Is Los Angeles skiing worthwhile?
- Thread starter ChrisC
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The 6-10 feet is somewhat misleading. The top of Thunder Mt. probably does have something like an 8-foot base. Thunder services about half of Baldy's skiable terrain. The major runs, steep groomers Robin's and Skyline, and the skier-packed mogul runs between them, should have good spring conditions from mid-morning onwards, depending on temps. The off-piste gladed areas have been difficult from what I hear, as new snow has been very heavy, and is set up and irregular. These areas are great in decent powder or smooth corn, but I don't think you're likely to get either. Off-piste you will probably want to ski where it's been skier-packed.
The intermediate chair 4 faces directly south but still has close to full coverage. With that exposure in sunny SoCal weather the window of opportunity is short, usually about 10:00AM to noon, and it's mush after that.
The lower chair 1 has a sun (and probably rock) exposed canyon run under the lift and several long steep shots dropping into the canyon from the right as you're riding the chair up. These are likely to have the set-up and irregular stuff, heavier than up top. Look for skier-packed lines as you're riding the lift. Near the bottom of the lower lift there will be lots of rocks and it can be worth walking the last 100 feet or so to save your equipment.
If you've never seen Baldy, it's worth half a day of your time even if you're confined to the core area of Thunder Mt. Coverage is still good, but you should be comfortable with a variety of unpredictable snow conditions. If you ski Squaw/Alpine in late April/May you might feel right at home.
The intermediate chair 4 faces directly south but still has close to full coverage. With that exposure in sunny SoCal weather the window of opportunity is short, usually about 10:00AM to noon, and it's mush after that.
The lower chair 1 has a sun (and probably rock) exposed canyon run under the lift and several long steep shots dropping into the canyon from the right as you're riding the chair up. These are likely to have the set-up and irregular stuff, heavier than up top. Look for skier-packed lines as you're riding the lift. Near the bottom of the lower lift there will be lots of rocks and it can be worth walking the last 100 feet or so to save your equipment.
If you've never seen Baldy, it's worth half a day of your time even if you're confined to the core area of Thunder Mt. Coverage is still good, but you should be comfortable with a variety of unpredictable snow conditions. If you ski Squaw/Alpine in late April/May you might feel right at home.
I just got off the phone with Garry Klassen for an updated Baldy report.
Last Friday was excellent. The midweek new snow yielded a soft and dry windpack on Thunder Mt., and everything up there skied great. The skiing on the lower chair was still tough going. The new snow was heavier, and it still hasn't been freezing enough down there to consolidate the surface. Garry also recommends walking that bottom 100 feet to the lift if you aren't on rock skis.
The weekend was warm and everything went back to spring conditions. Garry was up there yesterday, but it was overcast and lightly snowing, so the off-piste was very icy.
The rest of this week is going to be warm and sunny, so my previous post is likely to be accurate most of the time. Check the weather, as Baldy will not ski well if it's overcast and frozen.
Last Friday was excellent. The midweek new snow yielded a soft and dry windpack on Thunder Mt., and everything up there skied great. The skiing on the lower chair was still tough going. The new snow was heavier, and it still hasn't been freezing enough down there to consolidate the surface. Garry also recommends walking that bottom 100 feet to the lift if you aren't on rock skis.
The weekend was warm and everything went back to spring conditions. Garry was up there yesterday, but it was overcast and lightly snowing, so the off-piste was very icy.
The rest of this week is going to be warm and sunny, so my previous post is likely to be accurate most of the time. Check the weather, as Baldy will not ski well if it's overcast and frozen.
SoCal Rider
New member
Tony Crocker":3ffnbo92 said:
Friday was an unexpected delight at little ol' Mountain High. Checking the report, I scoffed at the "packed powder" designation, but the snow at around midmountain and above at MH East did in fact resemble PP. I guess I should thank those chilly winds blowing all day. So carveable and unexpectedly unsticky. My best non-powder day of the season.
At this time of year when it snows down here you have one day before it transitions to spring conditions. Last Friday was that day.
Is all terrain at Mountain High still skiable? Olympic Bowl at the bottom of East? Inferno Ridge and the gladed areas between runs on West?
Is all terrain at Mountain High still skiable? Olympic Bowl at the bottom of East? Inferno Ridge and the gladed areas between runs on West?
SoCal Rider
New member
Tony Crocker":ev84snaa said:
Went today and stayed at East, which appears to be closing April 3, for all but two runs. Almost every trail was open. (Business volume to blame for East beginner terrain being closed.) The middle of Olympic Bowl was groomed. Still fast little before 1 on the upper third. The ungroomed parts still looked pretty much impenetrable. Goldrush/Olympic portion of the base is better off than Sundance side, which is starved for cover where it flattens. I can't see that side being skiiable past Friday without moving snow. When I went to West, the Conquest chair wasn't running, so no Inferno Ridge runs
but I saw white everywhere. Can't speak to the "skiiability" of The Reef. Last Friday, the entrance to it looked fine, and coverage of the Inferno steeps not an issue. Today, the gladed areas off Borderline looked to have enough coverage. Today brought more chilly winds, but without any recent snow. My last run was just after 1 and the top half of Goldrush still had firm sections and/or very thin soft layer. Still some very nice spring riding/skiing to be had, especially on and near Sundance (above the base, that is).
Another Baldy report from Garry Klassen, Saturday April 2:
The snow has FINALLY consolidated, leaving a smooth corn surface in much of the ungroomed terrain, starting around 11AM. Yesterday was excellent, even on some of the lower runs. The clear and sunny days should be very good for the next couple of weeks at least.
The snow has FINALLY consolidated, leaving a smooth corn surface in much of the ungroomed terrain, starting around 11AM. Yesterday was excellent, even on some of the lower runs. The clear and sunny days should be very good for the next couple of weeks at least.
Fealing lazy (what's new). So we bought $25 Baldy lift tickets at Sport Chalet. The CORN FACTORY was in full effect!! Perfect 2 inch deep corn on the whole mountain. The mountain was smooth with a ton of coverage. You could ski any treeline and it was smooth and consistent. I imagine that most So Cal mountains were like that this weekend..............
BT
BT
All SoCal ski areas are not like that. Big Bear and Mountain High are mostly trails with man-made snow and high enough skier density to prevent that effortless corn. The off-trail canyons at Bear Mt. are now posted as being closed.
The most pristine spring corn is generally on the backcountry runs from the top of Mt. Waterman down to the Angeles Crest Hwy. But you'll have to earn those turns this year.
Baldy should be good though. And they may offer the backcountry run down the Stockton Flats expansion terrain later this month, as they did in 1998.
The most pristine spring corn is generally on the backcountry runs from the top of Mt. Waterman down to the Angeles Crest Hwy. But you'll have to earn those turns this year.
Baldy should be good though. And they may offer the backcountry run down the Stockton Flats expansion terrain later this month, as they did in 1998.
I may hit Baldy Thursday..I'll report back here on the conditions..
a buddy hiked Mt. Islip (east of Waterman a few miles) this past Saturday and said it was excellent, with much corn to be buttered.. :lol:
Socal San Gabriel backcountry appears to be in good shape probably well into May, at least on the N facing aspects above 7K.. Still a reported 5-9 feet around the areas of Hwy 2 from Waterman to Baden Powell.
a buddy hiked Mt. Islip (east of Waterman a few miles) this past Saturday and said it was excellent, with much corn to be buttered.. :lol:
Socal San Gabriel backcountry appears to be in good shape probably well into May, at least on the N facing aspects above 7K.. Still a reported 5-9 feet around the areas of Hwy 2 from Waterman to Baden Powell.
