Hiking: Mount Baldy

Summit elevation: 10,064 feet
Devil's Backbone Trail: 6 miles with 2,200 feet of climbing
Ski Hut Trail aka Baldy Bowl Trail: 9 miles with 3,900 feet of climbing
Register Ridge aka Mount Harwood Trail: 9 miles with 4,900 feet of climbing
Bear Canyon Trail aka Mount Baldy Trail: 13 miles with 5,900 feet of climbing
Mount Baldy aka Mount San Antonio is the highest point in Los Angeles County. It is one of three peaks in Southern California with an altitude higher than 10,000 feet and with at least 500 meters prominence (the other two are Mount San Gorgonio and Mount San Jacinto).
Mount Baldy offers spectacular 360-degree views of the San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, Santa Ana Mountains, Mojave Desert, and Pacific Ocean.

Devil's Backbone Trail

Mount Baldy • Route Profile
Route Profile • Devil's Backbone Trail
Devil's Backbone Trail starts at Mount Baldy Notch (top of chair #1). The initial section leads up the slopes of chair #4, from where the trail follows the east ridge to the summit. Instead of using chair #1, a 3.6 mile 1,700 foot dirt road can be hiked up and/or down. Devil's Backbone Trail and Ski Hut Trail can be combined into an 11 mile 3,900 foot loop.

Ski Hut Trail

Mount Baldy • Route Profile
Route Profile • Ski Hut Trail
Ski Hut Trail or Baldy Bowl Trail starts at Manker Flats. The initial section leads up a dirt road, with a view of San Antonio Falls. After about a mile, the trail leaves the road to climb the steep mountainside. After about two and a half miles total, it reaches San Antonio Ski Hut (8,300 feet). Then the trail passes through Baldy Bowl and climbs the ridge to its left, which leads to the summit. Ski Hut Trail and Devil's Backbone Trail can be combined into an 11 mile 3,900 foot loop.

Register Ridge

Mount Baldy • Route Profile
Route Profile • Register Ridge
Register Ridge or Mount Harwood Trail is the steepest ascent, gaining 2,800 feet of elevation in 1.4 miles (2,000 feet per mile or a 38 percent grade). The initial section is the same as Ski Hut Trail. Shortly after Ski Hut Trail leaves the dirt road is a register on the right, and shortly after the register is the trail fork to Register Ridge. South of Mount Harwood the trail crosses Devil's Backbone Trail and continues to the summit of Mount Harwood (9,551 feet). After reaching Mount Baldy, this hike can be extended to West Baldy (9,988 feet) to include three summits.

Bear Canyon Trail

Mount Baldy • Route Profile
Route Profile • Bear Canyon Trail
Bear Canyon Trail or Mount Baldy Trail is the ascent with the greatest elevation gain. The hike starts on Bear Canyon Road at Mount Baldy Visitor Center. Half of a mile to the trailhead is paved. After 1.5 miles Bear Canyon Trail reaches Bear Flats. Then the trail gets steeper and the terrain gets harder as it climbs the south ridge all the way to the summit.

Mount Baldy • Interactive Map

Mount Baldy • Pictures

Mount Baldy • Bear Canyon Trail
Bear Canyon Trail
Mount Baldy • Bear Canyon Trail
Bear Canyon Trail
Mount Baldy • View of San Antonio Canyon
View of San Antonio Canyon
Mount Baldy • View of Cattle Canyon
View of Cattle Canyon
Mount Baldy
Mount Baldy
Mount Baldy • View of the Santa Ana Mountains
View of the Santa Ana Mountains
Mount Baldy • View of West Baldy
View of West Baldy
Mount Baldy • View of Mount Harwood
View of Mount Harwood
Mount Baldy • Ski Hut Trail
Ski Hut Trail
Mount Baldy • Ski Hut Trail
Ski Hut Trail
Mount Baldy • Ski Hut Trail
Ski Hut Trail
Mount Baldy • Airplane Crash
Airplane Crash
Mount Baldy • Airplane Crash
Airplane Crash
Mount Baldy • Airplane Crash
Airplane Crash
Mount Baldy • Devil's Backbone Trail
Devil's Backbone Trail
Mount Baldy • Register Ridge
Register Ridge
Mount Baldy • Mount Baldy in Winter
Mount Baldy in Winter
Mount Baldy • Mount Baldy in Winter
Mount Baldy in Winter
By:
See Also: Hiking & Backpacking