Mount Baldy Snow Hike

crampons: 12 point spikes tie to your boot. model: Katie

unknown skier hiking up with the ski

It's windy and cold at the top

I planned this hike a few weeks back because this Sunday is the only week that I can hike Mt Baldy. With the high mileages training coming up (16, 18, and 20 miles), I definitely want to stick with the training schedule and not do anything on Sundays.

So Katie, Roberto and I were at the trail head at 7:00am. After putting on our shell pant, gaiters, crampons, crampons, ice axe...etc. we started heading out at around 7:45am. The first part is on the road and we don't really have to use crampons. Since I don't want to get any injury at all (Coach Matt will kill me), I decide to use my crampons so I don't fall on ice.

What use to be a 4 hours summit took me 5 something hours. It was cold, it was very very windy. And you know what, it's tiring walking on snow with crampons. My initial summit plan was to stand up at the top and take a picture with my Team In Training Jersey. That didn't happen because it's too cold and windy at the top. As I was going up to the summit, Katie was coming down already because she said it's too cold and windy near the top. She stayed up there, took a few pictures and head down. Roberto too was up and down in no time. As I was near the top, it was so windy that I almost got knock over a few times. This other person I met turn back because he doesn't have crampons/ice axe and he was having no luck kicking his own steps because there were just solid ice near the top. I am so glad he made the right decision. Unlike that other guy, I pushed for the summit... just because I can =)

When I got near the top (a few feets away), I shelter myself behind the first stone barrier I can find. I lie behind the barrier so I get less wind exposure. I then dig my crampons on the ice to make sure I have purchase. I was having a hard time setting my axe on the ice but I did it some how.

I was cold but I decide not to put on more clothes because I know everything I take out from my backpack will just fly away because of the wind. I took 2 pictures, a short video clip, and head back down. I decide not to get to the top top (a few feet away) because I was concern about my safety. I feel like if I move a few steps to the top I will lose my footing. There was no one at the top and I definitely don't want to lose my footing. I kind of regret about not being at the top top because I didn't get to see the other side of the mountain. But then I guess I just want to go down and I just didn't care at the time.

stone barrier during summer time. I only get a fraction of that today because most of the barrier was covered with snow *_*

Roberto was waiting for me near the top so we went down together looking for Katie. We didn't see Katie at this section near the top so we assume she went down to the ski hut and wait for us. Roberto and I took a break to have lunch because it was like 2 something and we both were hungry (We usually have lunch at the top but that didn't work out as planned). When we got near Ski Hut I saw this dad with his daughter and her bf struggling to head down. I learned that the dad twisted his ankle and he was basically lamping down the mountain. He asked for some painkiller and I gave it to him. We offer to walk them out but he refused most of our assistant and he just ask us to call his wife telling her he will be late.

A few hours later, we got back to our cars. What we didn't know is we have to sit though traffic from hell for another hour before we get back to the 210 freeway. Apparently all the city people drive up to Mt Baldy area for snow play. Katie made a comment about how city girls look pretty and fashionable on the snow. I think she just wanted that pink jacket (just kidding).

About the Dad and his daughter and her bf: In my personel opinion, this Dad is totally not responsible and put his daughter and her bf in danger. I can go on and on about it. The biggest thing that bother me is that the Dad has crampons/boot but the daughter and bf have tennis shoe on. I figure if you have crampon, then you probably know that hiking on snow with tennis shoe is a very stupid thing to do. Your feet can get very cold and you may have frost bite. So I don't know why on earth he took his daughter and the bf up to Mt Baldy. Don't get me wrong, the 3 of them are in great condition... much better than me, but they are not well equip for snow travel. I think they are very lucky because nothing really bad happen to them. It could of been a lot worst.