Climbing Mt. Baldy in snowy L.A. (video)

Cris Hazzard (hikingguy.com); Pfc. Sandoval, Ashley Wells, S. Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

What it's like when the summit looks like the pate of a bald eagle (hikingguy.com).

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Mt. Baldy Zen Center zendo (LinSu/flickr)

Los Angeles' highest point, "Mt. Baldy," is actually named Mount San Antonio. It's a popular alpine hike up using the Devil's Backbone from Manker Flats.

• [AMATEUR TIP: take the gondola/ski lift all the way up the mountain.]

Roshi leads monastics through Mt. Baldy snow.

This 11 mile hike to Mt. Baldy brings one to the highest point in Los Angeles. at 10,064 feet [and to the Mt. Baldy Zen Center]. With almost 4,000 feet of climbing, it’s a tough yet popular hike and well worth the effort. You can see from the Pacific Ocean to the Mojave Desert on a clear day. There are a few ways to hike Mt Baldy, and this is the most popular route.

Leonard Cohen meditates, Mt. Baldy Zen Center

Do the Mt. Baldy hike as early in the morning as possible to avoid crowds. It’s one of the most popular hikes in L.A. Leave at sunrise. The later one leaves, the tougher it is to park at Manker Flats. Do the hike on a weekday for less crowding. If you’re starting later in the day, don’t forget to note the sunset time. Getting caught on the trail after dark is a recipe for bad times or mindfulness of death.

Is there snow on Mt. Baldy trail?

Nature lovers will enjoy convenience of the mechanical chair up Thunder Mountain (ETG).

What it's like at the top of L.A., a county with a big northern forest (hikingguy.com)

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Yes, it really does snow on Mt. Baldy (FD).

There’s no official way to know if there’s snow at the summit of Mt. Baldy. Sometimes you can see it all over the mountain. There are some roundabout ways to find out. In the summer months, say late May to October, the chances are it’s clear.

When I want to check for snow and bad conditions, I do a couple of things. First, I check the ski report for Mt. Baldy Notch. If there’s snow here, there’s snow higher up. I also check out some webcams that show Mt. Baldy in the distance.

Most of the year, it's hot and dry and rugged.

Then I check the Mt. Baldy summit weather. These forecasts are a favorite because you can see the high and low temperatures and winds.

If there are high winds or very low temperatures at the summit, conditions are not great to hike. [Take the chair.]

I did it, and you can, too! (hikingguy.com)

Here are tips on checking for snow on the trail. If there’s snow or bad weather, hike Mt. Baldy on another day. People have died on these trails in bad and wintery weather. Again – hikers die every winter on Mt. Baldy. It’s real, so take it seriously, and wait until summer if you don’t have mountaineering experience. More

L.A. a BASIN with a Mediterranean climate, not a desert, with snowy Mt. Baldy behind it.