Mt. Baldy: A Spectacle for Every Season

It was a clear, sunny June day for the weekend as we pulled up to the trailhead for the Baldy Notch Trail. We could already feel the summer heat attack us the moment we stepped out of the car, as temperatures had reached to the high 70s-low 80s at the parking lot! We decided immediately to plan out our route accordingly so that we could replenish our water at the right moments. We decided to take the counter-clockwise loop towards the Devil’s Backbone part of the trail and end with the Baldy Bowl Trail.

The trailhead was fairly crowded and filled with day-hikers and trail-runners all the way to the top of the Baldy Ski Lift. The ascent was very gradual, giving us enough time to acclimate to the elevation gain and maintain a steady pace to make the top before sunset (We had started hiking at around 1pm that afternoon, so time was not on our side!)

We decide to take a short break at the Ski Lift, and we discovered a multitude of resources that tempted us initially to spend some more time here. There was a full-service restaurant/bar, along with a mid-sized Adventure course complete with a small zipline course! We are definitely thinking of a return trip to experience these small comforts sometime in the future. However, we had to cover quite a bit of mileage before reaching our campsite, so we continued further.

The final climb to the Devil’s Backbone was grueling! We suddenly experienced a considerably steep incline for the next 0.5 miles or so, as we were essentially climbing alongside a ridge along the San Gabriel Mountains. Despite the struggle, the views definitely compensated for our efforts to make it up there! There were panoramic views all around you, from the high desert to the east and the surrounding mountain ranges to the west. It was quite a spectacle!

Once upon the Saddle, we decided to take another short break at what seemed to be an abandoned ski lift. Not too sure if this ski lift was operational during the winter months, but the structures as well as the ski lifts themselves seemed pretty out of commission when we arrived there.

We pushed further onto the ridge towards Mt. Harwood, a preliminary mountain summit just before Baldy. We were suddenly immersed in a giant forest setting, as there was plenty of pine and manzanita trees surrounding us as we climbed up in elevation. It was here when the trail was starting to really narrow and become quite precarious! Thankfully, the crowds had dwindled by the time we reached this point in the hike, as the sun was just beginning its descent and all the day-hikers had already turned back to the parking lot. I can definitely see how this trail can create traffic, however, as only one party can cross certain sections of this trail at a time. There was quite a steep drop-off not far on either side of the trail, so it was best to allow only one-way traffic here!

We finally encountered the final stretch: a 0.3-0.4 mile switchback-ridden scramble to the top! At this point our stamina was pretty shot, so we definitely struggled to make our way up this penultimate portion of the trail. Thankfully the trail was mostly snow-free here, so no mountaineering or self-arrest skills were required to reach the summit. After about 30 minutes of steady climbing (with plenty of breaks), we finally reached the marker! I definitely heaved a heavy sigh of relief and pure ecstasy at that very moment!

We immediately set up camp about 50 ft away from the summit and spent the night surrounded by a clear, star-filled sky and the eclectic array of city lights from the looming Inland Empire below. Definitely a night filled with pure euphoria and awe!

We awoke early the next morning and immediately started our descent via the Baldy Bowl trail. The decline was fairly steep at some switchback portions, but aside from that a pretty straightforward hike back to the car.

All in all, another challenging, yet overwhelmingly rewarding hike for those daring to see some of the best mountain summit views in all of Southern California. I would advise to start this hike early or later in the afternoon if you’re planning an overnighter or multi-day trip, as the crowds do tend to get pretty overwhelming in the peak hours! Aside from that, a must for those looking for a tough summit hike!