If you’re interested in attempting the SoCal 6 Packs of Peaks Challenge, just browsing for a good weekend trip in the area (overnight optional), or hoping to get a better understanding of what to expect on this hike, this post is for you.
If you don’t already have it, be sure to download the All Trails (link) app for maps and directions on getting to the trailhead, which is about a 2 hour drive from west Los Angeles. This is a popular trail and parking does get packed. I would recommend arriving very early or starting around 3 PM if you want to overnight at the top. By this time, other cars will be heading out.
Read on if you’re ready to learn more about the hike route options and camping over night here. If you already have the information you need and plan on setting out, be sure to check out my Backpacking essentials (Link) post to bring everything you need!
Be Prepared for a Challenge
Wether you’re doing this as a one off hike / backpacking trip or partaking in the challenge, be prepared. If you are following the challenge in order, this will be your 3rd peak. The elevation here is considerably higher than the other two, peaking at 10,064, with some particularly steep sections.
All trails gets you right to the trail head. There is a single bathroom and picnic table, as well as a route map a little up the way and the trail starts on a roughly paved road.
Camping at the top is not for the feint of heart. This mountain is nicknamed Baldy for reason!
Starting the Trail and Picking Your Route Up – Clockwise vs Counter Clockwise
To start the hike, you have a relatively easy start up a road from the trailhead signs. There is a waterfall that many people come here that many come hike to – that is not where we are headed. Once you get to the outcrop where the waterfall is visible, you might be temped to follow most hikers forward and down towards it – if you came here for Baldy – don’t. Turn behind you and to your right and continue up. None of this is well labelled at the start
About .5 miles into this hike, as you’re headed up, you’ll come to another poorly labeled trailed on your left side. If you go left here, you decide to the hike clockwise, continuing straight will send you the counterclockwise route, along the devils backbone. This comes down to a personal preference. Do you prefer to have a steeper hike up, over rockier terrain, and get a the hard part out of the way? Or are you someone that enjoys a gradual pace upwards and love to feel the slow burn? I went clockwise, which we will talk more about, but it was tough! It took about 4 hours to ascend. I reached the ski hut about 2 hours in, and the peaked around 8 as the sun was setting.
Regardless of which section you choose, the trail is typically hiked in a loop so you will get to see every angle of this gorgeous landscape.
The Clockwise Route – Ascending Through the Bowl
Immediately upon choosing this path, you are greeted with a fairly steep ascent to the path. Don’t worry yet, it will continue to get steeper. This trail is a bit thinner, not providing much room for passing. Hikers coming up hill should ALWAYS have the right away. Sometimes taking a breather while letting others pass is a nice break, but don’t kill your moment if you’re in a group to make room for hikers descending.
I was ready to give up less than an hour in. If you’re coming from LA the temperature change is dramatic. It was around 90 degrees when I started the hike, and this route does not offer much shade and is the steeper option. Be sure to stop frequently and go at a pace that is comfortable. With this sort of elevation change, I tried to hike around 2 miles per hour with plenty of water breaks.
After roughly 2 hours upwards, you come upon a Sierra Ski Lodge. This is a great stop for a real break and a good time to have a snack. If you have a water filter (I recommend the Sawyer Squeeze – link) you can top up your waters with the following steam near by. I had finished about 1 and half liters of my water at this point. I would have had more if I had know there was a refilling opportunity, and there is a chance for water going up/down the other direction as well. At the lodge, we have traveled over half milage up, but have hiked less than half of the vertical distance. Despite the difficult though, this section was one my favorites. We continue on through the Baldy Bowl, where you will scramble across the rocks with breathtaking views all around. While the trail is harder to see, it is a relatively straight line
The toughest bit comes after the bowl. This is a final ascent, and it is steep! There is no rush (unless the sun is setting) so take you’re time. If you read the next section and are put off by camping at the top, there are also some good camping options in this area that I wish I had done. You could set up camp here, summit for sunset and come back, or set camp and summit for the sunrise. Or both! But for me, I kept going. There is some more scrambling and a lot of different paths up at this point, it doesn’t matter which path you take, they all go up to the the peak.
Regardless of which section you choose, the trail is typically hiked in a loop so you will get to see every angle of this gorgeous landscape.
Camping at the Top
The name Baldy speaks for itself and was something I didn’t take into consideration. I’ve camped at the top of the previous two peaks, Cucamonga and Mt Wilson, and they offer much better protection for the elements. Here – you will face nothing but wind and cold. You are above 10,000 feet, so despite starting this hike in the 90’s it will drop down to what felt like the 50’s or colder at night. I actually don’t know how cold it was, but I forgot a layer in the car and regret that.
I set up camp around 8 PM with the held of some others staying the night. There are a few rock outcrops along the top and I would try to find the lowest one you can. I didn’t do that and opted to stay at the very top. As the night went on the wend got worse. What started as a gentle welcomed breeze turned into sporadic burst of extremely strong winds that never seemed to come to a complete stop. All might by tent was pushed around, making it difficult to sleep. Around 2 AM I was even startled but the sound of my wind fly RIPPING from where it had rubbed against a rock the previous few hours. It was a nightmare and I spent hours trying to acclimate to the sound, but never did. Im a light sleeper, so others may not have such a rough time and some might even enjoy it.
I tried to “sleep in” as much as I could but the wind was still blowing and other hikers started to summit the peak as early as 6:30. I got up, completely covered in a thin layer of dust that had blown its way into the tent. After packing up I followed another hiker down. It was hard to know which direction was down at first, but the two flag poles at the top actually make a line that points you in the direction. I was surprised by the lack of cairns all hike.
The Descent – Devil’s Back Bone
This was arguably my favorite part of the hike. After getting little to no sleep, I began my descent around 7:30 and got back to the car just before 10. The gradual decent down certainly wasn’t easy on the knees, but it was a welcomed paced after the previous days’ struggles up. The backbone offered close to 360 degree views most of the hike down, until you get to the main lodge. This trail down was relaxing and I was glad to be coming down this, rather than down the steeper side. I prefer the harder work up front.
The only confusing point for me on the trail down was when approaching the first ski lift you see. There are a few paths that go right and look really similar to the trail you are on – don’t take them. Stay left the whole time and you should have no issues. Eventually you will arrive at another lodge, you can see it coming most of the way down, and this is another good spot for a break. It is also around the half way point and you can top up waters again if needed. The hardest part of the trail is well behind you.
The remainder of the hike starts down just below the deck of the main lodge and is a gravel road the whole the whole way down. Personally I don’t love hiking on roads, it just isn’t the aesthetic I came to the mountains for, so I was glad it was at the end when I was too tired to care and would leisurely walk down. This takes you all the way back to the trail head and you’ve completed the Mount San Antonio and Mouth Baldy Notch Trail!
A Summary – What to Expect
This roughly 10 mile hike is tough but doable and worth it in my opinion. Without camping it would probably have taken me around 6-7 hours. I wouldn’t camp again at the top, but if I wanted to camp the bowl seems to be a good option.
Pack plenty of snacks and water to keep you going, as well as a water filter. I would recommend 3 liters.
Have an idea of which route you want to take – clockwise is harder upfront and easier on the way down, while counterclockwise seem to be consistently tough going both directions.
Take in the views! It may be tough but you chose to come here for one reason another and its best to enjoy it, even if the trail is kicking your butt. Don’t be put off by the trail runners – they are everywhere and have years of experience doing what they love. You can enjoy this at any pace and at all ages.