Mt. Baldy Day Trip
Mt Baldy is one of the iconic hikes of LA. Everyone climbs Mt Baldy at some point while living in LA. It is a beautiful and very accessible mountain just under an hour by car from Downtown LA to the trailhead. Of note, for those of you driving electric, this trail is in reach of most all modern electric cars even without charging en route. You can use the benefit of the downhill return trip to recharge. LA is a giant of a city so it is quite surprising that you can surf in the morning, grab an early coffee at your favorite spot, catch a quick tour of one of the many outstanding world class museums before lunch and drive up and hike all afternoon on Mt Baldy.
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Alltrails.com has 59 trails on its Mt Baldy site with only 2 of these being rated as easy hikes. 15 of the trails are Dog Friendly but on at least a few of these, there is significant elevation gain with loose rock underfoot and cliff edges so perhaps choose carefully based on your comfort level and the safety for your dog. Mt Baldy is a 10,000 foot peak and despite LA being consistently balmy, temperatures on the mountain can be bone chilling with real winds. In the winter, snow and unstable terrain can make this mountain one of the most treacherous trips. Alltrails.com lists the main hike as “hard” and further states that it is highly challenging. The comments section lists many people who turned back mid-hike due to the dangers of low or no visibility and high winds. If you live in LA, you respect this mountain because we have all heard of hikers that have fallen or have spent a terrifying night in the cold winter weather up there. So take this and actually all hikes seriously!
Mt. Baldy can be deceptive to those
expecting Southern California temperatures and climate.
If you understand Mt Baldy’s risks, this can be one of the most rewarding hikes with spectacular views close in to Los Angeles. As with all trips, long and short, research the weather forecast before you go. Mountain-forecast.com provides excellent updated weather conditions including details for each elevation. You can find out the wind conditions, upcoming precipitation and predicted temperature ranges for each altitude. You can also contact the Mt Baldy Visitor Center where you can learn about any trail closures and review the current fire conditions on their website. My go to guide for information on trails all over the world is Alltrails.com with it’s clear and up to date driving directions, trailhead locators, and detailed user provided content about each trail. As always, let someone know your plans for the day, download a trail map and carry a fully charged phone.
Before we start, here are some great resources for hikes in and around Los Angeles.
It is important to learn how to stay safe as you venture outdoors. Frankly, reading about what can go wrong is sometimes the best way to insure that things go right. One example of this is an Outdoor Magazine article about Mt. Baldy. Outside Magazine also has a great podcast channel with thrilling, well written stories from the outdoors. I highly recommend their magazine and their website for great information from the pros about the outdoors. If you can, pick up some travel books such as 100 Hikes of a Lifetime by Kate Siber for inspiration. If you buy it online, try out the independent bookstore Bookshop.org. If you are like me and you love bookstores, try Skylight Books in Los Feliz in LA. You can also pick a more focused informational book related to the area that you will be exploring such as the Dog Friendly specific book Best Dog Hikes in Northern California, available at REI where they have a huge selection of hiking books. If you want more book tips, I have compiled a number of book lists including Essential Inspirational Travel Books, Hiking Guides, and Wilderness Safety Guides. You can find those HERE. It is also fun to listen to relevant podcasts. A list of really great podcasts with an outdoor focus is HERE.
