 2010.

Kurt Wedberg wrote:

catalyst81 wrote:I'm hoping to climb this Friday but I am taking someone without mountaineering experience. What are the conditions like right now? Could we make it to the summit with just poles - no ice axe or crampons?

You should be fine without ice axe and crampons unless you get a pre dawn start: Mt. Baldy May 25, 2010.

That's great news. What time did you start your trip? Fun pictures by the way.

catalyst81 wrote:I'm hoping to climb this Friday but I am taking someone without mountaineering experience. What are the conditions like right now? Could we make it to the summit with just poles - no ice axe or crampons?

That depends on which route you are planning to climb. The route we just did -- the northeast face -- is covered in snow and requires an ice axe and crampons. Also, it would definitely not be a good route for someone without mountaineering experience.

EMan: Though we descended a ridge for which we had no info, other than a map and what we could see, we didn't get cliffed out. Yay!

Augie: We didn't bring booze to the top, but two other hikers brought beers to the summit.

catalyst81 wrote:

Kurt Wedberg wrote:

catalyst81 wrote:I'm hoping to climb this Friday but I am taking someone without mountaineering experience. What are the conditions like right now? Could we make it to the summit with just poles - no ice axe or crampons?

You should be fine without ice axe and crampons unless you get a pre dawn start: Mt. Baldy May 25, 2010.

That's great news. What time did you start your trip? Fun pictures by the way.

We left the Manker parking area at about 7 AM. The snow in the trees on the west end of the bowl was still a little firm but it was passable without using crampons. The snow conditions are going to be dependent on temperature too. I haven't seen a forecast for Baldy for Friday but up here in the Sierra it looks like a little weather is coming in.

We ended up going and had a great day. Went up the Ski Hut/Baldy Bowl route and came down Devil's backbone. Poles definitely made the trip easier as there was quite a bit of snow going up, but there were a couple groups who made it up without poles. The summit was great. Almost no wind and sunny weather. Pictures here: http://jeffreymcconnell.zenfolio.com/p800454352

Do both trails still hold snow?! I was thinking about doing the skihut trail / backbone loop on Saturday but I'm bringing someone without snow experience.

TacoDelRio wrote:Bruno, they're mostly clear. You can summit without any crampons or ice axes or nothin'.

Have a good one, boss.

Thanks mate!!

snow free tell next year!

http://thehamm.net/2010/06/west-baldy-mt-baldy3/

Well...how is it?

Went up there today(yesterday?) the 29th in the storm. It dumped about a new foot of snow. We snowshoed up following the trail for awhile then lost it ending up on some ridge. Visibility sucked so we turned around. If anyone sees our tracks, follow them and let me know where we went!

I went up the ACH yesterday, and got in some good ski runs. Snow's about 2 feet deep above 7000', and deeper in some spots. Cold and very windy today.

TacoDelRio wrote:Did you notice any closures Rob, like the gate at Islip Saddle?

Yeah, the gate is closed about 2.5 miles before Islip Saddle, near Eagles Roost picnic area. Closed for the season I assume.