New to mountaineering and backcountry snow? Not sure if you need to take an avalanche course? My review of the AIARE 1 course experience will hopefully help provide some insight and determine if an avalanche course is for you
San Gorgonio Mountain has many hiking trails to the summit and a North Face chute for mountaineering. Spring is a great time to climb this chute to the tallest mountain in Southern California if you’re experienced.
Mount Whitney is the highest peak of the contiguous US sitting at 14,505 ft. The Mountaineers Route makes for a unique experience, different from the standard hiking trail, and Spring is a great time to climb the mountaineers route! Read on for more info and learn more on the gear you need for a better experience.
The San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains are home to many accessible trails, but also some rugged mountain terrains. In the wintertime particularly, SoCal gets hit with a good amount of snow which makes these mountains a different level of playing field compared to Spring, Summer, and Fall.
Avalanche Gulch is the most popular and easily-accessible trail to reach the summit of Mount Shasta 14,179 ft. Here’s everything you need to know to reach the top of this volcano including permits, gear, and route info. Ready to climb an easy CA 14er?
Climbing to the top of LA’s highest mountain, Mount Baldy (10,064 ft) via the Baldy Bowl in the snow can be exciting if you’re experienced with mountaineering. If you don’t own the proper gear (crampons and ice ax), you can still hike the Ski Hut Trail in the winter with microspikes.
Matterhorn Peak is the highest summit of the Sawtooth Range in the CA Sierra Nevada. Climbing the East Couloir as my first winter mountaineering experience was a good choice for a beginner – read on for my experience on my first backcountry snow camping and climbing with a fear of heights.
Pack list for beginner snow hikers (day hikes only) + basic safety tips If you’re new to snow hiking and not sure where to start… we’ve all been there. The two questions I got the most from snow hikes are: wasn’t it cold & did you have microspikes… so I’ve prepared a winter day hike …
Snow Hiking Basic Safety Guidelines and Must Have Gear Read More »