I’ll get back to posting about Africa next week — Zambia is next and it will WOW you — but today I’ll detail another hike in Southern California. Yesterday I wrote about the popular Hollywood Sign hike, and today I’ll cover one a little farther away: Mt. Baldy, which is the highest peak in LA County at just over 10,000 feet elevation. It’s an excellent challenge if you’re looking to step up your hiking game — this 10-mile trail takes around 7 hours to complete and is labeled “very difficult,” though the views will impress you the whole way up and down.
I hiked this trail with my sister and friends Lindsey, Louis, and Kim back in summer of 2012 while prepping to climb Mt. Whitney, the highest summit in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet elevation (read more about our Mt. Whitney trek here and here; those are two of my favorite posts ever).
NOTE: check out this description of the Mt. Baldy trail from Modern Hiker if you’re considering climbing it, as there are certain times of the year it’s not safe to go (like winter and even spring) because snow and ice makes the trail dangerous unless you have the correct gear.
Here’s our group in the parking lot and my sister below. We start by heading up towards the San Antonio Ski Hut, then onward to the summit, and finally back down the ski lifts, but this loop trail can be done the opposite way too — in fact, to make it easier / shorter, you can take the ski lift partway up to the summit. But since we’re training for Mt. Whitney we opt for a steep climb around the back of the mountain.
To make it extra tough, we also wear our large backpacks with a few liters of water bottles inside. This is to prepare for Mt. Whitney so we can get used to walking that length and distance while carrying a heavy pack.
Even at the start of the trail when we’re mostly surrounded by trees, it’s still overwhelmingly pretty. Southern California hiking has always impressed me and the Mt. Baldy trek is no exception.
Louis has the most impressive snack stash — Nutella and these Japanese french fry sticks.
Our first major landmark is the San Antonio Ski Hut, where visitors can stay overnight for $20 in one of 16 bunk beds (contact the host to book ahead). We pop inside to check it out.
The Sierra Club maintains this cabin; members can stay overnight for only $15.
We press on. There’s several more hours of uphill climbing.
We emerge above the tree line and are greeted with sweeping views of the valley below.
Below I’m taking a picture of my sister taking a picture of Lindsey taking a picture of Louis and Kim.
Bethany and me:
Trying to be strong even though my hiking boots are killing me.
And THIS is the summit of Mt. Baldy! We’re now at the highest point in Los Angeles County. Definitely worth a 3+ hour trek uphill.
Group shot at the summit. Major thanks to Louis (a veteran hiker throughout LA County) for guiding the hike and showing us newbies how it’s done.
You know what’s nuts? I was really feeling the altitude here and we’re only at 10,000 feet in elevation… but Mt. Whitney is over 14,500 feet. I remember feeling iffy about committing to Mt. Whitney after this trek, but luckily my sister pushes me to join her. I’m so glad I did. And it’s even crazier to think that in 2014 — two years later — Bethany and I would climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro at 19,340 feet. That’s nearly TWICE the elevation of Mt. Baldy’s summit.
Check out this view of our descent:
I believe this section is called the Devil’s Backbone:
Eventually we reach the final stretch to the car. By this point we’re pretty tired and opt to take the ski lift down for a small fee.
Mt. Baldy is a difficult hike with rewarding views — highly recommended if you’re looking for a challenge.
Oh, and true story: last year my sister hiked Mt. Baldy again, and ran into my friend Mike at the summit. What are the odds?!
