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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jan 20, 2017 - 09:23am PT
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Yeah, that Devil's Backbone is a veritable Infinite Spur, eh?
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Jan 20, 2017 - 10:53am PT
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It begins...
My husband did the hike up to the hut last week to check out the conditions and said he passed a half a dozen people on the trail who were clearly not equipped properly.
What are the odds we'll have another closure this year for "our safety"?
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)
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Jan 20, 2017 - 11:54am PT
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Not to dig on my fellow trail runners, but I find it hard to understand why some that have done Baldy Bowl in nothing but trail running shoes and a stick or bare hands during winter conditions. F*cking use common sense! It's not "cool" and you put others in harms way, Ass Hats!
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Jan 20, 2017 - 02:49pm PT
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Did they have microspikes or crampons? Like others wrote, being properly equipped is essential.
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D'Wolf
climber
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Jan 20, 2017 - 07:22pm PT
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Was up at 2:30 a.m. last Saturday; first one up the trail and Baldy Bowl. Fresh powder, knee deep - breaking trail up the bowl was a bear. White-out conditions, high winds, ice crystals stinging my face - perfect. Who says there's no real mountaineering in SoCal? Saw no tracks on the summit. Broke trail down the Ski Hut Trail; wind was probably 40-50+ mph - knocked me over a couple of times. Post-holed up to my waist a few times. Finally met a group on snowshoes breaking trail up the switch-backs. By the time I hit the ski hut the trail was mayhem. Hundreds of people headed up the trail, some in nothing but running shoes. Idiots. Took me forever to get down the trail. Fortunately, there was quite a bit of snow so I was able to bypass the trail and just head downhill. Parking lot completely full. Two SAR vehicles with personnel parked at the trailhead. Measured a 6-mile bumper-to-bumper trail of cars headed up to play in the snow.
Thought about doing the same tonight/tomorrow but avy danger is too high. 2-4 feet forecast for the area on top of last weeks' freeze/thaw. Somebody will go though, and we'll probably read about it come Monday.
Thom
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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Jan 20, 2017 - 09:33pm PT
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Loser...!
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Jan 20, 2017 - 09:43pm PT
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Thanks for the report Thom.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jan 20, 2017 - 10:11pm PT
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hey there say, oh my... :O
thanks for sharing...
will go read the article...
thanks for the added info, here too...
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, oh my... :(
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Like lemmings to the sea.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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I expect it will get worse when things get icy.
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Wait until the PCT thruhikers show up in April. That scene has exploded since the Wild book came out. And six years of drought have convinced them that all they need in the mountains are trail runners and windshirts.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Yup^. I'm guessing a record year for rescues and fatalities
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Mar 22, 2017 - 09:13am PT
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http://www.dailybulletin.com/lifestyle/20170317/mt-baldy-deaths-lead-to-questions-about-trail-safety
Another Baldy fatality a few days ago...
From the article, this is one analysis of why these accidents happen:
"Sun, rain and melting snow have left the top layer of Mt. Baldy’s snowpack heavy and unstable. Wind has blown snow into cornices on the Devil’s Backbone, which in some areas is 12 to 24 inches wide with drops up to 1,500 feet on one side and up to 1,800 feet on the other side.
The snow makes the trail look 12 to 15 feet wide. People are hesitant to stay to one side of the trail because they’re scared that’s weak snow, Farrow said.
“But that’s where the trail actually is,” he said."
I did a hike to the notch from Manker Flat last Thursday, sunny with air temps about 70. The Ski Resort was still operating and the slopes I could see still had plenty of snow, hard packed groomed. I had slushy snow on the trail for the last 3/4 of a mile.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Mar 22, 2017 - 09:26am PT
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So they're talking about closing the trail? Why don't they close the freeways, too?
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Mar 22, 2017 - 09:44am PT
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Bishop photographer Trevor Anthes, a mountain guide with Sierra Mountaineering International, was rescued by a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s helicopter after suffering serious head injuries trying to help his fallen partner.
Guides getting in trouble? yeah, its dangerous
I did the AVI Level 1 course 2 weeks ago. One of guys taking the course was with the San Bernardino Sheriffs helicopter crew. He has job security at Baldy alone.
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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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Mar 22, 2017 - 03:58pm PT
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I grew up kicking around all over Baldy, and was raised in Upland, the town just below where you drive up to the peak. Easy access makes for accidents for people who are totally unprepared to be anywhere near the mountains, or any place where risk management is required. Should have died up there myself on 1,000 occasions. Sorry for whoever got hurt.
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