Mount Baldy Again

I wasn’t sure that I would be able to finish the 6 Pack this year due to circumstances, but I had walked up to the Notch the weekend before and it wasn’t too bad, so I thought that I might be able to do it. A couple of friends volunteered to go with me to make sure that I made it off the mountain in my infirmity and decrepitude. I cheated, I took the ski lift up to the Notch, but I have an excuse, and it’s my hike so I’ll do it how I do it. Ordinarily I’d scorn this trick, but needs must. I don’t like this route at all but it is the shortest and easiest so that’s the way I went. Up from the Notch to the Backbone and on to the summit. We thought about tagging Harwood but I’m glad we didn’t because we ran into friends coming down doing the loop just past the junction. It’s always good to run into friends on the trail. Made it up to the top. I was pitifully slow but got there. Then it was back down the slippery slope to Harwood Saddle and on to the Backbone and on to the Notch. Did I mention that I don’t like the Backbone? It’s not that I’m scared, but I don’t like the exposure and I don’t care for that route. But that was the way down so that’s the way we went. # 5 of the 6 Pack for me this year, and I have hope that I’ll be able to complete it again this year. Who’d have thunk that would be a question, but it is now due to circumstances. Screw the circumstances.