SoCal Kick-Off

[bry]

Anyone get a sense of snowfall at Baldy? Looks like Waterman picked up 4"...

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[406]

looks like they are reporting 3"-5", which about matches what Mt High reported. Storm was too warm, but hopefully all the rain filled the snow making ponds.

[1000-oaks]

Even at the peak, it looks...firm.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkwUr...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

He says 8-10" in areas

[406]

Mt. High only reporting 6"....significantly under forecasted amounts, bummer.

[hillclimberdad]

Big Bear reporting 9". Aiming to tour the South Fork/Gorgonio area this weekend. Curious if anyone has any recent observations to share.

[Jumper Bones]

General question, when they do chain control, where does the checkpoint get set up at, before or after the village?

[406]

Nothing ever seems consistent with anything baldy, but best spot I have seen it done it Mtn ave & baldy rd, so up traffic can turn back down easy...since 99% don't have chains.

[1000-oaks]

Yeah, when they do it, it's usually at the intersection just above the reservoir. Sometimes it's between the trout ponds and the upper bridge.

If they don't, trying to get up there can require god-level amounts of patience. Go early before the masses on pow days.

[abcdethan]

The SL will be pretty high anyways, right? I doubt you will need chains


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[bry]

Chair 3 today supposedly?

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[Big Tim]

Baldy doesn't give a shit about skiers anymore. The make the money on the snow players. $$ parking, lift rides, tubing, cheese burgers. Yea they have to keep the skiing for their permit. But they don't put much effort into it.

[Jumper Bones]

Thanks guys. Wife got us a cabin up at the Baldy Lodge in the Village for NYE and beyond, just debating which vehicle to take up there and whether I need to put my snow tires on. Chain control is frustrating.

Just got back into town, was stuck in the midwest with the whole Southwest debacle. So catching up on the weather forecasts.

[Talisman]

As a visitor I was totally unprepared for the total lack of people skiing & riding Baldy and the mayhem and chaos in the parking lots and tubing area. Seeing people in fur coats and high heels wobbling around on the snow and massive lines for tubing amazed me and elevated Baldy into a unique ski experience. I had never seen people take the time to pack snow on to the SUV roof before and fill garbage barrels with dirty snow from plowed piles like they were scooping gold.

OTOH the skiing was great both times I visited with amazing views, no lift lines, a liftie that said hello to me by name each run and good snow.

Baldy doesn't give a shit about skiers anymore. The make the money on the snow players. $$ parking, lift rides, tubing, cheese burgers. Yea they have to keep the skiing for their permit. But they don't put much effort into it.

[Long duc dong]

As a visitor I was totally unprepared for the total lack of people skiing & riding Baldy and the mayhem and chaos in the parking lots and tubing area. Seeing people in fur coats and high heels wobbling around on the snow and massive lines for tubing amazed me and elevated Baldy into a unique ski experience. I had never seen people take the time to pack snow on to the SUV roof before and fill garbage barrels with dirty snow from plowed piles like they were scooping gold.

OTOH the skiing was great both times I visited with amazing views, no lift lines, a liftie that said hello to me by name each run and good snow.

That's a classic Baldy experience!

Has anyone been up to see how Thunder is skiing? Supposedly it has opened.

[1000-oaks]

Skied Baldy today. The parking lot and the Notch were packed, heard the line for food was over an hour at lunchtime. Most terrain off chair 3 is open, though be warned only good skiers should venture off piste. Easy Road to Bonanza is groomed and in great condition for intermediates. Nice and soft.

The storm came in super wet with lots of wind, so the best skiing off piste is in the lee areas where drier snow at the end of the storm stuck to the slush below, which is now frozen rock hard. You can hold a solid edge in those areas, but you'll barely leave tracks. Very fun, but don't fall. Mixed in unpredictably are patches of glare ice, where the wind didn't allow any new snow to attach to the slush. Ski slowly enough to recognize and avoid those spots.

The positive of it being so dense and firm is you'll rarely hit any rocks (that you can't see ahead of time). Fantastic base snow for the season, grab your skinniest skis and get after it.

[Long duc dong]

Skied Baldy today. The parking lot and the Notch were packed, heard the line for food was over an hour at lunchtime. Most terrain off chair 3 is open, though be warned only good skiers should venture off piste. Easy Road to Bonanza is groomed and in great condition for intermediates. Nice and soft.

The storm came in super wet with lots of wind, so the best skiing off piste is in the lee areas where drier snow at the end of the storm stuck to the slush below, which is now frozen rock hard. You can hold a solid edge in those areas, but you'll barely leave tracks. Very fun, but don't fall. Mixed in unpredictably are patches of glare ice, where the wind didn't allow any new snow to attach to the slush. Ski slowly enough to recognize and avoid those spots.

The positive of it being so dense and firm is you'll rarely hit any rocks (that you can't see ahead of time). Fantastic base snow for the season, grab your skinniest skis and get after it.

Excellent review!! Many thanks!!

This is good news overall. Last year once the base came the skiing ended up being really solid all winter. I'm hoping something similar happens.

Let's hope this coming storm delivers.

[Long duc dong]

I'm wondering how this storm did. I know Baldy was closed yesterday, but it would be nice to know how much rain fell and how much snow they got. I haven't seen an update yet. I'm heading up to Mammoth tomorrow am, but I'm hoping baldy got something from this. The new forecast for this weekend looks good, but after seeing that they were going to get 11-17 inches and having it end up being rain several times this year I'll believe it when I see it.

[abcdethan]

It was mostly rain, and probably all rain on Thunder Mountain. I heard from a guy who went up Baldy Bowl yesterday.

[Long duc dong]

It was mostly rain, and probably all rain on Thunder Mountain. I heard from a guy who went up Baldy Bowl yesterday.

Sucks to hear that, but thanks for the info!

Hopefully this next round is a bit colder.

[mookieman]

I'm wondering how this storm did. I know Baldy was closed yesterday, but it would be nice to know how much rain fell and how much snow they got. I haven't seen an update yet. I'm heading up to Mammoth tomorrow am, but I'm hoping baldy got something from this. The new forecast for this weekend looks good, but after seeing that they were going to get 11-17 inches and having it end up being rain several times this year I'll believe it when I see it.

Jealous of your Mammoth trip LDD! You'll have a hell of a time. 22 and 23 were the tits last weekend, so I can only dream about what it'll be like this weekend...

I'll be at Snow Valley this Sunday skiing with some buddies, so hopefully the Saturday night storm will pan out. And if anyone sees the big guy in purple, say hello!

[Crouching Dallas]

Anyone get on Baldy after that big rain event? Wondering how much base is left under tonight’s (potential) dump

Been such a snow-level tease that I’m struggling to get stoked on San Gabriel powder but the models continue to look pretty good for 1-2 feet. Would definitely be enough for a good time at Mt Balls

[Crouching Dallas]

A story in three parts:

[1000-oaks]

That cement will be awesome base snow, and exactly what we needed to cover the ice below.

Hopefully it sets up before it gets too tracked up.

[Long duc dong]

Anyone get up there today?

I should be up Sunday, and maybe Saturday as well.

[Jumper Bones]

From the pics, looks pretty good