Hike to the peak of Mount Baldy, California at 10,064 ft. - May 31, 2009

At 10,064 feet, Mt. Baldy (officially Mount San Antonio) stands as the grandest summit of the San Gabriel Mountains. No other peak in the range rivals its huge mass and lofty splendor. Mount Baldy, as the third highest massif in Southern California, is one of the most photographed natural features in Southern California, with its snow-capped summit appearing on postcards and brochures and on an array of other printed pieces.

From San Antonio's mammoth, round summit, enormous scree slopes plunge thousands of feet while massive rock formations stand jagged and fissured. Deep canyons furrow Baldy's massive flanks and lush green plants grow in the shady recesses. Waterfalls roar and streams dance and splash. Wildflowers can grace the landscape while lofty pines and cedars tower above. Some are gnarled and deformed by nature's high-attitude fury. Manzanita blankets the upper slopes, appearing from the distances as patches of deep green carpet. The air is crisp and clean, the sun warm, the sky a deep blue. In places the topography is violent and stark. The amazing alpine landscape vividly displays a striking array of colors and texture, symmetry and chaos, gigantic features and delicate nuances, silence and howling winds. The scenery is spectacular.

As you experience this remarkable mountain, you can grasp why Mt. Baldy is an immensely popular destination — on any fair-weather weekend, hundreds of eager hikers assault the summit. And the vast majority of those have visited the mountain multiple times.

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Travel & Events

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• California

[xNeuhTactics]

i backbacked from icehouse valley to lytle creek for boyscouts troop 33. from february 25th to february 26th. im sore as heck and sick like a dog. it was 30 degrees when i slept in my tent! i also heard bigfoot cause i did a call and heard one back.

[teejate]

@voiceOreezn Really? Hmm...just guessing on this one but did you drive a car up to the Manker Flats campground? You did? You know, you really can't say you hiked Mt. Baldy until you start from the base of the San Gabriels. You knocked about 6,000 feet of elevation gain off the hike.

Poster? You hiked up Mt. Baldy. And I hope you had an awesome time. It's one of the most powerful spots in the range.

[sundogforlove]

nice hat

[squeemu]

@voiceOreezn You do realize that Manker Flats is not at ground level, don't you? Either way, it's technically cheating. Don't be a moron.

[keithrig]

I heard the hike is still difficult even when using the Ski Lift.

[voiceOreezn]

I hate to break it to you....but you didn't really hike up Baldy. Taking the chair lift up to and down from, the notch, takes off 1300 feet of elevation gain, and 7.2 miles off the roundtrip. It would be like riding in your car halfway up Pike's Peak, and then saying you hiked it. You can claim to hike Baldy when you hike up from Manker Flats.

[Shaunt1]

Reminds me of mount Charleston.

[goldminer1957]

Dude don't eat the yellow snow!! i was there yesterday!! heheheh

[PHARRAOH]

to the place, i belong. i hear her voice in the morning as she calls me, radio reminds me of the place i use to be.....

[pabstdude]

What time of the Year did you Go?