A Morning in the Good ol' Baldy Bowl
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:35 pm(Another title for this post might be "Takin' a Beatin' on Baldy)
At 5:00 Wednesday morning I met up with Ellen and lilbitmo (Patrick) at Manker Flats. It was pitch dark. By the light of our headlamps at 5:10 we were on the road leading to the trail leading to the Baldy Bowl. Once on the trail Patrick took off like greased lighting. The previous times I had hiked with Patrick I could almost keep up with him, but this time it was hopeless to even try.
When Ellen and I got to the ski hut Patrick was patiently waiting. We had a fuel break and started across dirt to the edge of the snow shoot that would take us to the summit of Mt. Baldy. At this point we put on crampons and got out our ice axes. Up we went. And up some more. The farther we went the steeper it got. Patrick gave Ellen and me several pointers on different steps and form. I think I invented some steps of my own! At one point Patrick assured us that we were at the steepest part, but it would get nicer soon. Wrong!
Well, eventually we made it to the top where Patrick was waiting for us patiently. It had been overcast all morning and now it began to snow lightly. The wind wasn't as strong as it usually is up there, and we were fairly cozy sitting in a little rock wall. We had lunch and took pictures.
When it was time to head down Patrick asked us how we felt about going down the scree slope, and we thought it sounded like a good idea. But first we had to navigate down a bit more snow. This was a bit unnerving and my thighs were beginning to burn, but we did it. Finally we got back on dirt, and Patrick showed us how to lean back and pretty much just run and let gravity take over. He was yelling "bonzai!" as he took off down hill. I was thinking more along the lines of "kamakazi!"
Running down the slope was very hard on my thighs. I fell on my behind a few times along the way. When Ellen and I got to the ski hut there was Patrick, waiting for us patiently.
We all got back on the trail. and Patrick was in the lead again. When we got back to our cars, there was Patrick waiting for us, yes... patiently!
We went into the village and had lunch at the cafe there, discussing mountain adventures past and future.
Today I am paying for it all in my thighs. I need to strengthen those downhill muscles!
Thank you Patrick and Ellen for a most memorable day!
At 5:00 Wednesday morning I met up with Ellen and lilbitmo (Patrick) at Manker Flats. It was pitch dark. By the light of our headlamps at 5:10 we were on the road leading to the trail leading to the Baldy Bowl. Once on the trail Patrick took off like greased lighting. The previous times I had hiked with Patrick I could almost keep up with him, but this time it was hopeless to even try.
When Ellen and I got to the ski hut Patrick was patiently waiting. We had a fuel break and started across dirt to the edge of the snow shoot that would take us to the summit of Mt. Baldy. At this point we put on crampons and got out our ice axes. Up we went. And up some more. The farther we went the steeper it got. Patrick gave Ellen and me several pointers on different steps and form. I think I invented some steps of my own! At one point Patrick assured us that we were at the steepest part, but it would get nicer soon. Wrong!
Well, eventually we made it to the top where Patrick was waiting for us patiently. It had been overcast all morning and now it began to snow lightly. The wind wasn't as strong as it usually is up there, and we were fairly cozy sitting in a little rock wall. We had lunch and took pictures.
When it was time to head down Patrick asked us how we felt about going down the scree slope, and we thought it sounded like a good idea. But first we had to navigate down a bit more snow. This was a bit unnerving and my thighs were beginning to burn, but we did it. Finally we got back on dirt, and Patrick showed us how to lean back and pretty much just run and let gravity take over. He was yelling "bonzai!" as he took off down hill. I was thinking more along the lines of "kamakazi!"
Running down the slope was very hard on my thighs. I fell on my behind a few times along the way. When Ellen and I got to the ski hut there was Patrick, waiting for us patiently.
We all got back on the trail. and Patrick was in the lead again. When we got back to our cars, there was Patrick waiting for us, yes... patiently!
We went into the village and had lunch at the cafe there, discussing mountain adventures past and future.
Today I am paying for it all in my thighs. I need to strengthen those downhill muscles!
Thank you Patrick and Ellen for a most memorable day!
So that everyone could see how well you nice young ladies are doing - but as I'm reading your post I was laughing quite hard as anytime I get to spend in the wilderness is a great time and I had a great time - Scree Running is an art form all it's own, just don't trip forward it hurts 
when your face hits them rocks 
