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Location: Los Angeles County, about 13 miles north of Upland, 48 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Auto Club: Los Angeles and Vicinity

Forest Service: Angeles National Forest

USGS Topo: Mount San Antonio 7½, Telegraph Peak 7½, Mt Baldy 7½

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

Nearby Peaks: Dawson Peak,Mount Harwood

Distance: 14 miles round trip on road and trail

Gain: 3900'

Time: 6-7 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, strenuous

Original: Warren E. von Pertz, January 1969

DRIVING ROUTE 1

• Take the 210 freeway east to Baseline Road exit in the City of Claremont. Turn left (west) at the bottom of the off-ramp onto Baseline Road.
• Almost immediately, take the first right (north) onto Padua Ave.
• Go 1.8 miles north on Padua to the intersection with Mount Baldy Rd. Turn right (northeast).
• Take this road northeast and then north about seven miles to Mt. Baldy Village.
• Pass through Mt. Baldy Village and in about four miles, intersect San Antonio Falls Road on the left (gated). Park here.

Note: There is a good parking lot for ridesharing in this area. To get there, after turning west on Baseline Road, continue past Padua Avenue a short distance to Mills Avenue. Turn north on Mills, and continue to Mt. Baldy Road. The parking lot is at the northeast corner of this intersection.

HIKING ROUTE 1

• From the parking area (6160'), pass the gate and hike up the road to Baldy Notch at the top of the ski lift.
• Turn left (northwest) and follow a road up a ridge to where it becomes a trail.
• Follow this trail up the Devils Backbone, going by Mount Harwood on your right (to the north), and up to the summit.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

Do not hike up the slope beneath the ski lift. This is not legal. The Devils Backbone trail can be dangerous in winter months.

Distance: 8 miles round trip on road, trail, and use trail

Gain: 3900'

Time: 5-6 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, strenuous

Original: Warren E. von Pertz, January 1969

DRIVING ROUTE 2

• Take the 210 freeway east to Baseline Road exit in the City of Claremont. Turn left (west) at the bottom of the off-ramp onto Baseline Road.
• Almost immediately, take the first right (north) onto Padua Ave.
• Go 1.8 miles north on Padua to the intersection with Mount Baldy Rd. Turn right (northeast).
• Take this road northeast and then north about seven miles to Mt. Baldy Village.
• Pass through Mt. Baldy Village and in about four miles, intersect San Antonio Falls Road on the left (gated). Park here.

Note: There is a good parking lot for ridesharing in this area. To get there, after turning west on Baseline Road, continue past Padua Avenue a short distance to Mills Avenue. Turn north on Mills, and continue to Mt. Baldy Road. The parking lot is at the northeast corner of this intersection.

HIKING ROUTE 2

• From the parking area (6160'), pass the gate and hike up the road about 1/2 mile to where a faint trail goes up the left bank.
• Follow this trail up to the Sierra Club's Baldy Ski Hut at 8100'.
• From here a use trail crosses the main bowl west to the south ridge of Mount San Antonio.
• It then goes up this ridge to the summit.

Distance: 12 miles round trip on trail

Gain: 6000'

Time: 10-12 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, very strenuous

Original: Warren E. von Pertz, January 1969

DRIVING ROUTE 3

• Take the 210 freeway east to Baseline Road exit in the City of Claremont. Turn left (west) at the bottom of the off-ramp onto Baseline Road.
• Almost immediately, take the first right (north) onto Padua Ave.
• Go 1.8 miles north on Padua to the intersection with Mount Baldy Rd. Turn right (northeast).
• Take this road northeast and then north about seven miles to Mt. Baldy Village.
• Park in the USFS Visitor's Center parking lot or by the road.

Note: There is a good parking lot for ridesharing in this area. To get there, after turning west on Baseline Road, continue past Padua Avenue a short distance to Mills Avenue. Turn north on Mills, and continue to Mt. Baldy Road. The parking lot is at the northeast corner of this intersection.

HIKING ROUTE 3

• From the parking area (4200'), hike up past the church on Bear Canyon Drive. Bear Canyon Drive is about 200' south of the Visitors Center. It soon becomes the Bear Canyon Trail.
• Hike this trail past several cabins for about a mile to Bear Flat.
• Continue up the trail as it follows a ridge up to the summit.

Distance: 10 miles round trip on road, trail, and cross-country

Gain: 3900'

Time: 5-6 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, strenuous

Original: Byron Prinzmetal, August 2002

DRIVING ROUTE 4

• Take the 210 freeway east to Baseline Road exit in the City of Claremont. Turn left (west) at the bottom of the off-ramp onto Baseline Road.
• Almost immediately, take the first right (north) onto Padua Ave.
• Go 1.8 miles north on Padua to the intersection with Mount Baldy Rd. Turn right (northeast).
• Take this road northeast and then north about seven miles to Mt. Baldy Village.
• Pass through Mt. Baldy Village and in about four miles, intersect San Antonio Falls Road on the left (gated). Park here.

Note: There is a good parking lot for ridesharing in this area. To get there, after turning west on Baseline Road, continue past Padua Avenue a short distance to Mills Avenue. Turn north on Mills, and continue to Mt. Baldy Road. The parking lot is at the northeast corner of this intersection.

HIKING ROUTE 4

• From the parking area (6160'), pass the gate and hike up the road where it turns right past the waterfall. About 1/4 mile past the waterfall there is a faint trail goes up the left bank.
• Follow the trail to a sign in register (about 100 meters) from the road.
• Proceed up the trail for about another 50 meters past the sign-in box to where the trail makes a bend to your right (east). There is a stand of three trees at this bend on your left (west).
• About 15 meters past the bend, there is a lone tree on your right (east) where a use trail begins.
• Turn right (east) and ascend the slope via the use trail until you reach the ridge. Please be sure to note where you met the ridge for your return.
• Turn left (north) and hike up the ridge until you meet the Devil's Backbone Trail. Please note where you met the trail for your return.
• Turn left (east) and follow the trial to the summit.

ALTERNATE ROUTES

It is possible to hike from Dawson Peak up to the summit of Mount San Antonio. Wright Mountain, Pine Mountain #1, Dawson Peak, and Mount San Antonio make a popular trip.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

The ski lift at the end of Baldy Road operates in the summer months on weekends and some holidays. It is possible to take this (for a fee) to Baldy Notch. This significantly reduces the gain and distance from this direction.

HISTORICAL NOTES

This peak is commonly know as Mount Baldy. It is the highest point in the San Gabriel Mountains and Los Angeles County. The road and trail to the summit were originally established by gold-seekers in San Gabriel Canyon.

History of Summit Signature

Climbing Archives

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