California/Nevada '19-'20 SoCal Thread, Baldy to Big Bear, Wrightwood to Waterman

[Pat AKA mustski]

Here's some more info on Baldy that Tony Crocker sent me. He went yesterday and is going again tomorrow. He posted here and has a bunch of photos. I hope it's ok to link this here for folks who want to see the photos and his snow report. http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14215

 

[socalgal]

Here's some more info on Baldy that Tony Crocker sent me. He went yesterday and is going again tomorrow. He posted here and has a bunch of photos. I hope it's ok to link this here for folks who want to see the photos and his snow report. http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14215

Very tempting photos!

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

Very tempting photos!

Right?

 

[Popeye Cahn]

I'm sure there will be a next season. As for rentals? There will be additional precautions taken for sure.

The Baldy site specifically mentioned they were not renting gear and guests needed to bring their own. I was seriously contemplated heading up today or tomorrow.

I'm sincerely hoping that next season happens, but I remain guarded for the time being.

Any how, go grab some spring corn ;-)

 

[Rostapher]

Because Baldy only has 4 tix per 10 min arrival time slots, they are selling out pretty fast. So if you want to go you need to plan ahead. I just got a tix for Wednesday. It should be pretty interesting.

IMHO, we will almost certainly have a ski season next year. It might be more limited & in a modified form, but it’s going to happen one way or another. Maybe more social distancing, face covering & washing hands, sanitation, etc. Stay safe out there!

 

[KingGrump]

Because Baldy only has 4 tix per 10 min arrival time slots, they are selling out pretty fast. So if you want to go you need to plan ahead. I just got a tix for Wednesday. It should be pretty interesting.

That sounds like using the Ikon pass at DV.
Yeah, we can hack that.

 

[Rostapher]

Well, Baldy exceeded expectations again today. Importantly, social distancing was very well maintained, everyone wore face covering around lift areas and stayed several ski lengths apart. Other than the top & bottom, I didn’t go within 40 or 50 feet of anyone, besides the one friend I was skiing with.

Good coverage, for the most part, on north facing aspects, even when other parts of the mtn were completely bare, The snow was soft, spring corn, but not slushy and it stayed pretty nice throughout the day. All the skiing was pretty much bumps/off piste as nothing has been groomed in a while. Temps were in the 60s most of the day with light hazy cloud cover so it didn’t get TOO hot. I skied in gym shorts, stretch knee pads, a base layer & a t-shirt all day.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

I am so FREAKIN' jealous! Have fun everybody.

 

[Tony]

Today is Baldy's last day. Tony Crocker was there the last two Fridays. Reports with pictures at https://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14216 and https://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14217

 

[Rostapher]

Skied Baldy again Saturday, May 2nd, their penultimate day of the ski season. Temps were actually ”cooler” than Wednesday, in the mid 50s for much of the day, but I still skied in shorts and there were others in shorts, t-shirts, tank tops or no shirt at all. Even so, in the morning many places had re-frozen before gradually softening after a few runs.

Much like the info in the links from Tony Crocker above, conditions had deteriorated significantly since Wednesday and coverage was getting really spotty in places, making places (like under the lift) that were still skiable on Wed, impassable by Sat.



However, there was still a lot of snow to be found in certain areas. Goldridge (below) still had nice coverage except for some parts that narrowed down to a few ski lengths wide where you did your best to avoid the gravel/corn mix in the trough of the bumps.



All in all it was a beautiful day with fun, variable spring conditions. Well worth it to be able to ski in the month of May!

Coda
One of the most unique aspects of skiing Baldy is the one and only lift at the base. The rental shop, tubing runs, restaurant, etc. & the 3 other lifts are all accessed from the TOP of Lift #1, so lots of people who ride this lift don’t have skis or ski boots. Therefore, you hand your skis to the liftie, walk out to the loading area & get on the chair sans skis; what a strange and light footed feeling! Your skis then ride up on the chair behind you & the liftie at the top grabs them off the chair for you. When heading home for the day, the process is reversed and you take the leisurely 20 minute ride back down the mtn, all while your skis ride behind!

 

[locknload]

Thanks for letting some us who have been stuck without snow for 2 months live vicariously through these pix!

 

[Rostapher]

Thanks for letting some us who have been stuck without snow for 2 months live vicariously through these pix!

Glad you like it @locknload. I don't know whether people like me or hate me for posting it. But hey now that Baldy is closed too, there is again no lift serviced skiing in NA AFAIK.

 

[Mothertucker]

I thought it might be fun to strap on the ol' resort planks and ski the Wall on Sunday, but I was wrong. Last resort run of the season.

 

[locknload]

Glad you like it @locknload. I don't know whether people like me or hate me for posting it. But hey now that Baldy is closed too, there is again no lift serviced skiing in NA AFAIK.

Seems hard to be mad at someone out enjoying the waning days of winter in these odd times...now jealous...that's a different story.

 

[Rostapher]

The latest in Mt. Baldy being a really cool ski area.

Just about everyone knows that Baldy opened for about two weeks for a last hurrah to the ski season. But the only way you could ski was to be a pass holder or to buy a full price $99 lift ticket. No discounts to obviously cut down on crowds and make enough money to make it worth it opening. I think it was money well spent!

However, here’s the kinda amazing part, they credited every ticket dollar spent in those two weeks towards a purchase of a season pass for next year, currently selling for $299. So, essentially for anyone who paid to ski during those two weeks they created a very hard to pass up deal on a season pass, so... I’m now a season pass holder at Mt. Baldy. Hooray!

 

[Tony]

They discounted Senior tickets to $79. Tony Crocker, who no longer posts here, got one on his second Spring day there. He bought ticket for his first Spring day from the road up and did not see the Senior ticket. I am not old enough to qualify, although I got away with it a couple of days in Canada in February. I have never skied in So Cal. and would like to do it someday, but probably would only do it as part of trip there for other reasons.

I hope the pass works out for you. Tony Crocker bought $169 Baldy season pass for 2015-16 thinking it would pay off during El Nino year and may have only gotten one short day on it. He also has some comments on Baldy passes and weather history in post from May 2018 at https://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12677 that includes "Baldy has not been worth skiing at all any time in 6 of the past 8 seasons. During those years it has never been more than 1/4 open (that means the beginner area and a couple of manmade groomers on Thunder). Four of those years Baldy was either never open at all or maybe a few weeks with only the beginner chair 2. "

 

[Danny]

Well, Baldy exceeded expectations again today. Importantly, social distancing was very well maintained, everyone wore face covering around lift areas and stayed several ski lengths apart. Other than the top & bottom, I didn’t go within 40 or 50 feet of anyone, besides the one friend I was skiing with.

Good coverage, for the most part, on north facing aspects, even when other parts of the mtn were completely bare, The snow was soft, spring corn, but not slushy and it stayed pretty nice throughout the day. All the skiing was pretty much bumps/off piste as nothing has been groomed in a while. Temps were in the 60s most of the day with light hazy cloud cover so it didn’t get TOO hot. I skied in gym shorts, stretch knee pads, a base layer & a t-shirt all day. View attachment 101209 View attachment 101210 View attachment 101211 View attachment 101212 View attachment 101213

Those photos make me miss Baldy so much. One of my favorite places to ski.

 

[Rostapher]

They discounted Senior tickets to $79. Tony Crocker, who no longer posts here, got one on his second Spring day there. He bought ticket for his first Spring day from the road up and did not see the Senior ticket. I am not old enough to qualify, although I got away with it a couple of days in Canada in February. I have never skied in So Cal. and would like to do it someday, but probably would only do it as part of trip there for other reasons.

I hope the pass works out for you. Tony Crocker bought $169 Baldy season pass for 2015-16 thinking it would pay off during El Nino year and may have only gotten one short day on it. He also has some comments on Baldy passes and weather history in post from May 2018 at https://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12677 that includes "Baldy has not been worth skiing at all any time in 6 of the past 8 seasons. During those years it has never been more than 1/4 open (that means the beginner area and a couple of manmade groomers on Thunder). Four of those years Baldy was either never open at all or maybe a few weeks with only the beginner chair 2. "

Yep, I’m aware that Baldy is a bit feast or famine when it comes to snow. Fortunately, the pass is also good for the summer lift, discounts & a couple other small perks as well. Additionally, injecting a little cash into a local mom & pop ski area so maybe they can continue to stay afloat is worth it to me. You really can’t beat a season pass for less than the price of dinner at a good restaurant.

Sure, I hope to get to ski next season at Baldy & in all likelihood, I probably will. I rather enjoy the extra challenge of avoiding rocks, logs, shrubs and gravel during low snow times. But if not I’ll just consider it a donation.

 

[Mothertucker]

Snow Summit sunset ski April 14th.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

@Rostapher I feel the same way about supporting the mom and pop places. Baldy is rarely open but, with a little luck, you might get a few days in.