Woke up early and got to the parking lot at 6:25, as the day was forecast to be a relatively cool mid 80s – and found that the lot was basically full by the time I arrived.  Clearly a lot of people also had the same idea, or perhaps there were a large number of people training for the Mt. Baldy “Run to the Top” that is supposed to be running over Labor Day (I hope they cancel it given that temps will be back into the triple digits that day.)  Lots of runners on the trail, in any case. 

I can see why this is perhaps the most popular peak to bag in Southern California.  Not only is there the opportunity to use a ski lift to shorten the hike (I didn’t), but the views are indeed spectacular.  Started hiking at 6:30, and I can’t say I was crazy about hiking up Baldy road to the notch, particularly when getting passed by no less than four vehicles headed up to their work.  But it’s an easy start to the day and I was at the Devil’s Backbone by 8:30, having stopped to check out the notch area a bit on the way.  Lots of other people out hiking, but things were reasonably spread out and I never felt held back or that I was in anyone’s way throughout the day. 

The hike up Devil's Backbone is spectacular – amazing views to the east over the Cajon Pass and out to San Gorgonio, Big Bear, San Jacinto and the desert.  To the southwest, the whole of the IE and out to OC are visible, though there was a good marine layer on this day.  It wasn’t until I got around Mt. Harwood that I really started to feel the altitude, and the final push from the Baldy/Harwood saddle to the top is tough and slow.  You’ll deal with many con/diverging trails and it’s very loose and dusty in places.  It reminded me a bit of hiking up Mt. Fuji years ago, a trail that becomes volcanic sand in places simply due to the high level of foot traffic. Still, the views at the top were spectacular; I could see every peak I’ve climbed thus far, including Wilson, Strawberry, and Baden-Powell/Burnham/Throop.  There were some beautiful fast moving clouds wisping overhead and I got some nice time-lapse video.  Probably 20-30 people coming and going over the 20 minutes I hug out in the breezy morning. 

The hike down the ski-hut/Baldy Bowl trail is no joke.  Amazing to me how many people hike up that way.  To put it in perspective, the Baldy Road/Notch/Devil’s Backbone route up is 7 miles long; the Baldy Bowl trail is listed at 3.5 miles, meaning it’s twice as steep and half as long.  The Bowl trail is also particularly hiked out, with multiple stretches of divergent trails carved by hikers determined to find their own path.  I feel conflicted about such trails because it can be good to spread out the impact, but it also makes for very confusing and even dangerous hiking.  I never struggled to find my route down though, and there was still some water in the creek at the ski-hut, a great place to rest tired legs, dunk your hat and bandana in the cold water, and recoup for the final two miles back to the car. 

I was down at 1 pm, 6.5 hours total, I’d guess about 5.5 hours of hiking altogether.  Drank 2.5 liters of water, but didn’t need much for snacks as I was well-fueled and hydrated at the start of the hike.  Something I didn’t know; if you go out through Baldy Notch on the way down, you can grab a beer at the top of the ski lift on the weekends.  That alone might make going up the steeper Baldy Bowl trail worth it… but I’d just as soon take the gentler way up and have a beer in the cooler when I get back to the car.  

Four down, two to go!