Even SoCal Gets The Love - Baldy TR

[LegoSkier]

Music for the message Ozomatli - City of Angels


With 3+ feet of new reported over the last couple of days, divegirl and I decided to finally get out on our local mountain. Internet reservations with the Club Card I bought earlier this year meant only $15 tickets. We rolled out by 8 and got up to the base a half hour later. Pretty much parked right next to the bottom of the lift as there were only 20 or so other cars there.
Got on the rickety ass wood slated two hampster power chair 1 and made our way up. LA is somewhere down there.

Terrain looking good!

What we found was strange but still good snow. There was a 1/2 inch crust on top of pretty good pow. You could actually plow through it at speed so it almost skied like pow (almost). I think this is one of those situations that me being a (ahem..big boned) individual helped as I seemed to have an easer time of it than divegirl. Where people have broken it up though it skied like really good packed pow. It was pretty much 3 feet on top of nothing but that really dosen't matter there as its mostly gravel underneath so 3 feet is actually enough to let it run with out too much fear of hitting rocks or bushes.
Baldy looks absolutely sick now. Will have to head into the BC later this week maybe.

We hit chair 1 laps to the lot all day. They were working on chair 3 all day but when we left at 1:30 it haden't even started turning. I think the 1 lift mechanic they have had to climb and de-ice and lube every tower! That area was looking good though.

Divegirl slayin it.

One more senic.

Me.

Will be there solo tomorrow to hopefully hit up chair 3 and thunder mountain. South facing stuff will probably suck but some of those north facing pockets in the trees will be money.

[cold_smoke]

I have heard good things and have always wanted to check out Baldy, that ^^ terrain looks sick, as does the surrounding BC (probably sicker then it would ski at this point, but definite potential all over).

There is not much that is more frustrating then an ice crust covering sweet pow...

[Sirshredalot]

Way to get after it. Both the Ozomatli and the Baldy TR bring back the old collegiate memories. Thanks for sharing.

[Barnballs]

nicely done!

[TWINS]

Right on!!!!!! Way to get after it local style Those side chutes to the lot are money.Not to mention the 15 minute drive back to your crib from there.Check out the BBQ at the top of Thunder.BYOB and meat.

[DJSapp]

I kinda miss baldy. Only got two days with good parking lot runs in 04/05. Way to get after it C&L!

[FollowMe]

Great pictures. I remember skiing it in similar conditions during 1997/98 season. The day was absolutely crystal clear and we could see all the way to San Clemente, easily, from the top of chair 3.

[skiandbike]

Got on the rickety ass wood slated two hampster power chair 1 and made our way up.

I could have sworn it was a couple of squirrels...

Thanks for the pics, always wanted to check out the steeps past Chair 4 on the north side of Devil's Backbone but the last two seasons didn't cooperate. If 3 opens, make sure to take a few runs down "Tube" (red box on the right).

[ColMan]

Nice to see some SoCal stoke!! Grew up skiing at Baldy and Waterman. Always a great vibe at both resorts (especially Waterman).

[BigKuba]

Nice! Way to slay it guys. I saw them hills on my Monday morning airplane ride, and they looked niiiiiiice. Wish I could have been there instead of making rich people richer but what are you gonna do. Where's this bootpack take you?

[Mach Looney]

I've never seen an LA ski hill, so thanks for the pics. All those snow plastered trees make it look like that top layer would be fro zan. Hope you find some good stuff tomorrow.

[Roo]

I kinda miss baldy.

Do you miss baldy badly?

Looks like a fun day. Hard to believe that's so close to LA.

[SheSkisTrees]

I love Baldy! It's a fun and funky ski area. Thanks for bringing back some great skiing memories from when I went to grad school in LA in the early '90s.

[bklyn]

Nice!
.....

[jbblacker]

nice pics. helluva day out there yesterday. good to see some up-close shots of what i've been staring at the last 2 days out of my office window. keep the SoCal stoke going.

gonna try to get up there this weekend and check out the bc, it'll be a good primer before i head up to tahoe next tuesday.

[comish]

Schweet! Jealous. Way to get out there gang. If there is another storm I'm up for a Baldy or Baldy BC run.

Beautiful picts as well. The day after a storm in LA is actually sorta a pretty site.

[LegoSkier]

Chair 3 opened today. Skied it all day. In the tight trees way skiers right of the chair above bonanza bowl there was no crust. It was a 2ft untracked pow playground all to myself. Also got into the Tube for a couple of runs and even into South Bowl area for a few. At first I couldn't believe that next canyon over was actually part of the ski area but watched a couple of people ski it and found where the traverse comes out below the chair. Went in there and found only a little crust and lot of untracked. Full on lift serviced BC type skiing. I like this ski area. Just wish they would get snow like this all the time.

PS Twins, got the stickers. Thanks!

[Gebster]

Very Cool! Powpow in LA's backyard. This may turn out to be a good year to checkout Waterman and the BC up around Newcombs Ranch on the 2.

[asandygal]

Whoo hooo!!! Gotta love Baldy on a good day! and $15 tickets??? That's sweet!

We gotta hook up sometime soon... heard you were "Dude-sitting" down the street last weekend, but we were riding the freshies in Mammoth... (and not under your blue skies...)


(First run on Friday and the was ONE shot taken before the Shitty-ass Canon Elf cracked AGAIN!!! Anytime it is below freezing, those camera's don't take the pressure... it's the third time it's happened in two years)... grrrrrrrr

Anyway... Hook up soon???

[Squirrel99]

Some quality bc options near LA. that's pretty cool.

[PowStompper]

looks nice. What altitude are those goods? I'm guessing the bases of those hills must be just a bit above sea level.

[Vets]

Cool TR!
Glad to see you two getting some.
Hope to ski with you both again soon.

[ColMan]

looks nice. What altitude are those goods? I'm guessing the bases of those hills must be just a bit above sea level.

Ski area is around 6,200-8,500 If I recall correctly (haven't skied it since '93) the top of Mt Baldy is around 9,800-10k. There is/was (still there?) a hut down from Baldy Bowl in the backcountry around 8,500 or so. Pretty kick ass area when there is snow. Ski pow in the am, and get in a surf session in the afternoon. Had a few epic snow years in the late 80's and early 90's's.

[CRACKER]

[/QUOTE]

drool!cool tr.

[LegoSkier]

This is DIVEGIRL.....

A great day!! All I have to say is, grad school is so underrated.....working only part-time leaves many skiing opportunities during the week.

Asandygal - yes, let's get together soon!! Also, I'll hopefully be going to Mammoth January 26th-27th...