I went skiing on Mount Baldy today. The snow was soft, the sun was out, and there was hardly anybody out there enjoying it all. I know most people were at work but the few of us that thought skiing was a better option for today had the place to ourselves. No waiting at the lifts is always a welcome experience, and at times being the only one on a run can actually feel strange and freeing at the same time.
The recent Southern California storm system brought in a couple of feet of fresh snow to the local mountains. The Mt. Baldy ski area now has a 3-5 foot base and it has been staying cool up there to preserve it.
The Mt. Baldy ski area has only 4 chair lifts but the terrain is varied and about half the runs are single and double black diamonds, so advanced skiers can have a lot of fun and get a good workout. I enjoy the runs around Chair 3 which is for advanced skiers so the terrain is varied and challenging. Another advanced area is around Chair 1 which is the first lift out of the parking lot. Sometimes the runs around Chair 1 can be icy and you have to stay alert watching for obstacles.
I prefer these smaller ski areas because it’s easier to avoid the crowds that would be at the larger ski resorts. Mt. Waterman is another great ski area in Southern California that is not too crowded with some excellent skiing.
Another storm is on its way this weekend, so skiing in Southern California is going out with a bang this year. We are finally going to have a ski season in our local mountains.