My absolute favorite part of the Baldy hike! The views were amazing. Ok, maybe the restaurant…read morewas my favorite part of the Baldy hike, but the Devil's Backbone was very fun. Please come and create your own adventure.

I have been reluctant to hike this this part of the trail, due to my fear of heights. Fortunately,…read moreI'm in the middle of training for Mount Whitney in September and this was on my list of hikes to complete prior to. This trek was surprisingly easy to get through. I was able to control my fear and get past certain sketchy areas. There's a couple of areas that have sheer drops on either side. Don't panic and you'll be just fine. We started at 6am (7.31) and did the clockwise loop, up towards Sierra Ski hut and back down towards Mount Baldy Resort. We had to trek through 3 miles of Devil's Backbone... Prepare yourself mentally, if you're afraid of heights. I foucused on the trail and did not look down. However, I'm a curious soul, when I felt comfortable enough, I did look down. Honestly it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. The trail has narrow paths, but not as narrow as you think. Take your time and remember to breathe. Bring at least 3l of water, sunblock, wear good "gripping" shoes, and trekking poles. I didn't bring my trekking poles, but it might help you through this part of the hike. Happy trails!

THIS is a real hike. Exceptional views, crisp clean air, strenuous trail, Baldy has it all. I've…read moredone this twice. If it wasn't as much of a drive, I'd do it a whole lot more. This hike I'm describing is about 11 miles roundtrip, 4000 ft elevation gain. But the ascent is 4 miles up, so it is steep! You are starting at 6000 ft, and going up to just over 10000 ft. Important: It is important to stay hydrated during this hike, it is easy to get altitude sickness if you go too fast, and this also dehydrates you. Please take caution. Follow Mt Baldy Rd. up to Manker Flats. You'll see a couple of port a potties on the left side & a fire road - this is where you'll begin. You'll stay on this fire road for maybe half a mile, and then you'll have to look out for the beginning of the trail on your left. It's hard to find, just builds out of the dirt ridge with an immediate incline. Once you're on the trail, it gets pretty steep right away. At the beginning you can look up at see a green hut in the distance - this is the Sierra Club ski hut for which the trail is named. It is about 2.5 miles away from where you are. Once you get to the Ski Hut, take a break, enjoy the scenery, then head out for the last 1.5 miles, which are even steeper. You'll cross over some rocks briefly, then begin ascent to the ridge. Once you get up here, you'll notice the amount of green has diminished, and the air has gotten thinner. The last portion up along the ridge is the toughest, it is steep, and you are at altitudes over 9000 ft, so you are simply not breathing in as much oxygen, and so your body has to work harder. But once you get to the peak, it is worth it. Grand views of the Angeles National Forest, & the surrounding area are yours. After sometime at the top, take the loop down Devil's Backbone. The first 3 miles down are filled with great views and some rocky trail. You'll take this until you get to a ski lift 3 miles away where there is some bathrooms and water to replenish. Finally you'll take the fire road down another 3.5 miles, which isn't as scenic, but not horrible. This road meets is really the fire road you first started on, and will take you back to your car. Quality

This really is a great hike…read more Though... I must admit ... we did the shorter route. We took the ski lifts up part of the way, took the devils backbone up to the summit, and went back the way we came. This was by no means easy. It is still a 6 or 7 mile hike. Though it is much longer and harder to start from the falls. I think Mt Baldy is under appreciated. It is absolutely beautiful. It is so nice to get away up there. The hike up is steep, take lots of water and snacks. The view up top is great. Enjoy.

When Baldy opened back up, we took advantage and hiked it multiple times. It is spectacular. If…read moreyou hike up Ski Hut, it's an amazing booty builder hike. Bring poles. Restroom at trailhead. Restaurant at top of ski lift and I usually grab a chicken sandwich. Easy parking at trailhead. I put my adventure pass on the dash in case it's needed. Please come and create your own adventure.

The trailhead is before you've reach the Mt Baldy Resort at Falls Rd. I prefer to start my hikes…read moreearly so I never have trouble finding parking, but there should be adequate amount of parking. I've always found the hiking trails here to be well-maintained. However, if your goal is to go up to the summit, please know that the trail does get pretty technical during sections on the Devil's Backbone. There's the Top of the Notch restaurant about halfway up, but make sure you carry enough water with you if you plan to do this hike during the summer months or whenever the weather is warm.

I did this great hike back in September of 2019 and really loved it despite it being one of the 5…read morehardest hikes I have personally done. Parking- an Adventure Pass is needed which costs $5 for one day or $30 for the year (I like to get the annual and add a 2nd car pass for $5 additional dollars and split the cost with a hiking buddy...so $17.50 and we each have a pass for our car for the year); my hiking buddy Jose parked his car at Manker Flat and I drove him back to the Ice House parking lot where we started our hike from Trail- the Ice House Canyon Trail is beautiful and you are hiking near the Ice House Creek for most of the 3.5 miles up to the saddle; this section is pretty busy since this is the trail that people who are hiking to Ontario Peak or Cucamonga Peak use also; once at the saddle most people take a little snack break since you have been steadily climbing for the past hour and a half; trails signs are visible at the saddle and the Three T's trail is to the left and the next 3.5 miles I found to be the hardest as you make your way to Timber and Telegraph Peaks...the views along the trail and at the peaks are phenomenal (esp. Telegraph)...this portion the elevation will be between 7,500 and 9,000 ft so depending on how comfortable you are at the altitude you may experience some fatigue/breathing issues; the final peak of the Three T's, Thunder Mountain, is the easiest to reach but it is the least impressive; from Thunder you make your way down to the Baldy Notch which has a bathroom, water refill station, and a good place to buy a snack or a drink; after taking a 15-20 min break at the lodge area we made the boring walk down the fire road to Manker Flat for about 3 miles...if you don't have a 2nd car parked here than you need to walk a couple more miles down the paved Mt. Baldy Rd back to your one car at Ice House or maybe someone will see you walking and offer you a ride down to your car Details Distance- almost 14 miles Elevation Gain- almost 5k feet Elevation Peak- 8,976 ft Duration- Total time of 7hrs with 5.5 hrs of actual hiking time since we took 5 breaks (saddle, each of the Three T's, and at the notch) *the first half (7 miles) of the hike is the hardest since you are averaging between 500-800 ft of elevation gain per mile Tips- start early since this hike will take most people between 6-8 hrs and you will want to avoid the effects of heat/sun exposure; bring layers since there will be temperature fluctuations; wear hiking shoes/boots...wouldn't recommend wearing just tennis shoes on this one; bring 2-3 liters of water, pack snacks, hiking poles might be good but not a must, and try to use 2 cars so you can park one at each lot (Manker & Ice House)

Like the great views, lodge for snacks, chair lift down. Lodge staff thoughtfully gave senior…read morediscount $10 tickets for chair lift down. Sorry to say potato wedges are nearly addictive- our group of 7 went through 3 baskets. Liked the cool breeze that made top areas pleasant while temperatures down in the village got into 90s in mid July. Thankfully, water for refilling containers was available at lodge at top of lower chair lift, say 10 miles in. TheHikingGuy has useful web page and video of the route. Could use portable signs, for photos, like one sees on Mt Gorgonio etc.

Extremely hard for newbies!!! This is by far the most strenuous hike I've ever done!! It was hard…read moreto breathe and my heart was beating so fast that it felt as if it was about to jump out of my body. However, the scenic view was amazing and it's literally mind over matter when I wanted to turn back after the group started hiking to the top from resting at the green cabin place. When the group was nearly to the top, for every 15 steps we walked, we rested 5-10 mins. The trail was rocky and slippery, but it has a lot of shade (big bonus) making the hiking trip enjoyable beside it harsh elevation. All in all, this maybe my 1st and last time hiking this trail. Hehe.

The hike up Baldy Bowl Trail, also known as the Ski Hut Trail to the summit of Mt. Baldy was one of…read morethe most difficult hikes I've done to date. The out and back round trip comes in at 9.2 miles, and you take on almost 4000' of elevation gain during the 4.6 mile ascent. Don't judge a hike by the distance; I've been on much longer hikes, yet never experienced such an ass kicking! Despite that, I totally love this trail and can't wait to take it again to the top! First, let me stress how easy it is to miss the trailhead from the fire road that starts at Manker Flats if you have never been here before. After you pass San Antonio Falls, it shouldn't take you more than 15 minutes to get to the trailhead. Keep your eyes peeled http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baldy-bowl-trail-mount-baldy?select=ZF95HefbyzFlmm02UyfS6w#ZF95HefbyzFlmm02UyfS6w for the lone yucca bush next to a trail splitting to the left and going up. Not too long ago there was apparently a sign that used to say "Mt. Baldy Trail" at the trailhead, but that sign is now missing. Hence my first time coming here, I ended up hiking past it going near the ski lifts and had to back track. I'll never forget that first time on the Baldy Bowl Trail. The visibility was bad and it was snowing as I hiked up. It isn't very often one gets to hike under snowfall http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baldy-bowl-trail-mount-baldy?select=JifbrRoARQwvBwa-w9vh8g#JifbrRoARQwvBwa-w9vh8g in LA so I stopped often to take it all in. That day, I never actually made it to the summit. I only made it to the Sierra Club San Antonio Ski Hut at the 2.5 mile mark. It was surreal approaching 8210' and out of the fog seeing this green building. Luckily, the door was open and I would end up spending the next couple hours in there by the furnace, chatting with some very cool people, drinking, eating, playing the guitar, and exploring the building. I had such a great time there that I didn't want to leave! But enough about the Ski Hut, that's another review http://www.yelp.com/biz/san-antonio-ski-hut-mount-baldy for another day! The next time I came back here, the conditions were totally different. It was an incredibly clear day and I could literally see out to the ocean and spot a few of the Channel Islands. The view out towards Catalina Island especially was so clear http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baldy-bowl-trail-mount-baldy?select=H3qwpO3LiBksGxHt1KGlEQ#H3qwpO3LiBksGxHt1KGlEQ that you could even count the ships between the coast and the island! I learned that the real ass kicking starts after the Ski Hut. I had to put traction device on my boots because the trail got pretty icy. After traversing past the big boulders, I started climbing up along the side of the Baldy Bowl as the big trees became more sparse and that's when things got really difficult! During the climb on the steep trail of loose rock and dirt through the manzanita bushes, I literally had to stop and take breaks every few minutes. At times, I would take these long breaks and get back up, start hiking again only to sit and rest after a minute or two because it was so tiring. I pushed myself up past the Baldy Bowl saddle http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baldy-bowl-trail-mount-baldy?select=CBS4x5_yn8Doz-HVzzQwsQ#CBS4x5_yn8Doz-HVzzQwsQ and with the toughest section behind me, I made my way towards the summit in the snow. I ran into a couple hikers just below the summit http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baldy-bowl-trail-mount-baldy?select=SvGhwRxBS5ifbDS-h0ZhuA#SvGhwRxBS5ifbDS-h0ZhuA also in awe of the breathtaking view. We talked about how lucky we were to make it up here on such a gorgeous day! You could really feel the wind as you summit at the top of Mt. Baldy. And you can see the snow swirling as the wind hits the ridge top, blowing the white powder into the air. It's an awesome sight! Even though it was really windy at the top, http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baldy-bowl-trail-mount-baldy?select=9XDwukBloHmiF_JYbaVhpQ#9XDwukBloHmiF_JYbaVhpQ nobody wanted to leave behind such a spectacular view. After taking a bunch of photos, collecting snow in my bottle (I had run out of water at that point), and even making a new friend at 10,064', I started my 4.6 mile descent down this awesome trail. I think I finally made it back to my car after spending over 8 hours on this hike! As strenuous as the hike is, you have to appreciate this kind of a challenge if you're a hiking enthusiast. We are lucky to have access to such a mountain without having to drive very far! Just remember to bring plenty of water (2 to 3L), food/snacks, hiking poles, and of course in the winter, some kind of traction device for your boots like microspikes or crampons.

**Review for the trail not the hut Such a fun hike! About a…read moremile in you'll start to see some snow and you'll want to put on your spikes and use trekking poles. It's a popular trail so even if you feel a little lost, you will eventually run into someone or see someone you can follow. My spikes weren't the best, but they got me up and down. Dogs are allowed, highly recommend they wear their shoes. Overall it is challenging but a doable solo hike. Always check the weather conditions before going, there were rescues going on the whole time I was there. Take your time and one step at a time. Once you get to the top, you'll be rewarded with awesome views.

Accessible parking and restrooms are available near the trailhead…read more As of 01/30/22, the ski hut is locked but the hiking trail is still accessible. A small portion of the trail leading up to the Ski Hut is covered in ice/snow, so I would recommend using hiking poles if you have any. Once you pass the Ski Hut, then micro-spikes are highly recommended (almost a must) because the trail is full of snow. More than half of the trail is not shaded and it's filled with loose rocks & gravels. And so, make sure to bring a hat and/or sunglasses, a good pair of hiking shoes as well as enough water and/or snacks. According to AllTrails, this a "difficult" trail so be prepared for 2-2.5 miles of incline (2000ft) heading up to the hut. There isn't a lot of signs along the trail so make sure you have some kind of offline map or navigation tool accessible.

My Fiance and I love doing the Moonlight hikes. It's good fun exercise and the atmosphere at the…read moreNotch is great. However, we've stopped partaking. The "BBQ" is wildly overpriced and just really not very good. If they would put more effort into making the food better and more reasonably priced we would probably go almost every time it happens.

This review will be exhaustive. I will list lots of positives and negatives. When reading the…read morenegatives, please keep in mind that my wife and I both loved every moment of our 2 night stay at the tent cabin, and we plan on making this an annual tradition. It was sublimely enjoyable from beginning to end. Though we are still tired and sore from the hike to the top of Mt. San Antonio, we are both thoroughly satisfied and mentally rested. We arrived around 4:30 on Friday. We went into the office and got our wristbands. Stephanie (and the guy with her, we didn't get his name) were really friendly and told us about the things we get with our ticket. We were surprised to know we get all meals comped, plus a free zipline. We asked about parking. They said our car will be fine, but just for peace of mind wrote us a note to put in the car indicating we were there for the 2 night package. We said thank and made our way to the lift. Lift operator put our bags in the following 2 lifts and we got to ride together. We had two large backpacking bags. The meal the first night was brisket, chicken, tater tots, mac n cheese, salad, and some very tasty beans. Everything was super good. They were not stingy - they will give you as much as you want. TIP - get all you will eat on your first trip. You are not guaranteed seconds. Drinks are not included, but we got unlimited refills of lemonade and/or iced tea for $3. We also enjoyed some live music and some very delicious churros (not included). The tent was bare bone. It had a bed, a water dispenser, a shelf. The bed had clean sheets. 3 windows and a door with a lock. That's it - but that's all we expected. We saw a few ants in there and the occasional mosquito. If you are super sensitive to bugs, you may want to bring a bottle of bug spray. The tent withstood the wind really well, and won't leak if it rains, but it's not 100% bug proof. It gets cold at night! My wife and I brought a nice throw blanket, a plain sheet, and a double sleeping bag. We opened the sleeping bag to be just a blanket and used all three. We were WARM. the 40-50 degree weather was not an issue. During the day the windows produced a nice breeze. We took a nap both days, and slept like babies. It was super restful. Bathrooms - there are porta-potties. We did not use them. They keep the door to the restaurant open 24 hours. There is a gate - so really you can only use the bathroom. But the heater is on, so when we woke up at 5:00 am for our hike, the bathroom was open, warm, and clean to start our day. First morning we did not eat breakfast. We hiked from early in the morning until around 12:30. When we came back, we were expecting some type of small bag-type lunch. We were surprised when they told us to pick anything off the menu. We had some VERY tasty burgers and fries. We paid $3 each for lemonade, and got a couple refills each throughout the day. It's GOOD lemonade. We took our nap and went back for dinner. Dinner was great! tri-tip and chicken was good, vegetarian lasagna very tasty, and I loved the corn. We were stuffed. The live music Saturday night was on point, and about 200 people showed up to enjoy the food and music. It was a party! Good times and dancing. Despite the nap, we were fast asleep by 10. We woke up around 5 and went to the bathroom. No one was at the lodge, so we relaxed and enjoyed the sights and sounds of nature. BTW - there is a very friendly cat that lives right at the lodge. Hopefully you see her! (or him) We took another great nap and woke up around 9:00. we packed our things and took our bags to the lodge to get some breakfast. Generally, you get a continental breakfast, but they had a special fathers day brunch planned. My God the brunch was good. The usual breakfast stuff - plus BEEF RIBS! We enjoyed breakfast and hopped on the lift to end our vacation. We ended up not doing the zipline. I'll be honest - it looks kind of like a kids thing. It's not a very long zipline. I want to really underline what a value we believe this was. $300 for 2 serene nights at Mt. Baldy for 2 people. A total of 5 meals. Not 5 star cooking, but much better than we expected. We really felt like we got a great experience for a very reasonable price. I also want to underline how FRIENDLY the staff was. Stephanie, as mentioned, was great. Christina at the bar was also SUPER friendly and helpful. She answered all our questions and made sure we knew all the various perks that came with the package. Those are the only two names we got, but every single person we interacted with was friendly, helpful, and overall a pleasure to be around. Are you looking for a 5 star hotel experience? This isn't for you. Are you looking for a camping trip with 3 meals a day and some additional creature comforts? This is for you! We absolutely loved our experience and the people that made our experience what it is, and we absolutely WILL be back next year.

Nice hike to where you can view a waterfall - have to climb through rocks to get to the base of it…read morebut other than that it's a wide paved road. You can even bring a stroller. Great place for a hike, remember pay for parking.

This is a pretty difficult hike of about 11 miles up and back and 4,100' elevation gain…read more The start of the hike is San Antonio Falls trail at Manker Flats. About 1/2 mile in, you will see the very steep turn off to the right to start your Register Ridge climb. The incline is very steep from the get-go and it continues on a pretty steady uphill incline throughout. There are parts that are pretty tough. The trail is single file with loose rocks under foot. You will also have to maneuver over and around some big rocks on occasion. It can be difficult to get your footing, so hiking poles would be helpful. Once you reach Devil's Backbone, you have the opportunity to add a bit of elevation and mileage by summitting Harwood Peak before reaching Baldy, which is right off of Devil's Backbone. The 360 degree views are pretty spectacular on Mt Baldy. It can be very windy and cool on top at any given time of year, so bring a jacket/windbreaker. There are several trail options to take for the return trip, inluding Devil's Backbone or the Ski Hut Trail. Both have steep areas of descent, but the Ski Hut Trail is shorter. parking - lot located at the start of the trail that requires an adventure pass

I started at Islip Saddle where a $5 Adventure Pass is required to park. From the Saddle, take the…read morePacific Crest Trail (PCT) that passes fire-burned forest, the Little Jimmy Campground, Little Jimmy Spring, and Windy Gap before diverting to a short spur path to Mount Hawkins. The view atop Hawkins is partially obscured by trees and unattractive Hawkins Ridge consumes a significant chunk of the vista. Consequently, it makes sense to continue to neighboring Throop Peak which is higher and has less trees at the summit. Like Hawkins, Throop is reached by a steep spur path (where I slipped but ironically I did not slip at Islip) off the PCT. One way to Hawkins is 4.6 miles with 2100' elevation change. Throop adds 0.9 miles and 300'. The entire two-summit trek is 10.5 miles total. In LA County, Throop is the third highest peak at 9142' and Hawkins is fifth at 8850'. Nearby hikes might seem more desirable like going from Dawson's Gap to Throop Peak because the shorted hike is easier or Vincent Gap to Baden-Powell which has the better view at the top but both are less interesting going up. Upon reaching Windy Gap, the PCT crosses the top of the range and has recurring good sights. Not necessarily stunning views but an open-air feeling of the expanse where being 7000' higher than the valley floors below creates broad horizons - even when the San Gabriel Valley is frequently smoggy. Wildflowers were still blooming in summer.