Cheating my way up Mt. Baldy

My knees and back weren’t cooperating, so I cheated my way up Mt. Baldy. Took the ski lift up part of the way on Chair 1 and 4. Chair 1 was open at 7 am. Chair 4 opened up at 10 am. Definitely makes a huge difference. Usually after a Baldy hike, my feet and knees are killing me. not so this time.

Recommendation if you want to do it the hard way, but save yourself some pain. Go up Ski Hut and Baldy bowl, or you can go up to the lodge, ski trail, to Devils Backbone. But when you come down Devils Backbone, take Chair 4 down to the lodge. Then optional taking Chair 1 down to the parking lot, or hike that part down the fire road.

As for conditions. Trail is in great condition. But there are some must be careful sections along Devil’s Backbone. Not too many bugs. Weather was great, a little windy. The Devil’s Backbone trail has little cover, and if the wind is howling, it can get quite windy up there. Even though it was in the 80’s in the flatlands, the mountains still remained cool in the 40’s with wind and 50’s. Lot’s of people on the trail and peak.

Video of the hike:  https://youtu.be/hZ5sGPRu4Zg