It was so much nicer hiking up than with spikes in early March and slogging through snowfields. That was a beautiful sunny day too though, and we've enjoyed this hike. Today we went all of the way up to the ridge that runs over to Baldy - or you can take a left turn to Blacktail Rocks, which we'll do the next time.
There was a beautiful view looking down through a valley, which exposes another ridge hike that I've wanted to do ever since I moved here - it is 10 miles and a hike for two cars, leaving one at the beginning and one at the end - it may have to wait til next year while we get in better shape again. This is an "easy" hike in the guidebook, and it seems like enough for an anniversary Sunday!
The high point of Baldy is 3038 feet with an elevation gain of 1300 ft. Most people go up the face of it and make the loop down with the more gradual descent, but we did it in reverse. I think in the future we'll do both with the more gradual elevation, as it has better views! Next time, Blacktail Rocks,, elevation 4446 ft., named after "the dark lichen eking out an existence on the mountain's southern cliffs" (50 Hikes in Alaska Chugach State Park). Looking forward to it - maybe next weekend?
Baldy is described in the same guidebook as a "bare, rounded knob" above Eagle River. It looked like "take your daughter to hike day" today with several little girls climbing with their parents. We took a short rest stop on top of the "knob" before starting down the steep way - a little muddy and slick and probably won't go that way again.
And honest, I did take a picture of Brian, which apparently didn't turn out, but he had the camera in HIS hand today! Now for a halibut dinner and a nice glass of wine!
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