Mount San Antonio (Mount Baldy)

Mount San Antonio (Mount Baldy)

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 34.28890°N / 117.6458°W
Additional Information Elevation: 10064 ft / 3068 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

Mt. San Antonio or better known as Mt. Baldy is the "crown jewel" of the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California. Although it is not the highest mountain in Southern California it is the highest in the San Gabriel Mt. Range. Mt. Baldy is visible from much of Southern California and much of Southern California can be seen from it's summit on a clear day. It is one of the most photographed objects of the Southern California landscape It's snow covered peak has appeared on post cards and tourist literature for many years. There are four popular routes to the summit. All are considered moderate hikes of 8.5 to 13 miles round trip and anywhere from 3,600 feet to 6,000 feet of elevation gain. All routes can be hiked year round but you'll need snowshoes and/or crampons and ice axe during winter months.

Getting There

From interstate highway 10 exit either on Mountain Blvd. or Euclid Blvd. and travel north. Follow signs towards the Baldy Ski Lifts (aprox 15 miles). For the Bear Canyon/Mt. Baldy Village Trail park on Bear Canyon Road down in Baldy Village (aprox 3 or 4 miles before the lifts). Walk to the end of the road where a sign leads to the trailhead. For the Baldy Notch/Devil's Backbone Trail and the Baldy Bowl/Sierra Club Hut Route park in the dirt pull-outs by Fall's Road at Manker Flat (1/2 mile before the lifts). For the Blue Ridge Trail take highway 38 from intersate 15 towards the town of Wrightwood. Take the Angeles Crest Hywy to the dirt road to Guffy Campground and Prairie Fork. Follow the dirt road 6 miles to a junction and go left. Follow aprox 1.7 miles and park in a pull-out and the base of Pine Mt. (As of 9-3-01 the gate is locked at Guffy Campground.)

Author: banjobonch
Date: Dec 16, 2005 7:06 PM
If coming from the west on Rte -210, exit Baseline Rd. and turn left at the first signal and then right on Padua. Then right on Mt. Baldy Rd. Saves you a couple of miles on the freeway.

Author: R Pollard
Date: Aug 15, 2005 4:48 PM
If you can get to the 210 freeway instead of the 10, you can skip some travel through the city of Upland. Take the exit off of the 210 for Mountain Ave. that says Mountain Ave, Mount Baldy. The directions to the ski lifts at mtbaldy.com have a good map and directions to Mountain Ave.


Red Tape

No wilderness permits are required. A National Forest Adventure Pass is required for your vehicle while parked at any of the trailheads. The pass can be obtained from the ranger station in Baldy Village or in Big Pine (a few miles west of Wrightwood). Many local merchants also sell the pass. The cost is $5.00 a day or $30.00 for an annual pass.

Author: StephaneFitch
Date: Dec 02, 2005 7:48 PM
You can buy a National Forest Adventure Pass at any Big 5 sporting goods store in and around Los Angeles.

Author: displacedcountryboy
Date: Nov 23, 2003 7:17 PM
You do not need an Adventure Pass to park at the Bear Canyon trailhead. Parking along the street outside the Mt Baldy Visitor's Center is free. If you plan to be back by 4.30pm, you can also park in the Visitor's Center parking lot --but beware, they will lock the gates at 4.30pm.


When To Climb

Can be climbed year round.

Camping

Camping is allowed. A free fire permit must be obtained from the Angeles National Forest District for use of camp stoves or camp fires. (626) 335-1251

Mountain Conditions

Angeles National Forest
(626) 335-1251

External Links

Just want to let people know that we've compiled some trip reports and such at the following web-page. We're a college club based in Pasadena, so Mt. Baldy is one of our favorite places to go (mainly for mountaineering and backcountry skiing).
http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~alpine/wiki/Mount_Baldy
submitted by Lavaka

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

Viewing: 1-4 of 4
Cookie Addict

Cookie Addict - Feb 6, 2006 12:30 am - Hasn't voted

Untitled Comment

It seems that the sign that points out the Ski Hut Trail keeps going missing and the trail is easy to miss for first timers. Walk to the Falls and follow the pot-holed "paved" road up and back to the right. After about 3/10 of a mile the road makes a left turn and has a slight down grade. From that turn, the trail to the Sierra Club hut is about 30 yards down on the left. It looks like a goat trail rising sharply into talus and broken sedimentary outcrops. You will know you are on the right track is after going up for about five minutes you run into a brown steel trail log box.

spapagiannis

spapagiannis - Sep 20, 2014 5:36 pm - Voted 8/10

Re: Untitled Comment

The Ski Hut jump-off is still missing a sign, but very visible now. The slope was pretty rotten for a while but the recent monsoon a month ago seemed to grade it much better - not quite as dangerous and resembles a maintained trail rather than use trail. But it's nearly impossible to miss now so long as you know to look for a trail.

spapagiannis

spapagiannis - Sep 20, 2014 5:34 pm - Voted 8/10

bear Canyon CLOSED

As of August 23, 2014 per ANF Mt. Baldy Ranger Station: Bear Canyon (Old Baldy) Trail is CLOSED due to a washout from a early/mid-August monsoon. Washout reported by them to be at Bear Flats. Confirmed with ranger station again on September 20, 2014 prior to considering a Baldy 20-mile "Big Loop" trek - Bear Canyon trail is still CLOSED. Confirmed by them that it will remain CLOSED for the rest of this season. Will remain CLOSED until August 2015. All other trails said to be fine though. Have been on some of them after that monsoon and they seemed fine. Actually, Devil's Backbone East and Register Ridge were in better shape then prior to that monsoon rain.

HikingGuy

HikingGuy - Jul 18, 2015 4:58 pm - Voted 10/10

Update

All the signs are gone - here are some recent directions for the hike: https://hikingguy.com/hiking-trails/mt-baldy-hike/

Viewing: 1-4 of 4


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