10/10 hike especially when on baldy bowl the final stretch to the summit in the snow was so amazing, i would definitely come back some day, buy adventure pass and come early in the morning or late at night because traffic can get bad, the full summit hike took me 6 hours
I'm 72 years old and it was always called Mt Baldy, but I guess they now have it as Mt San Antonio. Its still a great hike and so close to the LA metro area.
Unforgettable experience with incredible 360 views of the urban jungle, San Gabriel range, and the desert. First 10K summit, and more to come. Please come prepared for the hike
Taking the Baldy Bowl Trail, it was a killer hike. Not an easy hike so I wouldn't take it lightly. However, absolutely gorgeous and completely worth it. The Devil's Backbone is a much easier trail to hike, just a bit longer. Very popular hike, recommend get here early. Views are incredible.
Worth it for the views at the summit and fun downhill via the ski hut. The weather was 52F and winds at 6/hr at the top for a summer hike in mid July. Parked at Manker campground and went via the ski lift area and onto devil’s backbone to the summit. Mostly fire road and scree after backbone then scree and a rocky, steeper technical descent into the ski hut and back down to the waterfall area and campground. Under 10 miles for the loop. Started later than I wanted at 8:30 and was already sunny and warm, single layer weather. Drank about 2.5L. Two hours up and an hour down on a training trail run. Loved the sea of clouds views. There were some colorful wildflowers surrounding a stream down by the ski hut. Look for the yellow tipped posts from rock fields upwards. I’d leave earlier and have a cooler ascent. Glad I brought the cap with face and neck flaps. I wouldn’t do it in winter unless I went with an experienced hiker and had crampons as there’re many rocks on the descent towards the ski hut and backbone would be quite dangerous.
Great trail and a very cool experience. First things first. This is not a casual hike and for many it will one of the hardest hikes you have done. With that said the trail is well defined and for the most part it is well maintained. A word of caution the ski chalet route can get questionable at times so next time I do this one I will be going back the same way I came up via devils backbone. This is a great hike if you want to challenge yourself and the views are just gorgeous. It is windy at the top so bring a light jacket and poles are helpful. Enjoy your trip to the summit!
Pretty cool hike. We arrived at 7:00 on a Saturday in the summer and there were already tons of cars. The hike is short but steep. Views are amazing. Devils backbone is a bit scary but not bad at all.We took the ski life down partway for $20, which felt a bit pricey. Super cool
I cheated and took the ski lifts it was way fun! Once I reached the top I realized Devils backbone was not for me and found plenty of trails up to explore. I wish all the ski runs were open. Soo fun and thrilling. Back down the road before you enter the ski resort area you can park and easily hike to a viewpoint to see San Antonio falls. SPECTACULAR!
The hike down to it is moderately difficult. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE TRAIL. The falls have a way of catching your attention with excitement. However you do not want to fall and injure yourself. VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL... I highly advise you return out up the same trail. I went exploring down river and found no other way out. I made a mistake and tried to free climb out midway as down stream is like a waterfall. I swear to you I almost died DO NOT TAKE ANY SHORTCUTS PLEASE. I was stupid.
Very nice trail. Paved till the waterfall.
The path to the falls is a bit loose, so be sure to wear appropriate footwear.
The trail to San Antonio is pretty and serene.
Found a bobcat it startled me was following me from behind for a few minutes but seems very friendly and harmless I stopped and let it walk in front of me it was walking up towards the mountain where the summit was! Also be aware and don’t fall there are a few unsafe grounds! The view is just beautiful, id go back for sure! I highly recommend it for good hikers
The entire journey took 8 hours, and we were still climbing even after it got dark. The section of the Devils Backbone trail was extremely perilous, with the narrowest part being only a foot wide. I nearly slipped twice, so it's crucial to bring trekking poles. People with a fear of heights should definitely avoid attempting this.
Mt. San Antonio, Mt. Baldy, is an amazing hike. We hiked it in late October and the weather perfect. We parked near Manker Campground and hiked to the Ski hut before hitting the summit via the Baldy Bowl trail. Not an easy hike but worth the work.
Took the “old” trail up to mount baldy and back. 12+ miles and 6000 feet of elevation gain make this is a tough hike. Bring lots of water and a jacket for the summit if you plan on spending any time up there.
Gorgeous views along the hike. It forms a loop so you can go down a different way then you came up. Need to be in decent shape though as certain parts are pretty steep.
The hike to the Summit of Mt. SAN ANTONIO, Mt. BALDY is a true 5 star hike. For the view and grueling 5 hr round trip via Baldy Bowl. The Devils Backbone plan went out the window due to the winds which were 50-80 MPH just east of the summit. Being tall 6'2" the wind was blowing me around as I stood on the summit. 5/29/22
Mt San Antonio, or colloquially known as Mt Baldy, is a challenging and beautiful hike with a peak at 10,064’. The usual route I take is a loop, via Devil’s Backbone and Baldy Bowl, or vice versa, about 11 miles total. You can save some pack room on water either by filling up at the top of the Mt Baldy Resort from the Devil’s Backbone side or the Ski Hut from the Baldy Bowl side. Unless you’ve got mountaineering and snow trekking experience, this hike, like many in the SoCal mountain ranges, is best used in the spring till first snowfall in the late autumn or winter. Highly recommend checking out AllTrails or Gaia GPS for a reliable non-cell service dependent map of the trail you choose and the area. Parking for the loop mentioned above starts at Manker Flat. Make sure you have an adventure pass or national parks pass displayed in your dash for official use/payment of the recreation area. Always make sure you’re prepared for any hike and assume safety and responsibility for yourself while out there!
Moderate hike with good views of the high desert. Good place to see planes flying in and out of Edwards AFB and Palmdale. There is a one lane gravel road all the way to the peak of you're not up for the hike. If someone is driving the other way however, be prepared to reverse down the mountain a long distance. If the weather has been bad the roads and trails will be closed off.
Beautiful hike, but often crowded at the summit. It's imperative to start early. My favorite approach is up the Ski Hut trail to summit, through the Devil's Backbone, and down to the Baldy Notch Restaurant for something to eat. Hike down the road to the trail head or cheat and take the ski lift down.
What a view form the top. At just over 10000 feet or 3067 meters, you can see pretty far in every direction. Being the highest peak around really helps with the 360 degree view. No real easy way to get up here. Any trail chosen is around 4 miles one way. We came up past the the old cabin and that was over 4.5 miles to the top, then fallowed the ridge East to the notche and took the chair lift down. About 7.65 miles from the Falls Road to Baldy and ending at the Notche. Fell worth it though.
Definitely a tricky hike. Has a couple of steep sections that are rocky. The views at the top plus the ones on the way up make this hike totally worth it. Just bring a jacket cause it gets nice and windy up top in the fall.
Loved the hike from the bottom to the summit I consider it hard. Passing the ski hut goes from switchbacks to steep incline make sure to bring enough water.
This 10 mile hike, 10,064 in altitude is challenging but the views are amazing! I've done it twice and definitely planning on going back to do it again!
LA is so lucky to have such a large mountain in it's backyard. Good for hiking in summer and skiing, mountaineering in winter. Views are pretty amazing too!
One of the 7 peaks recommended to climb before you climb Mount Whitney. I did it the day after coming down from Whitney. It is a far steeper climb and starting decent (bowl, summit, backbone).
I have done the beautiful hike to the mount baldy. It's very nice even if need to be in good conditions to hike from scratch. Else you can use the cable car. It's wonderful ?❤
Hiked up at end of January at night. Turned back about 1000ft from the top due to snow. If you hike at this time of year, I recommend bringing an ice axe and either crampons or microspikes. There are plenty of exposed places on the bowl or backbone; be safe. Bring the 10 essentials, let people know where you are. First time hiking in CA... beautiful view.
This is definitely one tough hike that should not be underestimated, but it is a beautiful one and good training if you are looking to do any mountaineering or more rigorous long distance hikes. Make sure to bring ample food and water for the track as it could take you a good part of the day, pending on your level of endurance and energy. Usually at the ski but there is a small stream running, so filtration to fill up your water bottles is possible, pending on time of year and current drout conditions.
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