Deadly Lure Of Mount Baldy Prompts Unprecedented Hiking Bans

Authorities this week temporarily closed popular trails on Mount Baldy, marking the second time this winter the U.S. Forest Service has countered its longstanding policy of keeping trails open despite inclement weather. The closures come amid an uptick in deaths around Los Angeles County's highest peak.

The planned closure of seven trails for about two weeks began on Tuesday, ahead of a winter storm that is expected to dump heavy snow on the mountain's 10,000-foot summit, along with rain on urban parts of the Southland.

In the last decade, 23 people have died on the mountain, according to the Los Angeles Times. In December, three hikers died after sliding off the icy, narrow Devil's Backbone Trail following a winter storm.

This marks the second time this winter that the peak has been closed to the public. Authorities instituted a similar closure in December just hours after those hikers' bodies were recovered. San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus at the time said the closure was "necessary to prevent additional emergencies and protect lives."

Federal authorities have previously hesitated to shut down hiking on the mountain; an Angeles National Forest spokesperson told SFGATE in 2024 that they "do not close hiking trails due to inclement weather." That policy was at odds with law enforcement in San Bernardino County, who handle many of the rescues on Baldy.

“The frequency of rescues our department is involved in annually, and the lack of concern for what’s happening on Mount Baldy by those who are responsible for maintaining visitor’s safety needs to be addressed,” Dicus said in a statement last month. “For the last several years, our department has been trying to have the U.S. Forest Service more involved in keeping people safe while they recreate on Mt Baldy.”

This winter marks the first snowy season in several years that hikers have been able to access much of Mount Baldy. Trails to the summit were shut down following the September 2024 Bridge Fire and did not reopen until last year, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Authorities and those in the climbing community say the mountain's accessibility to those living in the massive urban area below has lured inexperience hikers to the snow-capped peak, who arrive for their hikes under-equipped and unprepared for the dangers it presents.

“People look out the window and when it’s a perfectly clear blue sky like today, they say, ‘Wow, that’s amazing, I want to go play in the mountains,’” the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team's Rob Klusman told the Guardian. “We have a lot of people who don’t have much experience in the mountains in general, who don’t realize [Mount Baldy] requires a whole different set of skills and equipment.”

Klusman pointed out that even on a beautiful day in Los Angeles, it could be near freezing at the summit. And trails that are popular and relatively safe in the summer can become more dangerous in the winter.

“The winter is far more complex, far more unforgiving,” Klusman said. “A minor injury in the summertime that may incapacitate you, keep you from being able to walk, may kill you in the winter.”

The trail closure has prompted some members of the hiking community to sound off.

"Blanket closures deny access to people trained and competent to enjoy recreation in challenging conditions. I understand you don’t want to be rescuing the many clueless who wander up there. There needs to be a better system," one commenter wrote on the trail-closure announcement on Facebook.

But even experienced climbers have fallen victim to Mt. Baldy's wintertime hazards: Actor Julian Sands fell from a ridge on the mountain in January 2023.

The following Mt. Baldy trails will be closed from Feb. 10-23:

• Mt. Baldy Trail (Trail No. 7W12)
• Mt. Baldy Bowl Trail (Trail No. 7W02)
• Devils Backbone Trail (Trail No. 7W05)
• Three T’s Trail (Trail No. 7W06)
• Icehouse Canyon Trail (Trail No. 7W07)
• Chapman Trail (Trail No. 7W07A)
• Ontario Peak Trail (Trail No. 7W08)

SEE ALSO:

• Mount Baldy Closes To The Public Amid Treacherous Conditions, Hiker Deaths
• Body Of Missing Woman Found On Mount Baldy
• 3 Teens Rescued From Mount Baldy Following Deadly Week On The Peak
• Mount Baldy Threatening Lives Ahead Of Winter
• Dramatic Mount Baldy Rescues Spotlight SoCal's High-Elevation Dangers