Snake and Bake

Surely been climbed before, but never named.

Tired of slogging one foot in front of the other up a long, moderate snow slope with the rest of the hikers and city folk? Well, welcome to the thunder dome!! Steep snow, mixed rock, and scintillating route finding conundrums await you on da Snake!! (it is a steeper, more serious route as the Bowl goes with some exposure, so make sure you're ready for it - as bailing won't be as simple as just walking downhill).

Adventurous, winding route (slithering, like a snake, get it) up Triangle buttress - the steep, broken rock buttress on the left side of the Baldy Bowl, just to the left of The Dare chutes. Very conditions-dependent, hit early AM around sunrise for ideal  conditions - will want solid, packed snow and a decent snowpack, otherwise will be a choss nightmare.

Approach from Manker Flats like with any other bowl route, and head to the left towards the steeper chutes. At the proper buttress, enter the bottom of "Taco Sauce" but climb a steep snow chute that branches immediately left. It is a bit of pick your own adventure but we found that the best line would meander up along with the snowpack and over the occasional rock step, with some occasional sustained few moves of 3rd class scrambling. It also involved a steep leftward rising traverse. The best line should present itself, but expect some slithering.

Eventually move right enough up high to hit an exposed rib with the steep Taco Sauce chute directly to your right. Requiring a few easy but exposed moves up and over a pointy rock outcropping with exposure on both sides.

Then make a short but adventurous, cramped, exposed traverse to the right under a tree towards the top of the Taco Sauce chute.

Head up another 100 or so ft on easing steepness up and to the top of the buttress!

On triangle buttress - a steep, broken rock buttress on the left side of the Baldy Bowl, just to the left of Dosties Dare and Dare chute. Same Buttress the route "Taco Sauce" is on and this route basically winds its way up the main bulk of the buttress, to the left of Taco sauce chute, and eventually connects with it near the top.

If you're climbing a nice, open, straight forward snow slog going directly up... you aint on Snake and Bake baby.

None should be necessary. A rope for the desperately inclined but will probably trigger rock fall and cause more problems than solutions.