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Hiking Mt Baldy
Amelia Rogers
Mt. Baldy
Mt. Baldy is a wonderful hike full of spectacular views and elevation gains that take your breath away (literally). The hike is one of the top 5 highest Mountains in Southern California, with an elevation of 10,064 ft.
There are several parts on this hike that are incredibly steep and would not be safe in winter conditions. We hiked Mt. Baldy in June and there was still snow at the top so be prepared.
This is an 11-mile hike that takes about 7 hours to complete. To start you will want to get there early not only to start the hike during cooler weather temperatures but also to be able to get good parking. You might have to circle around the lot a couple times to find some if you come even around 9 AM the lot gets full. Once you find parking it’s best to use the bathroom at the bottom before setting off as the first couple hours of the hike there is no place to go except the wilderness.
The beginning trek is easy, it’s paved then turns to a dirt path that is fairly wide and well-traveled. It is a lot of switchbacks as you ascend to the first major landmark point, which is the ski lodge. This is a good place to get some lunch or enjoy your lunch and go to the bathroom. They have plenty of picnic tables to get at both inside and outside. It’s a good mid-point to take a breather. The views here are starting to be beautiful.
For those who are looking for an even easier start to this point there is a ski lift that will take you up the first part of the mountain. It does cost money and only runs at certain hours that vary so be sure to check online if this is your plan.
Once you have enjoyed a break, you head to one of the more challenging parts of the hike, in my opinion, the ascent to the next section is incredibly steep and if you’re there on a cloudy day you will quite literally leave the clouds or go through them during this portion of the hike. Be sure to have plenty of water and take your side going through this part, it’s not crazy long but it doesn’t feel that way.
After you summit this section it’s nice and flat in and out of the woods, you’ll start getting some truly amazing views along this part of the hike. The next notable portion is called the Devil’s Backbone. This is an amazing stretch where you can look down thousands of feet on both sides of you while you hike this backbone. In the summer this is quite safe but, in the winter, this is a section that needs to be handled with extreme caution if you proceed.
The end of Devil’s Backbone is a very sketchy part where you are looking straight down basically hugging the side of the wall as you move around a big bend on rocks that are constantly shifting. This leads to a very safe trail once you are around the bend, but this part gave me pause as I looked in the abyss below me.
From there it’s rather flat until the final assent to the actual summit. This is another part where you want to go slow and make sure you have enough oxygen. There were several people who were not able to go past here as the altitude sickness begin to kick in. Take it slow and be sure to drink enough water.
This section was still covered in snow in June for us so be prepared with some warmer gear as you might get hit with some end of winter weather at and near the top. The entire remaining hike up you have stunning views so you can truly take it in the whole way. Once you summit it’s a large flat area at the top to relax and enjoy some 360-degree views. There is also a sign as pictured above that you can get a picture with to enjoy your success!
There are two options when heading down the mountain, you can go the way you just came, or you can go down a steeper route. This is the option we went for, called Ski Hut or Manker Flat. It is a very steep descent to the hut where there is a bathroom but if you’re like me you’d rather go in the woods. This is where a good-fitting pair of shoes is essential for your comfort. There are rocks you’ll be partially sliding down, and you don’t want your toes slamming into the front of your shoes.
A majority after the beginning is normal hiking terrain but the beginning is a lot of loose rocks and comfort is so important since your feet will already be a bit of pain from the hike up. This trail will lead you right back to the gravel widened road from the beginning and then the paved road straight on to the parking lot. It is steeper and more aggressive switchbacks, but the views are stunning a majority of the way down.
There are also a couple food options at the bottom and a great live music/bar area so if you have some time to spare enjoy some well-earned food with friends. Then you’ll leave the park with a gorgeous sunset as you head back to sea-level.
If you have any questions or experienced anything awesome on this hike please share below!
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