Mt. Baldy, CA 1/1/05

Happy New Year from Mt. Baldy, which has had more snow so far this season than Aspen, Whistler or Jay Peak.

I arrived at 7:30AM to take advantage of the half-price ticket offer from Thursday. The Thunder lift that was open only one hour Thursday did not open Friday either, when it snowed another 6-8 inches. I loaded chair 1 before 8 AM. Thunder was ready to go, but the lift ops didn't show up on time so it opened at 9:30AM.

I skied one run on chair 1 waiting for Thunder, and the snow was more stiff and irregular than Thursday after 2 days of skier traffic with other lifts not open. Thunder today was a replay of the lower runs Thursday: dense new snow that skied like soft packed powder. Some exposures had hardpack or glazed patches but usually those could be avoided. Sheltered exposures in the trees were ego skiing. Chair 4 opened midday. Weather was like Thursday: clear morning with the fog coming up in the afternoon.

After Garry Klassen left at 2PM, I went back up for a few more runs and finished with a backcountry excursion I have done only once before in Feb. 1998. Snow was of good quality, but the base was not as deep so there were a couple of sketchy chokepoints to negotiate. I finished with 23,500 vertical of very high quality skiing.

I got up before 5AM and went to the Rose Parade formation area before skiing.


Garry in South Bowl


I'm probably dropping into South Bowl here.


Goldridge with Baldy peak in background


Robin's trees, where Garry hit an ice patch in the fog


Patrol attending to Garry's cut lip


Garry in Eric's

Top of chair 4 above the fog

Had a great day at Baldy on New Years as well.

Finally got to ski Thunder and Chair 4 after the disappointment of Thursday.

I was lucky enough to be the 5th person up Chair 4 right when it opened and got almost a full run of fresh tracks underneath the chair line.

Very nice, but I forgot to take a picture and by the time I went back up 4, it was all foggy.

My only comlaint would be the drive home; there were thousands of idiots from the city who were coming up to play in the slush-dirt at the side of the road. This would be fine, but because of the sheer amount of people, it took me an hour and a half to drive from the Baldy parking lot back to the 210. Very frustrating, but it's New Years, so I half expected it.

Anyways, Happy New Years everyone. I hope this year treats you to as much fresh powder as you can get.

Garry left at 2PM and took over 2 hours to get home to Alta Loma (normally 15-20 minutes).

After my final OB excursion I had a short hike to my car and I left about 4:40PM. While the sightseers were still active, it only took me 20 minutes to get down to the village and I was home in Glendale at 6:00PM. I do sympathize with those who got in the traffic jams earlier in the afternoon. In January 1989 there was a huge accident on the access road and I didn't get out of Baldy's parking lot until 10PM.

Hey I was up there on this day. Telemarker in an orange jacket. I skied this same run in the clouds at about 2:30
Kinda fun I got to ride up Tunder early with ski patroller Gil and pull closed signs from South Bowl and poach a fresh line.

Tim
Telemarktips.com