12/2/16 Another trip up the Ski Hut (Baldy Bowl) trail, this time with Dad in conditions somewhere between a hike and a snow trek. Featuring temperatures down to -3.1 degrees with wind chill, it was a great adventure.
1 Headed up the Baldy Bowl trail. We hit the trailhead a little before 9:00am with the temperature at 29 degrees.
2 There had been a storm with a fair amount of snow the weekend before, but we didn't expect there to be much left. Yet we started hitting snow on the trail at just over 7,000'.
3 As the wind started to pickup, the temperature really began to drop, but the views were great.
4 A great mix of singletrack and snow.
5 Almost to the ski hut. The snow streaked bowl made for an interesting look.
6 Dad's pic of me at the ski hut at 8,300'.
7 Dad at the hut.
8 Leaving the hut and heading up the bowl.
9 Dad's picture of me making the climb out of the bowl.
10 Dad heading up to the rim of the bowl as the trail gets increasingly steep. Fortunately the trail is already well trodden, so there's no time lost with route finding.
11 Always tough to tell in the picture, but this is a steep section of trail. The wind is really picking up now and the temperature with wind chill is down into the single digits.
12 About 10" of snow in the shady gap up the side of the bowl with the nearly dry bowl in the background.
13 Almost to the rim. We cut what would normally be switchbacks and head straight up the slope.
14 Dad reaching the rim in the background as the temperature reads -3.1 degrees with wind chill. Definitely one of the colder trail days I've had. My nose and fingers were starting to get painful despite good gloves and plenty of layers.
15 What a deceiving picture. Looks like a nice sunny day! It's actually subzero temps with 30+ mph winds. Dad is taking shelter from the wind behind a tree.
16 I continue on for just a few more minutes to snap some pictures from the top of the bowl.
17 The view the other direction down the valley.
18 And towards the ridge leading up to West Baldy. This was my turnaround point at exactly 1:00pm. Absolutely had to be back home by 6:00pm today!
19 Heading back down now. With less body temperature heading downhill, and now heading directly into the wind, it was getting really cold. Fortunately we had our Yaktrax on, which at least made the downhill a little faster and safer.
20 Made it back down to the hut. Dad's pic of me taking a quick break. Temps are back up into the 20s now, which makes taking a break much more comfortable.
21 A look back up the bowl in the afternoon light.
22 And a great view down the valley.
23 Dad crossing one last patch of snow with the last view of the bowl in the distance.
24 And the customary shot of San Antonio Falls to end the day. Definitely smaller than when I was here last in the summer, but the snow at the base of the falls is a nice touch. And it marks the end to another great adventure in the San Gabriels.