Mount San Antonio lies within the San Gabriel Mountains, a 60-mile range extending across northern Los Angeles County. The 10,064-foot summit, more commonly referred to as Mount Baldy, is a mere 45-mile drive from downtown LA, America’s second-largest city. While it’s very common among locals and trekkies, this mountain, so named for its steep, treeless slopes, is among the most dangerous hikes in the country.
In January 2023, two hikers died and 15 more were rescued from the peak’s extreme weather and hazardous landscape. The British actor Julian Sands, an experienced hiker and mountaineer, also went missing during this period around the Baldy Bowl area; his body was discovered five months later. This high-profile death brought international attention to Baldy’s perilous history, highlighting a pattern of accidents, emergencies, and missing person cases.
Despite Mount Baldy’s danger to novices and experts alike, its trails remain busy because of the booming tourism in the San Gabriel Mountains. The area has many attractions that drew 4.6 million visitors in 2021, including a canyon hike to a hidden crystal-clear California waterfall swimming hole. While most trips occur without incident, rescue teams still have their work cut out for them, and that is unlikely to change owing to the range’s rugged beauty and proximity to Los Angeles.
Mount Baldy’s history of danger and unpredictability
No one should lose sight of the danger Mount Baldy poses to mountaineers of all skill levels. Experienced hikers have commented on Baldy’s challenging terrain, especially above 8,000 feet where the wind batters hikers the hardest on the damp, awkward, and dangerously steep surfaces. In an interview with Inside Edition, Corporal Chris Mejia of the San Bernadino Sheriff’s Department explained, “It snows at night, and during the day, it melts a little bit. And then it refreezes at night, so it all becomes ice. So you think you’re going to go play in the snow and end up falling down an ice chute.”
Crystal Paula Gonzalez died in such conditions just days before Julian Sands was reported missing. The mother and “dancing hiking queen” turned back owing to icy, unsafe conditions but fell approximately 500 to 700 feet. On January 22, the 75-year-old hiker Jin Chung also went missing. Fortunately — and miraculously — Chung emerged two days later with just a leg injury and exposure-related ailments.
Mount Baldy may not experience the extreme conditions of the beautiful but deadly mountain known as America’s Everest, but recent history alone shows that it is not to be taken lightly. It is recommended that hikers have a helmet, crampons, and an ice axe. It’s best to hike with others, but if you prefer solitude, make sure you know these safety tips before your first solo hike.
