West Baldy

Overview

  West Baldy is the high sub-peak to Mount San Antonio (Mount Baldy). It is the second highest named point in the San Gabriel Mountains and Los Angeles County. Mount Baldy itself can have quite a crowd during the weekend whereas West Baldy you can usually stand alone finding solitude. The view from West Baldy includes much of the same as Baldy but with deeper views into the steep Fish Fork drainage and a closer view of San Antonio Ridge. Bighorn sheep also seem to make more appearances on this sub-peak.

Getting There

  Use any of the standard routes that are listed under Mount San Antonio Summitpost page to get to the summit of Mount San Antonio. From the summit of Mount San Antonio hike about 3/4 mile west through the high saddle 9840ft. connecting the two points. This high saddle has some of the nicest old stands of Lodgepole Pine to be found in the range. It is also the location of the C-46 crash impact. Pieces of it can be found on both faces of the saddle. Hike the 140 feet to the summit outcrop. Hiking down to the west a few hundred feet will bring you into a nice twisted grove of Lodgepole Pines.

Red Tape

You will need a Adventure Pass to park at the turnout. Adventure Passes are available at many gas stations in Claremont and Upland. They are also available at the Baldy Ranger Station and further up the road at a private house near Icehouse Canyon. The Icehouse Canyon house will have a sign out front where they are selling passes.

Airwreck History

Mount Baldy and West have a long history of Southern California airwreck history. Three of the most talk about are a pair of F6F-5 that crashed in 1949, a C-46A Commando (1945) on the saddle connecting the two peaks, and a T-33A that hit the west slope of West Baldy in the 1950's. Please leave the wrecks in the condition you have found them they are now memorials to those who have died. Here are a few websites to check for more history on the wrecks of Mount Baldy. F6F wreck website F6F second wreck website C-46 wreck

External Links

For lifts tickets info go toMount Baldy Ski Lifts. For current conidtions contact Angeles National Forest or San Bernardino National Forest. For information about Mount Baldy Vistor center

Images

View West Baldy Image Gallery - 28 Images