Snow training
December 27, 2010




After one week of record rains in southern California we have a healthy snowpack on the peaks of the local mountains.
Jesper and I had decided to practice our mountaineering skills during this winter season, after our failed attempt to reach the peak of Split Mountain last summer




After turning back from Mount Baldy due to road closures we headed towards the San Gorgonio Wilderness to find some steeper snow fileds for snow training.
San Gorgonio (11,499 ft) is the smooth gray ridge in the center of the picture.




Forest Falls

Weather doesn't get much better...

The San Gabriels in the distance, Mount Baldy (San Antonio..) the highest peak.

Time for lunch. We also took helmets, ice axes and crampons out for steeper climbing.

Jesper practicing up a steep cliff

Self-arrest: Fall at different angles and directions - gain speed - and then stop the fall.

Jesper's turn




Last climb of the day...

...felt great! Jesper learned a new Swedish word: Grymt!

Hans fell in to the creek halfway back and got quite cold, so no more pictures after that.

Back to California Startpage