The 240 meter-high (790ft) West Ridge of Telegraph Peak is a nice, easy, class 3 climb in the Mt Baldy area. This page is meant to show this as a winter/alpine climb, with snow on the route. This route could obviously be done in summer, climbing up on the scree.

Dustin's Summit Panorama, click for HiRes

The ridge gets pounded by heavy winds coming from the high desert to the north. The wind helps the snow harden in places, and piles spindrift behind obstacles making for oh-so-fun postholing. Spindrift blows up the face and over the ridge, and hits you like a frozen sandblaster. You might want to bring a balaclava for this reason.

Looking up from the saddle. Easy money.

I would recommend this route to folks who are new to general mountaineering, and want a low-commitment day trip in the Mt Baldy area. The Northwest Face offers tougher climbing on loose ground, and is one of the tougher climbs in the San Gabriel Range.

Getting There

From Manker Flats, hike up San Antonio Falls Road to Baldy Notch. From the Notch at 7,800', ascend Thunder Mountain, and move down into the saddle between Thunder and Telegraph. The ridge begins at the saddle, and climbs directly to Telegraph's summit.

Bert and Dustin moving up

One can also reach this route from Icehouse Canyon. Take the Icehouse Canyon trail up to the Cedar Glen/Chapman Trail, and get off the trail, moving directly up Cedar Canyon, which seperates Thunder and Telegraph. This will bring you to the saddle where the route starts. One can retrace their steps for the easy way back, or follow the 3-T's Trail south back into Icehouse Canyon, which adds mileage.

Route Description

The ridge climbs up from the saddle, and for its' entirety, it cna be followed up while sticking right on the ridge, broken only by Manzanita and other thick foliage. One can bypass most of this foliage by moving left onto the Northwest Face, and doing some good old San Gabriel Mixed climbing, delicately placing crampons points on exposed rock with a thousand feet or so below your feet. This is the funnest part of the route, in the author's opinion. There are also some chutes that are directly off the ridge which allow you to bypass thick foliage, and these also add some fun climbing to the route.

Good fun mixed loose stuff

The route tops out directly on the summit of Telegraph. The rocks on the summit provide shelter from most of the winds blowing in from the north. One can descend via 3-T's trail, by downclimbing the way you came up, or in Winter, simply going down the west side fo the peak back to the saddle.

Essential Gear

A single general mountaineering ice axe and a set of crampons are all that's required for a nice quick winter ascent of this route. A windproof shell would be handy, as it is very windy here on this exposed ridge. A balaclava proves handy if you don't particularly enjoy being blasted with frozen pieces of snow carried up the face by the powerful winds.

External Links

Baldy Notch Camera
Note: The summit of Telegraph is visible in the center of this camera.

Baldy Notch Weather Data

Wrightwood Weather - Weather Underground