Mount Harvard : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Overview

Mount Harvard stands tall and fortress like on the south slope of historic Mount Wilson in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California. Mount Harvard has been a local hiking favorite for over a hundred years. The founder for the Hundred Peaks Section of the Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club first hiked this summit in March of 1924 which was the start of his hundred peaks quest. In 2000, the summit was delisted from the hiking group because of private property issues. The summit was bulldozed and covered in media towers which are fenced in two different layers. This is a good peak to combine with trips to many Mount Wilson area peaks. Some suggestions are Mount Yale, Occidental Peak, and Mount Wilson. Use this guide at your own discretion.

Getting There

From the intersection of I-210 and Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2), drive north on Angeles Crest Highway 9.5 miles to Angeles Forest Highway. Keep straight. Continue about 4.5 miles to the junction with the Mount Wilson Road at the Red Box Ranger Station. Turn right. Drive about 5 miles to the Mt. Wilson Park. Park to the right of the entrance at one of the turnouts without blocking the road. Remember to place your Adventure Pass in the window.

Route

From the parking area hike down the gated road , the old Wilson Toll Road, that starts to the right of the entrance for the Mount Wilson Park area. Hike down this road .75 miles to the saddle between Harvard and Wilson. Take the road to the right for a few hundred feet to the gate with barbwire. Here you can make a few choices, either slide between the gates or skirt the cliff/slope about 50 feet to the left of the gate. Once on the other side of the gate hike up the road about 200 feet and take a trail on the right. This is the old Martin'c Camp Trail. Hike up this trail about 200 feet to some electrical towers. Hike to the left and above them to a rock face that is about 30 feet tall. Climb up this face, Class3/4, and rejoin the trail as it hits the main crest of the north ridge. Hike up the ridge to the summit pile just outside of the very gated summit tower complex.

Roundtrip is 2.5/3 miles with about 800-1000 feet of gain. Most of the gain is on the way back.

Red Tape & External Links

For camping information and current conditions in Angeles National Forest.

Mount Harvard was on the Hundred Peaks List.

You will need a Adventure Pass for parking at the turnout.

Images