RaymondShevsky - Jul 1, 2019 3:17 pm Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2019
Nice workout - and nice bar at "Notch"!
Slogged up from Manker Flats - fantastic to stop for refreshment on the way down at the Notch bar/restaurant!
casetrain_ - Apr 10, 2019 8:54 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2015
1000th time seeing it, first time climbing it
Since I attended university in plain view of Mt. Baldy, I had always wanted to climb it. A friend and I finally made the time to do it a year after graduating while visiting the area again.
johnhasse - Feb 26, 2019 7:57 am Date Climbed: Feb 24, 2018
Lots of Snow
Really beautiful hike! Started from Manker Flat (around 7:30am) and had micro spikes + poles pretty much from the start. A few little rockfalls along the fire road, but overall pretty mellow climb up to the Baldy Ski Lodge. From there, we headed up the Turkey Shoot, which already had a bunch of boot traffic and decently solid snow, before heading to the Devil Backbone. The backbone had good snow cover for the most part except for a few icy spots where it was great to have the spikes + take it slow. Really windy and pretty icy along the summit ridge and at the summit itself, but again, manageable with microspikes and persistence. Took the ski hut trail back around the side of the bowl (which looked like it had a few mini-slides higher up) through lots of fun and knee high powder. Lower down the snow was pretty slippery due to how late in the day it was, but sidestepping and taking it slow did the trick. Total hiking time took about 10 hours moving at a leisurely pace. Beautiful conditions overall!
Moonknightca - Nov 10, 2018 9:30 am Date Climbed: Nov 9, 2018
Cold & Windy Baldy Sans Snow & Ice
Great Hike just before the snow flies. I took the Chair Lift up from Mt. Baldy Ski Resort (at the dead end of Mt. Baldy Road). They charged $15 for a one-way ride and $25 for a round trip. I rode the chair lift up and hiked back down the fire road (this is the portion of the hike just to and from the Chalet at the top). It's a shorter using the chair of course but still took a good effort for this hiker (parking lot round trip time for me was 5 hours and 20 minutes at a measured pace). If you take the chair up, there is no way to summit without taking the Devil's Backbone; the DB was Spectacular. The operator at the top told me that the chairs run all Winter (obviously) but also all Summer. It operates just on weekends (Fri, Sat, Sun) during the slower times of Spring and Fall. It was Very cold at the top with a stiff wind. Puffy jacket and gloves needed for this time of year. There was no snow yet. Fantastic views from the top. Perhaps one of the very best views for the effort (if you like seeing civilization below as I do). I did the whole descent at night without incident notwithstanding the failure of my GPS (or rather my failure to bring the charging cord for my GPS). I had an amazing steak & shrimp dinner at the Mt. Baldy Lodge in Mt. Baldy Village following the hike and would highly recommend a well-earned respite there if time allows. The lodge is over 100 years old and has that great classic Alpine feel. Have great hikes everybody!
Alex.k - Jul 24, 2018 6:25 am Date Climbed: Jan 11, 2014
Mt. Baldy
Via Devil's Backbone with my brother
IronHiker - Jun 24, 2018 4:47 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2018
San Antonio Ridge traverse
Huge day with Henry Chen. Started at Manker Flat at 2:30 AM, reached the summit of Baldy at sunrise, then traversed San Antonio Ridge to Iron, then down to Heaton Flat.
tm1 - May 21, 2018 9:42 am Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2016
baldy
nice hike, went through bowl
Brian Kalet - Jan 15, 2018 4:54 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2016
5 Peaks
With Mount Harwood, Devils Backbone, Thunder Mountain & Gold Ridge.
apachedino - Aug 4, 2017 11:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2017
via the North Backbone
North Backbone Trail (AKA the REAL backbone) along with Dawson and Pine.
We came for the FYF festival that weekend and to detox from the festivities we decided a to gnab a few Ultras (Gorgonio the next day) while in the area and visiting my brother. Note at this time the Blue Ridge Truck trail was gated after Guffy Campground making it 1.5 miles longer each way (though a fairly flat 1.5 miles that can be traveled on the excellent PCT.) A truck or jeep or mountain bike could make it past the gate at a steep bypass to the true TH.
I was surprised at how much I like this trail given my overall low opinion of the LA area. We saw nobody until the summit and although the views to the ocean were hazy they gave the peaks a nice layered look. The forest was up to Pine mountain with Sugar, Ponderosa and eventually a very nice limber pine forest with one very peculiar and ancient incense cedar growing on the ridge that had twisted to look more like an old bristlecone than an incense cedar. Fun day, tomorrow was San Gorgonio.
Ultra #40 and U.S. Super prominence peak (4,000+ ft prominence) #71/142, halfway baby!
Oh I've lost count at the number of times I've been to the top of Baldy. I've been up three different routes and down three different routes - The Ski Hut trail (Baldy Bowl), Register Ridge and then down the Devils Backbone, up the Baldy Village (Bear Canyon Trail) and down the same way. The second time I did the Baldy Village trail, I left my bike at Manker Flat and came down the Ski Hut trail. Oh, I've also been down the scree slope between Baldy and Harwood at least three times.
orbitor - Mar 22, 2017 7:30 pm Date Climbed: Feb 1, 2014
Winter Ascent 2014
Winter ascent, up via Register Ridge, down via the Ski Hut.
Climbed up to the top of the Baldy Bowl. My GPS said I was 300 feet from the top. However, I slipped and fell... all the way down to the ski hut. I probably should have died, but I caught a tree on the way down. There were 6 other climbers who witnessed it. My GPS says I fell 1000 feet.
Long day, 6 am to 6 pm. Wasn't expecting so much snow.
Wheelbarrow - Jan 21, 2017 5:40 am Date Climbed: Nov 24, 2016
Thanksgiving Sunrise Baldy Hike
For my inaugural Baldy hike I went up Ski Hut Route and down Devil's Backbone. The sad part was when I was hiking down underneath the ski lift I was actually going faster than the lift. On the other hand, this hike was so beautiful I did it 2 more times in that month. It's been the perfect mountain to introduce myself to winter mountaineering!
utclimber - Dec 12, 2016 10:37 pm Date Climbed: Dec 11, 2016
Loop
Hiked a loop up the Baldy Bowl trail and down the Devil's Backbone. Very little snow, and took about 2.25 hours up, and 4h 20m round trip. My 33rd ultra prominence peak.
usctrojan04 - Dec 4, 2016 12:56 pm Date Climbed: May 1, 2016
Nice trip out.
I have avoided this one for years, but finally felt it was time to hit up an LA classic. A bit windy on the top and the crowds were insane, but beautiful none the less.
Nice 3 peak day. Not too crowded on a Friday in mid-November.
EastKing - Nov 4, 2016 10:37 pm Date Climbed: Nov 4, 2016
3 peak traverse
Three peak traverse. Why haven't I come to California in November earlier. Via Devils Backbone.
climber46 - Oct 24, 2016 8:25 am Date Climbed: May 26, 2006
nice loop hike
My hike of Baldy got off to a tough start when I had trouble finding the trail. I slipped on some loose rocks and cut my arm. I concluded that the mountain was impossible to climb this way so I turned back. Then I found the trail and had a great loop hike over the ski trails, Devils backbone and then down the other trail. The LA basin was covered in fog.
LeftenantDan - Oct 11, 2016 2:13 am Date Climbed: Oct 9, 2016
3-Peak Repeat
Beginning to make this a pattern Mankr-DBB-Baldy-WBaldy-Baldy-Harwood-DBB-Mankr- why climb one when you can climb all three along the same ridge?
RaymondShevsky - Jul 1, 2019 3:17 pm Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2019
Nice workout - and nice bar at "Notch"!Slogged up from Manker Flats - fantastic to stop for refreshment on the way down at the Notch bar/restaurant!
casetrain_ - Apr 10, 2019 8:54 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2015
1000th time seeing it, first time climbing itSince I attended university in plain view of Mt. Baldy, I had always wanted to climb it. A friend and I finally made the time to do it a year after graduating while visiting the area again.
johnhasse - Feb 26, 2019 7:57 am Date Climbed: Feb 24, 2018
Lots of SnowReally beautiful hike! Started from Manker Flat (around 7:30am) and had micro spikes + poles pretty much from the start. A few little rockfalls along the fire road, but overall pretty mellow climb up to the Baldy Ski Lodge. From there, we headed up the Turkey Shoot, which already had a bunch of boot traffic and decently solid snow, before heading to the Devil Backbone. The backbone had good snow cover for the most part except for a few icy spots where it was great to have the spikes + take it slow. Really windy and pretty icy along the summit ridge and at the summit itself, but again, manageable with microspikes and persistence. Took the ski hut trail back around the side of the bowl (which looked like it had a few mini-slides higher up) through lots of fun and knee high powder. Lower down the snow was pretty slippery due to how late in the day it was, but sidestepping and taking it slow did the trick. Total hiking time took about 10 hours moving at a leisurely pace. Beautiful conditions overall!
Moonknightca - Nov 10, 2018 9:30 am Date Climbed: Nov 9, 2018
Cold & Windy Baldy Sans Snow & IceGreat Hike just before the snow flies. I took the Chair Lift up from Mt. Baldy Ski Resort (at the dead end of Mt. Baldy Road). They charged $15 for a one-way ride and $25 for a round trip. I rode the chair lift up and hiked back down the fire road (this is the portion of the hike just to and from the Chalet at the top). It's a shorter using the chair of course but still took a good effort for this hiker (parking lot round trip time for me was 5 hours and 20 minutes at a measured pace). If you take the chair up, there is no way to summit without taking the Devil's Backbone; the DB was Spectacular. The operator at the top told me that the chairs run all Winter (obviously) but also all Summer. It operates just on weekends (Fri, Sat, Sun) during the slower times of Spring and Fall. It was Very cold at the top with a stiff wind. Puffy jacket and gloves needed for this time of year. There was no snow yet. Fantastic views from the top. Perhaps one of the very best views for the effort (if you like seeing civilization below as I do). I did the whole descent at night without incident notwithstanding the failure of my GPS (or rather my failure to bring the charging cord for my GPS). I had an amazing steak & shrimp dinner at the Mt. Baldy Lodge in Mt. Baldy Village following the hike and would highly recommend a well-earned respite there if time allows. The lodge is over 100 years old and has that great classic Alpine feel. Have great hikes everybody!
Alex.k - Jul 24, 2018 6:25 am Date Climbed: Jan 11, 2014
Mt. BaldyVia Devil's Backbone with my brother
IronHiker - Jun 24, 2018 4:47 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2018
San Antonio Ridge traverseHuge day with Henry Chen. Started at Manker Flat at 2:30 AM, reached the summit of Baldy at sunrise, then traversed San Antonio Ridge to Iron, then down to Heaton Flat.
tm1 - May 21, 2018 9:42 am Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2016
baldynice hike, went through bowl
Brian Kalet - Jan 15, 2018 4:54 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2016
5 PeaksWith Mount Harwood, Devils Backbone, Thunder Mountain & Gold Ridge.
apachedino - Aug 4, 2017 11:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2017
via the North BackboneNorth Backbone Trail (AKA the REAL backbone) along with Dawson and Pine.
We came for the FYF festival that weekend and to detox from the festivities we decided a to gnab a few Ultras (Gorgonio the next day) while in the area and visiting my brother. Note at this time the Blue Ridge Truck trail was gated after Guffy Campground making it 1.5 miles longer each way (though a fairly flat 1.5 miles that can be traveled on the excellent PCT.) A truck or jeep or mountain bike could make it past the gate at a steep bypass to the true TH.
I was surprised at how much I like this trail given my overall low opinion of the LA area. We saw nobody until the summit and although the views to the ocean were hazy they gave the peaks a nice layered look. The forest was up to Pine mountain with Sugar, Ponderosa and eventually a very nice limber pine forest with one very peculiar and ancient incense cedar growing on the ridge that had twisted to look more like an old bristlecone than an incense cedar. Fun day, tomorrow was San Gorgonio.
Ultra #40 and U.S. Super prominence peak (4,000+ ft prominence) #71/142, halfway baby!
haha1 - Jul 29, 2017 11:31 pm
Mt. BaldyOh I've lost count at the number of times I've been to the top of Baldy. I've been up three different routes and down three different routes - The Ski Hut trail (Baldy Bowl), Register Ridge and then down the Devils Backbone, up the Baldy Village (Bear Canyon Trail) and down the same way. The second time I did the Baldy Village trail, I left my bike at Manker Flat and came down the Ski Hut trail. Oh, I've also been down the scree slope between Baldy and Harwood at least three times.
orbitor - Mar 22, 2017 7:30 pm Date Climbed: Feb 1, 2014
Winter Ascent 2014Winter ascent, up via Register Ridge, down via the Ski Hut.
Snowman of Annapurna - Feb 26, 2017 12:44 pm Date Climbed: Feb 24, 2017
Fall down Baldy BowlClimbed up to the top of the Baldy Bowl. My GPS said I was 300 feet from the top. However, I slipped and fell... all the way down to the ski hut. I probably should have died, but I caught a tree on the way down. There were 6 other climbers who witnessed it. My GPS says I fell 1000 feet.
Snowman of Annapurna - Jan 31, 2017 6:51 pm Date Climbed: Oct 12, 2015
North BackboneLong day, 6 am to 6 pm. Wasn't expecting so much snow.
Wheelbarrow - Jan 21, 2017 5:40 am Date Climbed: Nov 24, 2016
Thanksgiving Sunrise Baldy HikeFor my inaugural Baldy hike I went up Ski Hut Route and down Devil's Backbone. The sad part was when I was hiking down underneath the ski lift I was actually going faster than the lift. On the other hand, this hike was so beautiful I did it 2 more times in that month. It's been the perfect mountain to introduce myself to winter mountaineering!
utclimber - Dec 12, 2016 10:37 pm Date Climbed: Dec 11, 2016
LoopHiked a loop up the Baldy Bowl trail and down the Devil's Backbone. Very little snow, and took about 2.25 hours up, and 4h 20m round trip. My 33rd ultra prominence peak.
usctrojan04 - Dec 4, 2016 12:56 pm Date Climbed: May 1, 2016
Nice trip out.I have avoided this one for years, but finally felt it was time to hit up an LA classic. A bit windy on the top and the crowds were insane, but beautiful none the less.
wannabepeakbagger - Nov 24, 2016 1:32 pm Date Climbed: Nov 18, 2016
from Devils backboneNice 3 peak day. Not too crowded on a Friday in mid-November.
EastKing - Nov 4, 2016 10:37 pm Date Climbed: Nov 4, 2016
3 peak traverseThree peak traverse. Why haven't I come to California in November earlier. Via Devils Backbone.
climber46 - Oct 24, 2016 8:25 am Date Climbed: May 26, 2006
nice loop hikeMy hike of Baldy got off to a tough start when I had trouble finding the trail. I slipped on some loose rocks and cut my arm. I concluded that the mountain was impossible to climb this way so I turned back. Then I found the trail and had a great loop hike over the ski trails, Devils backbone and then down the other trail. The LA basin was covered in fog.
LeftenantDan - Oct 11, 2016 2:13 am Date Climbed: Oct 9, 2016
3-Peak RepeatBeginning to make this a pattern Mankr-DBB-Baldy-WBaldy-Baldy-Harwood-DBB-Mankr- why climb one when you can climb all three along the same ridge?