Little Baldy Trail
We parked, put on our snow boots, and started hiking what we thought was a pretty short 3 mile trail. Unfortunately, due to the snow, steep elevation gain, and heavy boots, we turned back with a little less than a mile left to go.
This trail ended up being a lot of firsts:
This was the first time that the girls hiked inclines with snow, and they were right to be scared of slippery conditions.
This was the first time that the girls hiked with snow boots on, and they found the boots to be heavy.
This was the one of the first times that I can remember us turning around before reaching our intended destination.
But even with all that, we were all smiles on the way down. We resolved to come back next time and hike to the very top.
What I Learned:
According to research done by the US Army, one pound on the feet equals five pounds on your back. No wonder the girls were so tired hiking up this trail.
The girls both stated that they were too tired to get to the end of the trail, but once we started walking downhill, they were all smiles and not tired anymore.
The snow conditions were not that bad. The girls would’ve been just fine hiking in trail running shoes.
3.2 miles, 2 hours and 40 min, 572 ft of ascent
Hike Review:
In the first mile, you gain almost 600 ft of elevation—it’s steep. When you add snow to that, it’s even slower.
The views, however, were very pretty. You could even see Big Baldy across the trees.
The trail was 40-50% shaded.
There were many families hiking this trail, with kids even younger than my youngest.