Be empowered, take 100% ownership for yourself my friend. Hiking Mt Baldy via the ski lift is the straightforward way. The directions and trail finding can get a bit confusing at times, so if you have a gps, I definitely recommend that you download a gpx file of the route before going. Hiking; Horse Riding & Camping; OHV Riding & Camping; Outdoor Learning; Picnicking; Water Activities; Winter Sports; Other Activities; Alerts & Notices; Passes & Permits; Maps & Publications ; Land & Resources Management; Learning Center; Working Together; About the Forest; News & Events; Contact Information. Also, this trail can get very, very busy. It’s often used for training for other more strenuous hikes. WHEN TO GO- mt baldy weather Temperature wise, Mount Baldy is a great peak to hike year-round, but the best months to do this trail as a hike are it's summer months June to October. Get access to this trails GPX file PLUS my library of GPX files with tracks and waypoints for all the trails loaded onto the She Dreams of Alpine blog. Here are a few Mt Baldy camping options nearby: 1) Camp at Manker Flats Campground. The first mile and last few miles to the summit are very, very hard. Each is a moderate 7-mile (one way) hike and runs along a fork of the Little Colorado River through a lush meadow, enters deep pine forest, and climbs to a point near the summit of Baldy. Outdoorsy women are badass. I mentioned this above but it is worth stating again. To avoid the crowds try hitting the trail early, or even better, go on a weekday! On a Saturday or Sunday morning, this way seems the busiest, so this is a route I like to do on weekdays. This hike starts from a parking lot (not plowed in the winter) and goes to a split with a small parking area. It’s not for the faint of heart if heights are not your thing. Search Trail Q&A for Mount Baldy Loop Hike; Guidebooks that cover this hike . We have guides on several great beginner 14er hikes. “Mount San Antonio, also known as Mt Baldy, at 10,068 ft (3,069 m), is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, and the highest point in Los Angeles County. These sites are first come first serve. You start hiking below the Ski Lift and hike up the trail right underneath the lift. Both trails start at the Manker Flat Trailhead. The food at Top of the Notch Restaurant is delicious and they have a great craft beer selection for after the hike. BALDY LOOP HIKE DISTANCE: 11.3 Miles Roundtrip ELEVATION: 10,064' ELEVATION GAIN: 3900' TYPE: Loop HIKING TIME: 5 - 6 Hours RATING: Strenuous FEATURES: 80' Waterfall, Highest Summit in San Gabriels, Panoramic Views, Top of the Notch restaurant, optional ski lift: TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS. Hiking, backpacking, and rock climbing with confidence and being inspired by the outdoors. You are not afraid of heights, are you? The ski lift cuts out about 1500' of descent (or ascent if you are hiking the loop in the opposite direction) and costs $25 round trip for adults, and it runs 7 days a week. On a clear day you can see the coast (and maybe even Catalina Island) and possibly even San Gorgonio in the distance. Note: This post contains affiliate links. Do not attempt this hike in the winter unless you are skilled in mountaineering. The walk along the beach is awesome! It’d doable with a decent level of fitness. Temperature wise, Mount Baldy is a great peak to hike year-round, but the best months to do this trail as a hike are it's summer months June to October. From cozy gifts to practical gifts, you’ll be sure to get them something they’d love to have with this van life gift guide! The Mt Baldy Lift runs during the summer months and takes about 20 minutes to get to the bottom. And you can climb this area for even better views. The fact that this peak is the county high point makes it a very popular hike with the locals. This is also a fantastic date night hike. It makes a great summer and fall training hike though due to its intense elevation gain and leg burning switchbacks on the Baldy Bowl Trail. 2) Handheld GPS: If you hike often or go backpacking, then I highly recommend you investing in a handheld GPS. In our visit to Mt Baldy we did the hike as described below, a loop starting up the Baldy Bowl Ski Hut Trail to the summit and down the Devil's Backbone Trail. I've never had an issue with blisters and they are waterproof and light weight. Also be sure to check out these essential hiking resources! Just try to pay close attention and not get off track. Baldy — actually it’s real name is Mt. Bend is a MUST visit for anyone who loves to spend time adventuring in the outdoors. Alternatively, you could park your car at the Mt. The Devil’s Backbone has drop-offs on both sides of the trail and is unlike any other hike you can do in all of California. Appropriately enough, there are no trees near the summit and the top of the mountain looks like a bald head! The Devil's Backbone Trail in particular is especially dangerous when wet and icy due to its steep drop offs that allow little room for error. It is also the route that will leave you with aching calves the next day. This route is also known as the Baldy Bowl Trail. In the first mile, you gain just under 1,000 feet altitude gain. There are 20 Tent cabins available to rent at the Mt Baldy lift area, within walking distance from the Top of the Notch Restaurant. sorry jimmy! That was five years and thousands of miles hiked ago and after summiting countless peaks and hiking over many mountain passes over the past five years I no longer get the altitude sickness and I can summit mountains without embarrassing myself or involving search and rescue. Water Available? See our Permit section below for more details about the parking passes. Check out these easier ways to summit Mt Baldy! Baldy Visitor Center Interpretive Site, Check out the surrounding area visible conditions of these live webcams for zipcode 91759, Weather Underground Forecast for Mt Baldy & Surrounding area. Hiking to the top of San Antonio is one of the ultimate hikes in the Los Angeles area. If you have an adventure pass it will cost you $10 a night, otherwise the sites are $14 per night (though rates could change, so be sure to check the Manker Flats Campground webpage). Hikers have found the remains of a missing 52-year-old man on Mt. Baldy. You'll cross a creek and make a couple winding turns until you finally pop out of the woods into a clearing, this is the first top and means you are almost there. Mount Baldy Trail is a 4 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Municipal District of Bighorn No. The other side of Mt. After a bit of knee-busting down hill hiking, you will make it to Mt Baldy Ski Area, where you can either continue to hike down  to the trailhead or take the Mt Baldy lift. Join my hike up Mount Baldy, also known as Mount San Antonio, to the highest peak in Los Angeles County, California. With almost 4000 feet of climbing, it’s a tough yet popular hike, and well worth the effort. The higher elevations can get a lot of snow in the winter, so check the trail conditions if you're hiking late fall or early spring. These gifts are perfect for the van owner in your life, or even for yourself. Not to mention hiking Mt Baldy in the snow is unbelievably pretty. While most people just visit Mt Baldy as a day hiking adventure, you could certainly make a weekend of it by camping near the area. This hut is only accessible via a steep 3 mile hike. If you are wanting to hike up the Devils Backbone Trail instead, continue on the Mt Baldy Road until you get to the Mt Baldy Notch (ski lift) area. The view from the top of the mountain to the city of angels below is just killer, especially on a clear day when you can see boats sailing on their way to Catalina. The first mile and last few miles to the summit are very, very hard. Altitude sickness can ruin any high-altitude hike for sure and I always take Altitude RX Oxyboost a few days before starting any high-altitude hiking, just in case. This costs $30 dollars and allows you one car access (for a year) to Angeles National Forest, Cleveland National Forest, Los Padres National Forest and San Bernardino National Forest. 15 pages of my best hiking, backpacking and rock climbing tips, techniques and inspiration to help you get started today on honing your outdoor adventure skills & ultimately becoming more confident and self-sufficient on the trails. It is named Mount Baldy because of the lack of trees on its summit. 31 Best Gifts for RV Owners | Whether they’re living life on the road full-time or just taking lots of road trips, nomadic RV owners can seem hard to shop for. We ended up grabbing our "post hike" meal at the Top of the Notch Restaurant, and we bought a ticket to take the Mt Baldy lift down the rest of the way because my friends knees were giving out on her. I've even built my own GPX file on google earth and downloaded it to this GPS so my friend and I could follow a less traveled route called Bastards Ridge. Learn how your comment data is processed. My favorite GPS is the Garmin GPS 64st. Make sure to check the weather before you go, and if there is snow on the mountain (or chance of snow/rain in the winter), opt to do one of the LA Areas lower elevation peaks. (And their burgers are delicious after a hard hike) If you want to do a longer hike you may want to start up the Ski Hut Trail, hike to the summit, hike across Devil’s Backbone, have a burger and a beer at the Top of the Notch Restaurant and hike or run down the road, back to the parking lot at Manker Flats. Difficulty. Unlike the main hike up Mt Baldy (via Baldy Notch), the Bear Canyon Trail is usually not as crowded. At a high level, the loop to hike Mt Baldy goes something like this: You'll hiked on a paved road which will turn into gravel as you pass San Antonio Falls until you reach a side trail (typically unmarked) on your left, Hike up to the Sierra Club's Teal Ski Hut (This is about halfway to the summit), a good place for a break, Hike on meandering (and sometimes confusing) trail to the summit, Hike Eastward toward the Devils Backbone Trail, Hike all the way down this steep trail to Baldy Notch (the Mt Baldy Ski Area), Potentially grab some food at Top of the Notch Restaurant, Either hike the remaining way down back to trailhead or take the Mt Baldy lift down. From down jackets to gear patches, these are all great products that we can personally vouch for. That’s because it’s harder. Baldy backs up to the beach. Baldy. Good Hiking Boots - Make sure to have some good hiking boots for your tail. | shedreamsofalpine.com, 29 of the Best Gifts for Backpackers | The holidays are fast approaching and so I decided to put together a gift guide for those in your life that love backpacking based on products that I love. 7 Tips to Hiking and Summiting Your First Fourteener Mountain, Permit Deadlines and Reservations for Popular California Hiking Trails. You can buy this pass ahead of time. There are two established trails (West Baldy Trail #94 and East Baldy Trail #95) up Mount Baldy. Mt Baldy Ski Lifts Inc. is located in the Angeles National Forest under special use permit from the Forest Service. Mount Baldy is the summit capping the north-south ridge which divides Alta and Snowbird ski resorts. Amber_Woodyard | Last Updated: October 21, 2020. Recommended Read:  Trekking Poles, don’t hit the trail without them! Elevation: Mt Baldy elevation is 10,064 feet. Baldy. At 10,064 feet above sea level, the snow often sticks around well into June. Baldy--Goats, Groans, and Helping Each Other Out; Run to the Top 2008; Southern California County Highpoints Tour; Mt. Why is this peak called Mount Baldy? Check out our resources below! I recommend getting one that has at least a 3 liter reservoir, and the ones with a mouth piece cover are awesome too because when you set your backpack on the ground you don't have to worry about your mouth piece getting all dirty. This campground is in a prime location for starting your Mount Baldy hike. These gifts are perfect for the avid backpacker in your life, or even for yourself. | shedreamsofalpine.com. San Antonio. You might be tempted to buy cheaper "twist" to lock poles, but honestly don't bother... they break super easily. This to me is the hardest way to summit Mt Baldy. Range. Another way to combat altitude sickness is to drink a lot of water on the hike and hike slowly so your body can adjust to the higher altitude. Is this trail safe to hike when there is snow? Getting There - How to Get to the Mt Baldy Hiking Trails, Hiking Mount Baldy Trip Report (with more details about the trail and pictures). The smog is much lighter and the skies above Los Angeles are clearer in February and March and the views at over 10,000 feet are just fantastic. Mt Baldy is the tallest peak in Los Angeles County and is located in the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest. A stumble down the side of the trail could be dangerous or even fatal. Climb to the Summit - a virtual challenge run/walk/hike to the magnificent 10,064ft summit of Mt. This App allows you to download maps in advance and take them offline into the backcountry. San Antonio, but it’s called Mt. Mount Baldy is most easily and commonly reached from the Easton Ridge Trailhead #1212. Baldy Summit on Sunday morning, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. You will connect to the Devil's Backbone Trail at Baldy Notch. They are the easiest way to stay hydrated, and I always bring one with me (unless it is really cold out because your camelbak water can freeze inside the hose). 8, Alberta, Canada that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Normally this isn't the case, so check out our suggestions above on when to do this hike, particularly the Devil's Backbone hike portion. The Ski Hut Trail is also known as the Baldy Bowl Trail, which should not be confused with the Baldy Bowl mountaineering route.This hike begins at the 6160ft trailhead of Manker Flats and gains 4100ft of elevation in 4 miles to the 10,064 summit of Mt. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You won't go wrong with any of these gifts, I love them! They are for sale in Mt Baldy Village or at any local Sports Chalet or REI. The Mt Baldy trailhead is located near the Manker Flat Campground area, and this is also where you will begin to look for parking (again, make sure to get there early so you can easily find parking). The view up top is amazing! If you are short on time, or not in the kind of hikers shape to hike over ten miles in one day then maybe utilizing the ski lift is the better and safer choice for you. From water filters to GPS App subscriptions, these are all great products that I can personally vouch for. You can book them here. I started out with a pair like that and they barely lasted me a year. At 10,064 feet tall, Mount Baldy (also known as Mount San Antonio) is the highest peak in  Los Angeles County, making it an extremely popular hike for those living in the LA or greater LA area, and boy is it a leg burner! Mt San Antonio, or Mt Baldy as its called colloquially referred to by Los Angeles locals, is a forty-five minutes drive east of the city of angels. Black Diamond Trail Shock Trekking Poles - Invest in a good pair of trekking poles and you will have them for a long long time. It has definitely come in handy to help me navigate when I wasn't sure where I was. Even though this is a really popular hike, I really enjoy it because you can hike it in a loop, it's a great workout, and if you wanted to train your uphill muscles and take it easy on your knees on the downhill, there is a ski lift that runs in the summer that can take you down the trail about 1500 feet. There are deaths every year from hikers attempting to do this trail in the winter. | shedreamsofalpine.com, 45 of the Best Gifts for Hikers | The holidays are fast approaching and so we put together a gift guide based on products that we love for hiking. It may feel like you are hiking straight up at times. In this guide we recommend hiking Mount Baldy by connecting the Ski Hut Trail with the Devils Backbone Trail, making a cool little loop that allows you to experience the best parts of the Mt Baldy Trail. Mount Baldy Trail is a 11.4 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near New Harmony, Utah that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. Sometimes on a clear day, you can even see the shadow of Catalina Island in the distance. This is the closest ski area to Los Angeles in the winter months and when southern California does see snow the mountain has twenty-six runs in operation. Is this a family friendly hike? Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for indoor rock climbers or those who love to get outdoors on real rock, you can’t go wrong with any of these gift ideas. In the first mile, you gain just under 1,000 feet altitude gain. 3) Rent a Tent Cabin. Hiking and sweating your way up the Ski Hut Trail gives you some fantastic views of Los Angeles County as you hike, what feels like, straight up the single-track trail in places. Load this puppy into your trusted GPS and rest easy knowing you have tracks to follow on your next hike or backpacking trip. If you are living near the Los Angeles area I would say it should be very high on your must-hike list. A park pass is needed to park here. This makes the hike longer, more like twelve miles, but the altitude gain is the same as the Ski Hut Trail. Length 4 miElevation gain 3146 ftRoute type Loop Don't rely on water sources along the trail, bring plenty of water. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking and is best used from May until September. Mt. Try not to rely on signs being there to mark the turn-off. You can grab a bite to eat at the Top of the Notch Restaurant which is at the Mt Baldy Ski Area. This made a great spot for us to grab a snack and take a quick break from our uphill hike. GPX created in www.caltopo.com by www.hikingguy.comThis 11 mile Mt Baldy hike brings you to the highest point in LA at 10,064 feet. The 4193 Climb - A virtual challenge pushing runners/walkers to gain 4,193ft in elevation - the same amount of elevation you'd gain conquering Mt. At the time when I first did this hike, my friends knees were really bothering her so we opted for the ski lift back to the trailhead. MT. Well used trail by locals as a short (1-2 hour) aerobic hike with nice views. These gifts are perfect for the outdoor woman in your life, or even for yourself. This costs $80 dollars, but allows you access into all sites that are managed by the Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, BLM and Bureau of Reclamation. Baldy Ski Lift Area, but I believe it costs a bit extra to park there (even with the parking passes). You gain 1,500 feet of altitude gain in under a mile and a half. Don't forget to check out our post on Essential Day Hiking gear, for more of our outdoor gear personal recommendations, and be sure to download our packing list below so that you don't forget anything next time you are packing up for a trip! If hiking the Ski Hut Trail in the winter months, it tends to be snow-free the first few miles but always assume you will need crampons and waders for the deep snow in places when you get above 8,000 feet, especially on the shady faces of the mountain. If you bring a sleeping bag, you can camp overnight at the ski hut. From the lodge to the summit is under five miles roundtrip; with 2,300 altitude gain. Mt. Type: Out-and-Back. You can even see Mt Baldy standing tall amongst the San Gabriel Mountains behind Los Angeles on a clear day. Mt. You'll head eastward to find the Devil's Backbone Trail. Devil’s Backbone Trail is 3.3-miles long with 2,350 feet of elevation gain. 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