Plan to do

Decided that for this trip up to Mount Baldy, we would take the route-less-traveled. We took Register Ridge up to Devil's Backbone. That is one STEEP trail. Looking at my AllTrails splits, the 1st mile is 1700ft elevation gain, followed by the 2nd mile of 1200ft gain. That only gets you up to Devil's Backbone under Mount Harwood. After a food and rest recharge, we continued on up 0.3 miles to the summit of Mount Harwood for Peak #1 of the day. From the Harwood summit we continued another 0.4 miles to reconnect with backbone. From there we did the final 0.5 mile 700ft push to the Baldy summit for Peak #2. We took Ski Hut back down for an 8.25 mile/4100ft gain day. Little patches of snow here and there, but nothing that presented a problem.

We did this loop clockwise. There were some patches of snow but not enough to need crampons. Poles were necessary. Brought about 3L of water and plenty of food/snacks. Quite windy in some areas so wear layers! I got the pro edition to download the offline map since i didn't have reception. Found it so useful and would've struggled without it since it was my first time. Such a beautiful and challenging trail but I'd definitely do it again.

Couldn’t summit due to wind.

Did this hike today 4/17. It starts relatively easy then escalates very quickly. I recommend only for well experienced hikers. It can get extremely steep going both uphill and downhill. Prepare to take lots of breaks. The trail can get super narrow at parts and is often hard to follow. You have to climb around rocks to find it. It took us about 6 1/2 hours to complete.

It was freezing cold at the summit due to wind today. Make sure bring jacket and wear long pants during this season

Hard with 49lb pack

Beautiful

Chilly and windy! Bring layers and gloves are helpful if you’re using poles, which are necessary. Beautiful beautiful day and not too many people on the trail which was nice. We went clockwise and enjoyed!

started the Point gulch direction. Stunning.

Tough clockwise, but a good workout. The top was cold. Good overall. A little snow.

Hike this route clockwise going up Ski Hut and down Devils Backbone to the ski resort. There was only about 100’ of snow/ice on the trail, and it was packed and dirty. The dirt helps with traction and I didn’t have to use my micro spikes. (AllTrails just updated the app last night, and I kept hitting the pause button by accident causing gaps in my recording. Sorry about that.)

Totally great!! https://youtu.be/PDz6rT0Qis0

Micro spikes not needed, bring hiking poles. we started at ski hut it was difficult but enjoyed that way more. Perfect weather went on 4/16 not many people on the trail. Would do again !

Kicked my ass!!! Went clockwise and would definitely suggest it.

Awesome

Monday 4/12. Went up ski hut and down devils backbone(clockwise loop). Perfect conditions. Some snow patches along the trail from ski hut up to the summit and a little bit down backbone. No spikes needed but we used trekking poles. Around 11am at the summit only 4 other people. We chilled, ate lunch and actually had a few minutes of the summit alone. Pretty awesome! Bring at least 3 liters of water, food and sun protection/sunscreen.

Video of my hike up Mt. San Antonio via the Ski Hut Route, and down Devil's Backbone to the Notch. https://youtu.be/bGZcIaNEMSI Overall a shorter hike and slightly easier hike, than compared to Cucamonga Peak or Ontario Peak. But even if it was shorter, it still had a very quick elevation gain, especially right after the Ski Hut up Baldy Bowl. There was small patches of snow remaining. A bit slick, but you could get by without special equipment like microspikes or walking sticks. Summit was very cold and windy. Even on an overcast day, the views were pretty spectacular. From the Summit, you could see the other 5 of 6 pack of peaks. To the west is Mt. Wilson. To the south east is Cucamonga Peak and Ontario Peak. And to the east is Mt. San Jacinto, Mt. San Gorgonio, and San Bernardino Peak. The Notch was a welcome rest after a long hike. Warm food and drinks.

Hiked the extended version of this trail to what used to be Beaver Pond on 4/11/2021. It was about 3.2 mile to the clearing; round trip for us after wandering a bit was 6.8 miles. Road to the trailhead is completely free of snow. The first 1.6 miles of the trail are also snow-free. At the 1.6 mile mark, snow will appear in small patches, but is thin and well packed by previous hikers. The route doesn't start getting challenging until the 2.5 mile mark, where you might start encountering thicker and softer snow depending on the weather. I had no problems heading out, but the 65 degree heat softened the snow enough that I went ankle or knee deep a few times on the way back. If you've hiked in snow in the past and don't mind some slightly wet shoes, I'd highly recommend it. If you make it to the clearing at 3.2 miles, you'll be treated with some of the most breathtaking snow-capped peaks you can find in the Mammoth area right now. This hike is also wonderful other times of the year, especially for fall colors.

first time and i am still in awe of the mountain. went counterclockwise up devils backbone, but i think next time i’d go clockwise. devils backbone was beautiful and not as scary as i thought it would be! minimal snow, so didn’t need the microspikes. the poles were very handy this trip. the whole way was a steady incline which made it not so bad. trail was well marked and easy to follow but definitely keep the map downloaded. it’s much steeper going down the other way, which is harder for my knees, but loved going through the baldy bowl. the whole loop was amazing! by 7am on a sunday the lot was pretty full and there were some crowds at the peak when i got there around 11am, but not too many. don’t forget your adventure pass!

Idk how people do this in 4.5 hours lol took about 6-7 and you definitely feel it at the top but so worth it