ryanwkelly - Apr 3, 2016 11:21 am Date Climbed: Apr 2, 2016
Attempting Beckler, ending up on Alpine Baldy
Started out from the Jennifer Dunn Trailhead. Snow kept most of the trail markers hidden so we ended up bushwacking up Baldy's western slopes. View from the top of the western ridge was great. Lot of postholing and melting snow.
mvanderbilt - Oct 18, 2010 2:49 am Date Climbed: Oct 16, 2010
North ridge is a PITA
Our party decided to tag Alpine Baldy on our way back from Mount Fernow. On the map and in person, the ridge that connects Alpine Baldy to Pt 5403 looks like an easy walk. However, for about half it's span the ridge is narrow and/or capped by rocky outcrops. The slopes on either side are steep enough that it's impractical to drop down and traverse below the ridge line. While never more difficult than low class 3, finding a way over, through, or below each rock is a pain in the ass. We got to the summit, but it took twice as long as expected. To add insult to injury, arriving at Alpine Baldy's summit is anticlimactic.
fzte - Feb 22, 2010 1:19 am Date Climbed: Feb 15, 2010
Icy
Headed up with Redwic immediately after Beckler Peak. Unexpected conditions made things a bit more interesting than we thought they would be. Most of the steep ground in the forest was covered with slick ice. Avalanche danger on the upper slopes was fairly high despite the NWAC forecast so we stayed within the treeline most of the way. On the way down we found an alternate route which avoided nearly all of the icy forest and avalanche slopes. This one definitely kept us on our toes.
Redwic - Feb 16, 2010 3:59 am Date Climbed: Feb 15, 2010
More Technical Than Advertised!!!
Alpine Baldy is considered a non-technical peak. It is for that main reason that FZTE and I decided to attempt the mountain shortly after summiting nearby Beckler Peak. However, we did not expect nearly 1000' of elevation gain on steep, VERY icy western slopes of Alpine Baldy, until open areas near the ridgetop yielded to softer and less dangerous ascending conditions. The western terrain was so potentially treacherous due to the icy conditions that we chose a safer route down the peak; we headed straight down the southwest side of the mountain to an old overgrown forest road at 3800' elevation. There is too much thick forest for views at the true summit, but the false summit has several very good views. With bigger backcountry ideas for that general region, I will return to that mountain at a later time.
ryanwkelly - Apr 3, 2016 11:21 am Date Climbed: Apr 2, 2016
Attempting Beckler, ending up on Alpine BaldyStarted out from the Jennifer Dunn Trailhead. Snow kept most of the trail markers hidden so we ended up bushwacking up Baldy's western slopes. View from the top of the western ridge was great. Lot of postholing and melting snow.
mvanderbilt - Oct 18, 2010 2:49 am Date Climbed: Oct 16, 2010
North ridge is a PITAOur party decided to tag Alpine Baldy on our way back from Mount Fernow. On the map and in person, the ridge that connects Alpine Baldy to Pt 5403 looks like an easy walk. However, for about half it's span the ridge is narrow and/or capped by rocky outcrops. The slopes on either side are steep enough that it's impractical to drop down and traverse below the ridge line. While never more difficult than low class 3, finding a way over, through, or below each rock is a pain in the ass. We got to the summit, but it took twice as long as expected. To add insult to injury, arriving at Alpine Baldy's summit is anticlimactic.
fzte - Feb 22, 2010 1:19 am Date Climbed: Feb 15, 2010
IcyHeaded up with Redwic immediately after Beckler Peak. Unexpected conditions made things a bit more interesting than we thought they would be. Most of the steep ground in the forest was covered with slick ice. Avalanche danger on the upper slopes was fairly high despite the NWAC forecast so we stayed within the treeline most of the way. On the way down we found an alternate route which avoided nearly all of the icy forest and avalanche slopes. This one definitely kept us on our toes.
Redwic - Feb 16, 2010 3:59 am Date Climbed: Feb 15, 2010
More Technical Than Advertised!!!Alpine Baldy is considered a non-technical peak. It is for that main reason that FZTE and I decided to attempt the mountain shortly after summiting nearby Beckler Peak. However, we did not expect nearly 1000' of elevation gain on steep, VERY icy western slopes of Alpine Baldy, until open areas near the ridgetop yielded to softer and less dangerous ascending conditions. The western terrain was so potentially treacherous due to the icy conditions that we chose a safer route down the peak; we headed straight down the southwest side of the mountain to an old overgrown forest road at 3800' elevation. There is too much thick forest for views at the true summit, but the false summit has several very good views. With bigger backcountry ideas for that general region, I will return to that mountain at a later time.