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Hey,

I am looking to do snow creek as my first foray into mountaineering type stuff. I know that a group of people from sp went last year, and now im wondering if you guys are going to do it again, and if so, if I could tag along.

thanks guys!

-Jace

I don't mean to sound negative but this climb is well beyond an entry-level mountaineering trip and I don't imagine you will find a group willing to risk taking a beginner on this route and being responsible for them. Best of luck, but you may want to set your sights on getting some instruction and practice on something less steep and better consistency of snow as opposed to mixed snow, rock, and ice. Highly skilled mountaineers have had a lot of difficulty on this route and even some have died.

Yessir,

I am going to be taking a class in January from SMI for ice axe and crampon use. So Do you know were I could get some good practice I guess without the danger of snow creek? Would baldy bowl be any i guess safer to learn of for ice ax/crampon skills? Any were near san diego?

And guys, Don't worry! I understand your reactions, I have the same when someone who hasn't climbed before wants to go with me!

-Jace

Baldy Bowl is good but you can always take the tram up to San Jacinto and hike around in Round Valley to get comfy. The summit would be very do-able by a novice. There are plenty of the easy/safe gullies in the local mountains to practice.

2nd that. Snow Creek is not for beginners. You must know your limits and be prepared. Even with decades of experience Snow Creek whipped my ass. We climbed from 1:00 AM until 9:00 PM the next day and didn't even top out. We bailed up over the left shoulder of the mountain. Go do laps on Baldy to start. It's an excellent beginner beak.

"3rd" the suggestion that you don't climb Snow Creek if the only experience you'll have by March is a few days of instruction. Taking an ice class would only give you a few days experience in a controlled situation, which is not like an independent climb. Take the suggestions above and try San Jacinto's east face, the Baldy Bowl, plus add the north face and bowl area on the north side of San Gorgonio. In late winter/early spring San G's bowl area has some steep mixed routes over near Jepson, and the face directly north of San G is a nice practice climb on a mixed variety of ice and snow that gets up to a nice 30-35 degree angled slope.

climberslacker wrote:Yessir,

I am going to be taking a class in January from SMI for ice axe and crampon use. So Do you know were I could get some good practice I guess without the danger of snow creek? Would baldy bowl be any i guess safer to learn of for ice ax/crampon skills? Any were near san diego?

And guys, Don't worry! I understand your reactions, I have the same when someone who hasn't climbed before wants to go with me!

-Jace

Nothing really close to San Deigo. The Desert Divide has some stuff that would be fun in the winter and there are other routes higher in the San Jacinto's....Hit me up for some stuff in the winter, I'll only be home for a month though

Woodzy, for sure, I would love some more experience... Im one of gene's friends by the way

-Jace

Here is a trip report on climbing and skiing down Snow Creek a month ago.
http://zoomloco.xanga.com/

Can't imagine the snow will anywhere near consolidated in March with all the precip coming every weekend. Even last year in late March, it wasn't even neve. Anyone with a lung could've climbed it, although it did take us "many" hours to summit. I French-stepped to whole way to avoid blisters becuz I had a marathon to run the following weekend.

Try self-arresting in POWDER somewhere low angle and see how good that doesn't feel; that ought to change your mind about Snow Creek for this March. And again, aren't you only 15/16 y/o? That's a huge liability issue!

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Snowball wrote:Anyone interested in joining me up snowcreek this thursday morning (1am start) for a one-day hike? I have climbed it many times. Send me a PM please... David

I'd sure like to hear how THAT went with the weather conditions today!

I drink too much beer to do this as a day hike

Luciano136 wrote:I drink too much beer to do this as a day hike

I'm with you, although if you just bring a 12 pack instead of an actual case, you can make some pretty impressive time...

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