Mount Baldy

On Saturday we decided to hike Mount Baldy.  It is a mountain that sticks out over the whole area and that Cameron and I have wanted to hike for several years.  We took the kids with us for what would be their first big mountain assent.  The first part of the trip involves riding the Mount Baldy Ski lift up to the restaurant.  It is a very old ski lift and a touch scary but it seemed to run just fine.

After a bathroom break we started hiking up the road. Cameron was told which way to go and we were following a few other people too.  We saw a road take off to the left but Cameron decided we should probably go up the ski run because of the instructions he had been given.  It was so steep!  I have hardly ever hiked up something as steep as that and we had to keep rallying the kids.  Here is a picture looking down at the ski runs.

 Here are a few pictures of Ashling.  She was a trooper all day.  Each time I would tell her that if she just kept hiking it would get easier and she believed me.  She kept going and she hardly complained at all.

 Here is a picture of the devil's backbone.  After the steep ski runs we quickly came to a trail where it dropped off several thousand feet on both sides.  The girls were a little nervous but when we told them it would be okay they took it in stride.

 Here are some more pictures of the back bone.  It is amazing how it drops off so much!  Cameron carried Annika in the backpack most of the way up!  He is the man.  People kept stopping him and taking his picture because they were so amazed.

 Here is a good look at what we had to walk by... glad nobody slipped!

 A little rest was needed by the girls but I decided a standing break was better.

 After the backbone it was a pretty flat trail for a little while.  We let Annika get out and walk a little.  It was still steep on one side though.

 The last part of the trail was very steep and hard to pick your way through the rock scree.  Cameron, Annika and Ali lagged behind while Ashling and I continued the grueling way up the rocks. We were following two very strong young guys and they kept cutting the switchbacks and Ashling would follow them.  It made the hard trail even harder!  Ashling kept looking back at me and wondering if we should stop and I kept telling her we could finish it if we just kept walking.

 Finally we all made it to the top!  It was so flat and big up there.  My girls were the youngest ones up there and everyone was very proud of them.