Approx 14 miles. This hike is the easiest way up to Mt Baldy, however remembers it starts and stays in high elevation, so some people may experience altitude sickness. Windbreaker Besides a hearty breakfast, I would highly suggest an early start when doing this hike, not only due to the time it takes to complete but if you are attempting this hike in the summer months it can and does get hot. My choice, as I wanted to experience one more time the thrill of completing the true Devils Backbone Ridge). You will come to a distinct flat spot, about 3/8 of a mile below the Baldy Notch Trail. Baldy Lodge , very good food in a rustic setting in Mt. Turn left on Baseline Road. 1. How to hike Mt. Baldy Devil's Backbone Trail 2020; Mt. Baldy San Just wondering if there was any snow?? An Adventure Pass is required for each vehicle parked along the roadside. And, reflection of sun from snow can cause sunburn as well. The gentler access road is to the left of this trail, and it snakes up the ridge rather than going straight up. The trail to the summit begins at Manker Flats trailhead and we take the winding fire road up to Baldy Notch at which we will take a break. (76), Climber's Log Entries Hiking the Devil's Backbone, Mt. Baldy - Ramble State San Antonio as a loop route with some friends. At the end, you climb to the edge of the cliff with a sigh of relief, enjoying the complete vista of the Devils Backbone Ridge. From the top of the ski lift, follow the fire road up the ridge. HIKE LEVEL: Level 9. 7.5 miles: Baldy Notch is at the top of the ski lift. San Diego, CA. mdostby. Waterproof Hiking Boots/Shoes or Snow Shoesgood grip (Required) San Antonio (aka Mt Baldy) Loop via Devil's Backbone HIKE PREREQUISITE: Must have completed a LATH hike Level 7+ and up with no problem. From the Notch, you can cheat and take the ski lift down. Make a left at Falls Road. As mentioned earlier, the trail-head start was right across from the campground on Mt. This trail boasts s ( University of Missouri Libraries ) Services . You can reach Baldy Notch by: Baldy Notch: Follow the fire road up to the beginning of the Devils Backbone Trail. The trail is an 11.2-mile loop with nearly 4000 feet of vertical elevation gain to the 10,064-foot summit of Mt. So many nicknames for one mountain, I know! This trail is for hiking. AMAZING views, and Id definitely do this hike again. This a broad area is just after the Manker Flat Campground. Either route there is no gas station once you exit the freeway. Baldy Photo Presentations: Hike 6-12-04 28 photos with captions. REAL TRAIL NAME: Mt Baldy Summit from The Notch via Devils Backbone Trail *** THIS PAGE IS NOT UP TO DATE *** HIKE DATE: Sunday, October 16, 2010. Baldy. Turn East (right) onto Mt Baldy Rd. A short side trip to San Antonio Falls is worth the minimal effort. As far as creature comforts at Manker Flats, there are flush toilets, running water, no showers. Dan's Hiking Pages: Mt. Baldy - SimpsonCity We have a better experience if every hike has hikers of the intended level. If you follow the ridge up, you will find several class 4 climbs. You can do it! Dan's Mt. 2. Dynamite work ethic however with a warm customer service specialty! During our time on the summit there were five others that we met. Mt. Baldy - Devil's Backbone Trail Day Hike Walk past the locked gate of Falls Road and follow the dirt road for almost 2 miles to the ski lodge. Turn right to stay on Mt. Baldy Ski Lifts parking lot. Befitting its "Old Baldy" name, the summit is a bare dome covered with rocks and gravel. Uphills with quickgain, NoBeginners, Intermediate Hikers, No Kids, No Dogs), WHAT IS A HIKING LEVEL? This is the ridge that you will follow all the way up and is the SE Ridge, called Register Ridge, that goes up toward the summit of Mt. This is Baldy Notch. At the end of Falls Road, the path makes a big U-turn at San Antonio Falls. Its one thing to see this beauty from the safety of distance, it is quite another to feel it and experience it as you hike right through it crossing on this hairpin trail! San Antonio! Hiking Boots/Shoes withgood grip (Required) I must say not bad for first timers. HIKE LEAD: TBA. The Devil's Backbone is the nickname for the summit of Mount San Antonio, though better known as Mount Baldy. [] 10,064 foot summit and in the end, we concluded that ascending via Baldy Bowl and descending along The Devils Backbone, making for an 11.3 mile hike, was the best route we stand by this decision (Great post []. Devil's Backbone - Mount Baldy, CA - Yelp MY FRIEND SAID I CAN DO THIS HIKE, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT, RIGHT? We ask her if she would like to join us, she does, but not too far along the trail she says she doesnt think she is going to make it, and turns back. Mountain Ave. will turn into Mt Baldy Road and dead end into the Ski Area Parking lot. Make sure that the Hike Level accommodates your hiking experience. Hikers can actually stay at the Ski Hut which is operated by the Sierra Club. Via Ski Hut, return Backbone; Hike 7-22-07; 100 photos on my Flickr. Literally, you straddle with one leg on one side and the other leg on the other side of the ridge. After about 10mins you'll see a sign and there are 3 different paths to different hikes (3 tree top, Mt. in 22 reviews, From here, you can choose to ride the lift down or hike another 3 miles down to Manker Flats. in 7 reviews, The first section starts off paved up until San Antonio Falls which is roughly a half mile up. in 5 reviews. Just did this hike yesterday. If you wish to look us up on map quest you can use 6700 Mt Baldy Road CA 91759. When the path levels off, the Devils Backbone Trail becomes a narrow ridgeline spine with significant drop-offs on each side. Find homes for sale, market statistics, foreclosures, property taxes, real estate news, agent reviews, condos, neighborhoods on Blockshopper.com The elevation gain is the same as the San Antonio Ski Hut Trail and the distance is probably about the same. Mt. San Antonio (Mt Baldy) Loop - CohaiTungChi Tech I recommend the San Antonio Ski Hut Trail, which has a sign along the way down that says Baldy Bowl Trail, for a descent route. Baldy In the Summer Part 4 | Down the Devil's Backbone | to the Top of the Notch | .Hiking Mt. Sometimes, you slide your body on the edge of a rock hanging over the swallowing precipice. Whitney or Half Dome. By now the legs and lungs have grown accustomed to the steady ascent and hanging in there very well. a 74 year old Korean man who makes the trek to the summit of Baldy two times per week. 1.7 miles: Take the northern trail along the ridge to Mt. Hes 74 and does this twice a week, I say hes the motivation! Rated 5 / 5. This trail is about 3 miles from the lodge to the summit with a net elevation gain of 2,264 feet. Coming from the Register Ridge Trail you can go to the right and head down the D.BBone to the ski lodge then back to Manker Flats. The photo is taken pointing towards West Baldy. Thermos (underlayer to keep warm Optional) You can see the desert and the city of Barstow, Los Angeles in the distance and I have been told on a very clear day, the island of Catalina. WATER REQUIRED. Occasionally, there is live music at the Notch, such as Elevated Solstices reggae and roots rock lineup. DISTANCE: 6 - 9 Miles (Round trip). It was the narrow curvy edges that were most scary. As you descend to the east, the route splinters into several steep use trails. Although dogs may be allowed in the area, we request no pets join us for this higher level hike. This man had more energy than the rest of us combined. By clicking Attending, or attending the hike, you confirming that you understand that all outdoor activity such as hiking, backpacking, and trekking have an associated danger, and will not hold any hike lead/organizer, participant, LA Trail Hikers, or any group associated pet responsible for any hazard to your well being. Mount Baldy via Devil's Backbone Trail | Map, Guide - AllTrails You are fully responsible for yourself. Judging from trail wear, most people go straight up a steeper ski slope. 4k 60fps Norwegian Xplorer 5.5K views 2 years ago I Can't Believe We Had to TURN AROUND!. San Antonio Devil's Backbone Ridge - Camino of Death, Images Baldy via the Ski Hut Trail as an out and back. HIKE DURATION: 9 hrs. Gold-seekers originally established the trail to the summit in San Gabriel Canyon. It could get very cold (winds) and the next minute get hot so be prepared!!! Required fields are marked *, Notice: It seems you have Javascript disabled in your Browser. The Baldy Bowl Ski Hut Trail is definitely a more strenuous uphill workout than Devil's Backbone, so choose this route if you're looking for a good leg workout! If you have them, gaiters will help keep snow out of your socks/show opening. Hardwood, and down past the ski resort to the valley floor. It is much easier to return to Manker Flat, even though you lose some altitude. In 7.2 miles, go past Mt. Sam the 74 year old kept complementing my son on his creative use of pine by saying, Very Strong, your boy is Very Strong. He would say this to everyone in fact even telling me that I motivate him! Mt. Hiking the Devil's Backbone, Mt. Baldy Ramble State The Devil's Back Bone, connecting the top of the hill where the ski cable car ends with the Harwood Mountain, is a ridge with steep slopes on both sides. Riding the Sugar Pine Chair Lift up 1,500 at a cost of $25. Be prepared if this is your plan. You will notice that the trail makes a sharp turn towards the north as you hike up from the register box, travel up the trail approximately 40 meters past the register box. This is a strenuous varation to climb Baldy, it has some nice views on both sides of the ridge and if you want some solitude from the weekend crowds, this is a good option. As you approach the devils Backbone portion of the trail you immediately get a sense of just how much the elevation gain takes its toll on your breathing, after all you are at nearly 9000 feet in elevation, your breaths get shorter and quicker! This is a remarkably narrow rising ridgeline spine with significant drop-offs on each side, connecting Baldy Notch to the summit. Adding microspikes to your shoes will help in keep best traction with snow (highly recommended). Hiking the Devil's Backbone, Mt. Baldy - Ramble State The Scariest Section Of Devil's Backbone Trail (Mt. Baldy) Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. Harwoods ridgeline trail, follow it to the Harwoods peak while it parallels the Backbone below, or you can always scramble up the scree. Not my choice, as I was lost in a whiteout) and summertime (May 22, 2020. My son even brought up how this hike is a great reminder to enjoy the journey and everything along the way, and to stop and smell the roses, worry less about the destination. What is Hiker Therapy and how did it evolve? Comfortable waterproofhiking boots with good grip. My legs were weathering the hike fairly well, it was my feet that were taking the pounding and definitely felt every mile we have done to this point. Okay, now to clarify the multiple approaches to the peak of Mt. The Top of the Notch restaurant and bar is in a perfect place to rest and refuel. Make sure you pack an extra water or tablets of electrolytes. Head back to Baldy Notch. Your Ultimate Guide to Hiking Mount Baldy - She Dreams Of Alpine San Antonio also offers the chance for the group to consult with one another as to the best route down the mountain. Devil's Backbone Trail is 3.3-miles long with 2,350 feet of elevation gain, and can be reached several ways: From the summit of Mount Baldy after hiking 4.5 miles up Baldy Bowl Trail as part of the 11.3-mile Mount Baldy Loop By riding the Mount Baldy ski lift up 1,500 feet in elevation to Baldy Notch Walking out onto this rock will really give you "butterflies" because it's about a 2,000 foot drop to Stockton Flats below - quite a view! Objective: Summit Mt. If you drive beyond Manker Flat for about a mile, the road ends at the base of the ski lifts. So many nicknames for one mountain, I know! From the trail-head start to this point we covered the 3.6 miles in two hours with an elevation gain of 2000 ft. From Baldy Notch you get a very clear, vivid and quite frankly intimidating view of your destination, the ridge line of the Devils Backbone and off in the distance the summit of Mt.