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Rocky Mountain Ramblers Association

Trip Report
Trip Date:
3-Jun-2022
Activity:
Scramble
Trip name:
South to Mt (north) Baldy Traverse
Coordinator:
David
Report:

We enjoyed a good scramble. No old snow, some sun, reasonably calm but with a few gusts after about 1.30pm, warmish +20c? We completed the anti-clockwise circuit in about 6 hours.
Starting about 9.15am, we hiked up the well used trail to Baldy Pass for our first real stop and refreshments. While Midnight Peak still had some old snow, it looked doable.The ascent to the the south peak of Baldy was all dry and with mild scrambling we reached the summit cairn for lunch at 12 noon.




Lunch on the summit of south Baldy


Two groups, who were hiking the traverse clock-wise, soon joined us. Later near Mt. Baldy we crossed paths with several others hiking clockwise, which I find slightly harder due to the steep down climb (Rambler SC6) from Mt Baldy (IMO, easier to climb up rather than down). Though narrow in spots, the connecting ridge proved no problem and we soon tackled the "crux" cliff to Mt Baldy. This was climbed without incident to the summit where we enjoyed another rest.



Ramblers traverse the ridge from south to Mt Baldy (north Baldy)




David and Gary reach the summit of Mt. Baldy from the difficult east side, view is along the ridge to south Baldy




Bill and David on the summit of Mt. Baldy.


The wind had picked up but nothing too serious. We started down the south west side to the cars, soon passing a young lady with a much younger child snug to her chest. Although this ridge has some exposure and loose mostly small rock, it was bone dry and as good as it gets. Several people were still ascending and did not look so comfortable. Apparently someone had posted a report to Facebook a week previously, which maybe accounted for a larger number of people than I would have expected for a Friday.
We traversed around a higher "gendarme" and negotiated the notch to gain the treeline and follow the trail down to highway 40 and our shuttle car



Ramblers traverse around the upper "gendarme" on descent from Mt. Baldy




Coordinator David ascends a pinnacle above "the notch" while descending from Mt. Baldy



Back at Baldy Pass Trailhead about 3.15pm for a 6 hour day, 7km, 900m.

Thanks to participants: Sim,Bill photos,Gary photo, from David C,S and photos. Click on any photo to enlarge.