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Location: Los Angeles County, about 10 miles north of Azusa, 42 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Auto Club: Los Angeles and Vicinity

Forest Service: Angeles National Forest

USGS Topo: Crystal Lake 7½

HPS: Route(s), waypoints and explanation of usage

Distance: 7 miles round trip on trail and cross-country

Gain: 1800'

Time: 3-4 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, moderate

Navigation: Easy

Leader Rating: "O", normal conditions

Original: John Linden, January 1968

DRIVING ROUTE 1

• From the intersection of I-210 and Azusa Avenue (SR 39), drive north on Azusa Avenue about 18.2 miles to a wide paved parking area on the left. Park here. This is about 0.2 mile before the Coldbrook Ranger Station and Campground.

HIKING ROUTE 1

• From the parking area (3280'), a trail starts at the north end of the parking lot.
• Hike up this trail about 3 miles to a saddle just north of Smith Mountain (4240').
• There may be a sign here reading "San Gabriel Wilderness".
• Leave the trail on the left and follow a use trail south along a firebreak up to the summit.

Distance: 5 miles round trip cross-country

Gain: 1800' total, 700' out plus 1100' on return

Time: 3 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, moderate

Navigation: Easy

Leader Rating: "O", normal conditions

DRIVING ROUTE 2

• From the intersection of I-210 and Azusa Avenue (SR 39), drive north on Azusa Avenue to the Crystal Lake entrance.
• Continue on SR 39 for about 1.2 miles to where a ridge can be seen descending on the left side of the road. Park on the left just past this area.

HIKING ROUTE 2

• From the parking area (5500'), hike past a locked yellow gate, up the road and out along the road to about 50' before the road ends in a turn-around.
• Look left (possible duck) for a wide trail down and around a narrow rocky ridge and to the firebreak that runs down to the saddle (4240').
• Take this trail down to the saddle just north of Smith Mountain.
• From here follow a use trail south along a firebreak up to the summit.

NOTES

Routes 1 and 2 can be combined for an excellent car shuttle trip by hiking south on Route 2 and east on Route 1.

Smith Mountain and its north-south ridgeline form the eastern border of the San Gabriel Wilderness, but no permits are required to hike the peak at this time.

History of Summit Signature

Climbing Archives

Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.