Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Conditions On Baldy

Hey Shin we just take the money out of Richards welfare fund Paul started.

I don't know how many thousands of miles We drive , The 76 GMC has over 3 , the dodge has over 3 the 626 over 3 when the motor went, countless other wrecked up car over the years with burnt out transmissions /motors from the mountain and supply runs (A classic run to town was the year the motor blew at the bottom of the switchbacks pulling a trailer it was on closing day and my thoughts it's all down hill so lets go!!! coasted to the light at 395 parked and called Miller )Oh years later another end of the year 1971 Chevy pickup engine blew same story made the turn at Horseshoe and Doug towed it home for yard art.

And just Friday the transmission went on the Nissan van $7200 quote so how many burgers do we need to cook?

The less Affluent Farmers here in NE Thailand use sidecars and trailers for their motorscooters...they can buy a new scooter starting at about $1500 and the sidecar/trailer start at about $200...Don't know what the cost of the B&S engine tractors is...that's a lot of scooters for the price of your transmission repair...

BTW, the War is affecting gas (gouging or government control...I don't know)...last fill was 220 bhat when it been 120 in the past...for a less empty tank...

Doug, what you need is a supercharged Ford F-150 Shelby! Preferably red.

Better than a '77 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon...?

Ya but next year someone would have faster one!

You know about the pinto? We had a 68 AMX 360 hp got rear ended and body shop said would be like new after repair but we couldn't rush him he would get us a rental...first pinto about 6 months he needed to turn back another pinto about a year he needed to return that but he had his own pinto we could use and it was.....THE Wagon with wood trim and all except it had been rear ended and what held the whole back on was a boomer ( the ratchet device trucks secure loads with ) Earlene would go to the store and bang unhook the boomer rear end would hit the deck she then would need help getting in back up explaining No this is a loaner.

End of life for the wagon (backtrack hood wouldn't open either sans never checked oil,coolant or if the engine was even in there) 91 freeway about imperial she starts smoking I pull into the service station get out and ask a guy getting gas if he was going east...
So never mention a Pinto to Earlene.

Oh yah the day we loaded a fence in the pinto those lumber yard guys said it wouldn't fit ! It fit we got to the end of the driveway and the wheel bearings locked up had to call Earlene to bring the Chevy down and just like the lumber yard guys she said it won't fit half did and the pinto was rolling again fence built closed escrow and onto greater things?

I had a few crazy experiences on trails.
I ran over a small, fist size, rock on Mt. Baldy Road and the rock hit the bottom of old green Camry. I noticed that the fuel gage didn't show any changes after a several days. I got is checked. The bottom of car floor got a big dent and the damage went through to the fuel tank and kept the fuel gage float stacked high position which indicates the fuel is still in the tank. Since then, I never drive over any rocks even small rocks on Mt. Baldy Road.
Another time, Richard P., Mark A., and I took Blue Cone ridge trail from Wrightwood to Pine, Dawson, and Mt. Baldy up and down. I drove my green Camry like driving city street on almost 4wheel drive road to the trail head. I enjoyed the driving very much. But, I ended up damaging 4 breaks and costed me over $700.00. Two of my old Toyota Camry took a lot of abuses on the trails.
I lost two breaks on 88 Mazda 626 on 4wheel road, hiking from Lytle creek to Icehouse saddle. This 626 got almost 400K miles, great on highway. On the way to junkyard in Long Beach, it started to smoke crazy, and I couldn't see my back at all on 405 freeway. It barely made it to the junkyard and died at the parking lot of junkyard and I got $75.00 If the junkyard come to pick it up, it's ZERO value.
There were 3 cars in the past ended up in this junkyard victimized from my hiking hobby. R.I.P.

Clearly it's time to bring the Pinto back....

My only Pinto story was about the crazy old guy who lived a block over from us in San Pedro when I was a kid. He never wanted anyone to ride their bike or skateboard on the sidewalk in front of his house. So, clearly, we would dare each other, but you had to time it right 'cuz he'd run out and try to hit you with a broom or a shovel. One day we were going up and down the sidewalk across the street from him, but I guess that wasn't far enough away. He threw the shovel at my friend---missed---and then jumped into his powder blue Pinto and proceeded to try to run us over. It was scary, but once we realized he couldn't make it up onto the sidewalk (even though he tried multiple times), it turned into a game of "chicken." Eventually someone called the cops and they took him off in handcuffs and we had to find something else to do...

Irene Kritz drove a Pinto, but she never had any trouble with it.

I spent plenty of time in a Hatchback Pinto...school friend had one...it was a fine specimen of American Automobile Might...is my History wrong...isn't that what launched Nadar to Fame???

Speaking of speed...a video popped into my feed of a bike that was ridden over 200MPH!!!

On Horseshoe Meadows Road?

I'll post a link to the video if I see it again...I think they did a Boneville Salt Flats type thing...

And me Babbling On...I did over 100...kph on HM Rd...and down from Bishop Pass...the Famous Scatante Wobble happened while I was riding down...thoughts of death, or at least more Road Rash than I would ever be able to handle...I locked my knees on the Top Tube and Featered The Brakes until it went away and promptly headed back to the hotel to change into some Clean Shorts...The Fear and Adrenaline were Off The Charts!!!

Technically, she "rode" the Pinto. (But I find your continual crushing on Irene endearing.)

Are you snow-free yet? It's sticking pretty good out here in the Ag Preserve. A mountain would be a welcome addition, though...

I'd call it partly patchy here. So you're working in the old silver mine?

They closed the silver mine, but I picked up some shifts at the grist mill.

Manker flat area was impacted extensively by the recent storm. The authority was working hard to clear the debris with many heavy construction equipment. ( I lost photos by mistake.) Parking was limited. Ski hut trail was dry till 7500ft, mixed dry section and icy section to Ski hut. (Microspike and poles were must.) A big dead tree was sheared off by the strong wind and blocking the trail. The trail lost sands and fine silt so it was rockier than before with noticeable damage. It was very cold with consistent and strong wind of over 30-40mph. There was a climber in the main bowl. We took a short break and turned around. No sign of climber. I assumed he turned around, too. Snow was rather thin even in the bowl. More rain is in the forecast so the trail condition will be completely different.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FHGvpDvAARAf5dzu7

Have a great hike and a Happy New Year.

3 hikers found dead after high winds halt helicopter rescue in California

https://www.foxweather.com/weather-...-winds-halt-helicopter-rescue-california

MOUNT BALDY, Calif. - Three hikers were found dead after high winds prevented a helicopter from conducting a rescue on Mount Baldy in California.

Sheriffs and rescue teams responded to the mountain around 11:30 a.m. on Monday after getting a report of an injured hiker near Devils Backbone. Authorities said the 19-year-old hiker reportedly fell about 500 feet.
The hiker's friend and a hiking companion hiked to an area with cell service to provide GPS coordinates for crews to find them.

Search and rescue crews conducted a ground search while Sheriff's Air Rescue conducted an aerial search. Deputies were able to locate the injured hiker and the two other individuals nearby, but due to severe winds, the helicopter was unable to safely complete the rescue.

Several hours later, an airship from Los Angeles County assisted with the rescue, but high winds still affected their ability to rescue the hikers.

The sheriff's office said an air medic was hoisted down and confirmed all three hikers were dead. Recovery operations are currently underway.
Authorities did not release the names of the hikers, and said more information will be released as it becomes available.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fontana Sheriff's Station at 909-356-6767 or dispatch at 909-387-8313. You can also contact their anonymous tip line at 1-800-78CRIME.

I saw a headline flash past on this...bummer.....

Condolences seen short for these events the last part of 2025.I know we have all searched for validation to make sense of each accident and as always we are left with that empty feeling why? Please all family and friends understand you have a very large loving family grieving with you.


Baldy trails closed please read the list of closures .