Sunday hike in the snow storm

[Lcpl Hughes]

Howdy Don

We wore microspikes the entire time. Occasionally, we could feel the microspikes grab on icy sections under the new snow. I love the sound of crunching in the morning Don't know what the snow conditions are like up there now -- there may be enough snow for snowshoes.

Thanks for the info...cant wait to get up there and find out

[NormaR]

Brrrrrrr... It had to be bitterly cold to make you, Ellen, the Blond Polar Bear freeze. yes, you are crazy but isn't nice to know there are other crazies out there who totally get-it and we have found each other and love being crazy together!?!

Dave G and i were on Baldy the same day. our temps were slightly warmer and like you, we had to turn around short of the summit due to a time constraint, but had we made it we would have had -0- temps too, i'm sure. i figure it was in the teens and when i took off my wind jacket on the ridge to put my down on underneath, my hands went to the bad place too. we didn't bring our 'pons and that was a big mistake. ice under the 6-8" of powder made for a slow and rather dangerous climb. had we had our crampons we would have motored up that mtn, instead we were kicking every other step. thank goodness we had our axes. we used them. i will never opt to leave 'pons behind again. i will carry the 2 lbs no matter what and consider the weight as load training if i don't use them.

i guess there is not enough snow on San J to tramshoe yet, right? hopefully soon. again, good job and i'm so happy to see the "white stuff" arrive!!!

[Ellen]

Howdy Norma

I'm planning on going up from the tram either on Friday (tomorrow) or Saturday. I want to also do Skyline one more time before we get more snow. So, may do Skyline tomorrow and go from tram on Saturday.

Although there has been new snow since Lance and I went up, I don't think there's enough for snowshoes yet. I will use microspikes for flatter sections (e.g. leaving Long Valley), crampons for climbing, and bring an ice-axe.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen