With the recent snowfall, I was hoping to finally climb the Baldy Bowl, a goal that has been eluding me for the past 3 years.
The Plan
I asked members of the California Peaks FB group for conditions regarding the snow level in the bowl. Several responded to my inquiry and I ended up joining a group that was already planning to go. The group included people that had climbed the bowl previously, so I was happy to join a knowledgeable crew. We planned to meet at the TH at 7:00 am.
The Outcome
On my drive, I realized that we would not climb the bowl. We had been told that on Wednesday the Bowl was full of snow, but looking up on my drive in, I could see more dirt than snow. I decided that I would hike up to the Sierra Club Ski Hut and save the Bowl climb for another day.
Gear
Winter dayhike with very cold, windy weather predicted. My pack was 30+ lbs including food, water and my winter gear.
Notable Gear
Due to the lack of snow, most of my winter gear went unused. Here’s what I did use.
- Hydrapak Stash
- I really like this bottle. I need to use it as much as possible before writing my review, as durability is my primary concern at this point.
- Beartooth BDry
- The last time I completed a similar hike on this trail, my feet were tender the next day. After this hike, I felt like I had not hiked at all.
I wish I had brought…
- Lighter Hiking Pants
- The forecast was way off. Half-way to the Ski Hut, I could feel sweat running down my legs, with no option to delayer further.
Geek Stats
