grunt - Oct 29, 2006 1:28 am Date Climbed: Oct 28, 2006
Devil's Backbone
Great weather, but the view was increasingly obscured by smoke from the Esperanza fire. Lots of people out on the trail and summit. Couldn't find a summit register, but enjoyed a nice long rest reclining in one of the many windbreaks. My first SoCal highpoint.
Finally got around to hiking it 8 years after I moved out of the LA area. Fun hike, but very hot and exposed to the sun. Heatwave in SoCal at that time. Ran low on water, stumbled out to my truck ... thank heavens there was a small pub just down the road!
See my Ski Hut Trail Route log post. Good conditioning hike.
Smith93 - Sep 9, 2006 12:39 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2006
8000 Meter Challenge
The 8000 Meter Challenge is a competition sponsored by JanSport between all outdoor retail companies; for example REI, SportChalet and Adventure 16. You have to summit Mt. Baldy, San Gorgonio Mountain and San Jacinto Peak in 24 hours. This was the first of the three peaks. We all began hiking at 4:50am, I summited at 6:57am and arrived back at the cars at 8:20. Total hiking time was 3 hours and 30 minuets. It was a very beautiful day and temperatures were nice throughout the hike.
Travis_ - Sep 7, 2006 3:32 am Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2005
Baldy and 3 T's + Harwood
Did all 5 peaks in the heat! Crazy but fun.
MelbaToast - Sep 5, 2006 2:02 am Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2006
Bear Canyon
Still training for Whitney on Sept. 9. Hot day but nice route.
mdostby - Sep 1, 2006 2:31 am Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2006
Another nice day on Baldy
Nice casual hike up the ski hut trail and down the backbone. Very warm day. Hiked with long time friend John.
MelbaToast - Aug 28, 2006 4:23 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2006
Under the Lift
Went with my friend Bill who wanted to hike up under the ski lift and do the Backbone Trail. Kinda crazy but we did it. Gorgeous day with a nice cool breeze. That first part was steep, 1300' in a mile. We're training for Whitney in a couple of weeks. Nice day.
derbilly - Aug 17, 2006 4:05 pm Date Climbed: Nov 24, 2005
SoCal HP Extravaganza
2nd SoCal highpoint. We took the lift to Devils Backbone. Pretty nice day. We could see the other 3 highpoints from the summit.
I've hiked up Baldy so many times, I can't even count them all. My favorite time was when clouds covered the earth at 6000' feet. All the peaks around SoCal were identifiable, but the smog and garbage was not!
Magnificent when the views are clear, pretty good even when they aren't.
sdhager - Aug 5, 2006 9:32 pm Date Climbed: May 23, 2006
Route Climbed:Devil's Backbone
1st California Climb. Awesome view of ascent route from summit. Great desert views.
Smith93 - Jul 6, 2006 4:43 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2006
Ski hut trail/ Devils Backbone
Training hike for my upcoming Mt. Whitney trek and for the 8000 meter challenge in September. Ran into 6 REI employees from the Rancho Cucamonga store on the way up and then on the way out I met another two employees from the San Diego store. Plus me that made 9 REI employees climbing Mt. Baldy that day and they were the only people I met up there. Weird...
Brian Jenkins - Jul 5, 2006 7:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2006
Ski Hut Trail
While visitng my brother in LA, Anette and I hiked up this one. Started out at the TH at 9:30 am, hiked up to the hut pretty slowly and rested there a while chatting with the hutkeeper. Then went across the traverse to the ridge and slowly worked our way up. Better scenery than I expected. San Antonio Falls is nice (and popular) and the manzanita patches were great. Huge pinecones everywhere. At about 9200 feet on the last bit before the summit, Annie started to experience an altitude headache so we did not linger long at the summit.
Made our way back down a lot quicker and at one point, I was looking at a lizard on the side of the trail and I misstepped. Did a nice faceplant on the trail. Sweet bruise on my arm to show for it. Always impressive! ;- ) All in all, it was a much nicer hike than I expected. Such a great place right next to 15 million people. Hope to get back down there sometime to get up Gorgonio and Jacinto.
ridgeline - Jul 3, 2006 12:22 am Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2006
Ski Hut Trail
Nice and direct, up and down in a flash, great weather.
fuzzy05 - Jul 1, 2006 7:06 pm Date Climbed: Jun 18, 2006
Great day on the backbone!
Hiked the Devil's Backbone trail up and down in fantastic weather. Hit the trail at 8:30am, and made the summit at 11:30am, just in time to avoid hiking up in the heat. The views on this trail are some of the best I've ever seen.
cjrandall - Jun 28, 2006 8:52 pm Date Climbed: Jun 23, 2006
Baldy Bowl/Devils Backbone loop
Great day to hike, weather was totally clear, but definitely warm. Baldy Bowl climb was sun-exposed, but summit was totally nice. Not a breath of wind on the summit, glorious day. View was awesome, 360 degrees, but a bit hazy. Stopped by for a snowball fight with my hiking buddy just below the summit at a couple small lingering late-season snowfields, just off the trail. Ran into a couple folks training for Whitney later in the summer.
Descended via Devils Backbone, Falls Road walk down from Baldy Notch was LONGGGGGGGG, felt like it would never end, temps probably 90-95 degrees....UGHHHH!
California County highpoint #18 for me!
kolbi2112 - Jun 19, 2006 10:49 pm Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2006
Baldy - Ski Hut Trail
Great hike, great weather, but very crowded on the summit. Saw a big horn sheep on the way up.
grunt - Oct 29, 2006 1:28 am Date Climbed: Oct 28, 2006
Devil's BackboneGreat weather, but the view was increasingly obscured by smoke from the Esperanza fire. Lots of people out on the trail and summit. Couldn't find a summit register, but enjoyed a nice long rest reclining in one of the many windbreaks. My first SoCal highpoint.
mlarkin2002 - Oct 17, 2006 10:49 pm
Various - 3XVarious dayhikes, all from Baldy notch. One in 1993, one in 2001, one in 2005.
whaynal - Oct 4, 2006 1:56 am Date Climbed: May 6, 2006
Devil's BackboneGreat trail. Great weather. First time above 10k feet.
surgent - Sep 18, 2006 7:29 pm Date Climbed: Jul 21, 2000
Lived in its shadow for 21 yearsFinally got around to hiking it 8 years after I moved out of the LA area. Fun hike, but very hot and exposed to the sun. Heatwave in SoCal at that time. Ran low on water, stumbled out to my truck ... thank heavens there was a small pub just down the road!
rhyang - Sep 18, 2006 1:55 pm
Devil's Backbone (ascent), Ski Hut (descent)Day-hiked in September 2003. Lots of haze over the LA basin.
MakeItHappen - Sep 15, 2006 9:14 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2006
Check it ooooutSee my Ski Hut Trail Route log post. Good conditioning hike.
Smith93 - Sep 9, 2006 12:39 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2006
8000 Meter ChallengeThe 8000 Meter Challenge is a competition sponsored by JanSport between all outdoor retail companies; for example REI, SportChalet and Adventure 16. You have to summit Mt. Baldy, San Gorgonio Mountain and San Jacinto Peak in 24 hours. This was the first of the three peaks. We all began hiking at 4:50am, I summited at 6:57am and arrived back at the cars at 8:20. Total hiking time was 3 hours and 30 minuets. It was a very beautiful day and temperatures were nice throughout the hike.
Travis_ - Sep 7, 2006 3:32 am Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2005
Baldy and 3 T's + HarwoodDid all 5 peaks in the heat! Crazy but fun.
MelbaToast - Sep 5, 2006 2:02 am Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2006
Bear CanyonStill training for Whitney on Sept. 9. Hot day but nice route.
mdostby - Sep 1, 2006 2:31 am Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2006
Another nice day on BaldyNice casual hike up the ski hut trail and down the backbone. Very warm day. Hiked with long time friend John.
MelbaToast - Aug 28, 2006 4:23 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2006
Under the LiftWent with my friend Bill who wanted to hike up under the ski lift and do the Backbone Trail. Kinda crazy but we did it. Gorgeous day with a nice cool breeze. That first part was steep, 1300' in a mile. We're training for Whitney in a couple of weeks. Nice day.
derbilly - Aug 17, 2006 4:05 pm Date Climbed: Nov 24, 2005
SoCal HP Extravaganza2nd SoCal highpoint. We took the lift to Devils Backbone. Pretty nice day. We could see the other 3 highpoints from the summit.
kngalaric - Aug 7, 2006 11:13 pm
Many a good timeI've hiked up Baldy so many times, I can't even count them all. My favorite time was when clouds covered the earth at 6000' feet. All the peaks around SoCal were identifiable, but the smog and garbage was not!
Magnificent when the views are clear, pretty good even when they aren't.
sdhager - Aug 5, 2006 9:32 pm Date Climbed: May 23, 2006
Route Climbed:Devil's Backbone1st California Climb. Awesome view of ascent route from summit. Great desert views.
Smith93 - Jul 6, 2006 4:43 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2006
Ski hut trail/ Devils BackboneTraining hike for my upcoming Mt. Whitney trek and for the 8000 meter challenge in September. Ran into 6 REI employees from the Rancho Cucamonga store on the way up and then on the way out I met another two employees from the San Diego store. Plus me that made 9 REI employees climbing Mt. Baldy that day and they were the only people I met up there. Weird...
Brian Jenkins - Jul 5, 2006 7:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2006
Ski Hut TrailWhile visitng my brother in LA, Anette and I hiked up this one. Started out at the TH at 9:30 am, hiked up to the hut pretty slowly and rested there a while chatting with the hutkeeper. Then went across the traverse to the ridge and slowly worked our way up. Better scenery than I expected. San Antonio Falls is nice (and popular) and the manzanita patches were great. Huge pinecones everywhere. At about 9200 feet on the last bit before the summit, Annie started to experience an altitude headache so we did not linger long at the summit.
Made our way back down a lot quicker and at one point, I was looking at a lizard on the side of the trail and I misstepped. Did a nice faceplant on the trail. Sweet bruise on my arm to show for it. Always impressive! ;- ) All in all, it was a much nicer hike than I expected. Such a great place right next to 15 million people. Hope to get back down there sometime to get up Gorgonio and Jacinto.
ridgeline - Jul 3, 2006 12:22 am Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2006
Ski Hut TrailNice and direct, up and down in a flash, great weather.
fuzzy05 - Jul 1, 2006 7:06 pm Date Climbed: Jun 18, 2006
Great day on the backbone!Hiked the Devil's Backbone trail up and down in fantastic weather. Hit the trail at 8:30am, and made the summit at 11:30am, just in time to avoid hiking up in the heat. The views on this trail are some of the best I've ever seen.
cjrandall - Jun 28, 2006 8:52 pm Date Climbed: Jun 23, 2006
Baldy Bowl/Devils Backbone loopGreat day to hike, weather was totally clear, but definitely warm. Baldy Bowl climb was sun-exposed, but summit was totally nice. Not a breath of wind on the summit, glorious day. View was awesome, 360 degrees, but a bit hazy. Stopped by for a snowball fight with my hiking buddy just below the summit at a couple small lingering late-season snowfields, just off the trail. Ran into a couple folks training for Whitney later in the summer.
Descended via Devils Backbone, Falls Road walk down from Baldy Notch was LONGGGGGGGG, felt like it would never end, temps probably 90-95 degrees....UGHHHH!
California County highpoint #18 for me!
kolbi2112 - Jun 19, 2006 10:49 pm Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2006
Baldy - Ski Hut TrailGreat hike, great weather, but very crowded on the summit. Saw a big horn sheep on the way up.