Mount San Antonio
Postcard image of Mount Baldy circa 1910
Mount San Antonio Location in California
Elevation	10,068 ft (3,069 m) NAVD 88 [1][2]
Location	Los Angeles County / San Bernardino County, California, USA
Range	San Gabriel Mountains
Prominence	6,224 ft (1,897 m) [2]
Parent peak	San Gorgonio Mountain [3]
Coordinates	34°17′20″N 117°38′48″W / 34.28889°N 117.64667°W / 34.28889; -117.64667Coordinates: 34°17′20″N 117°38′48″W / 34.28889°N 117.64667°W / 34.28889; -117.64667 [4]
Topo map	USGS Mount San Antonio
Type	Granitic
Easiest route	Ski lift to Baldy Notch, Devil's Backbone Trail (hike)

Mt. San Antonio above the clouds, Sep 2007

Mt. San Antonio, Ontario Peak, and Cucamonga Peak seen from Montclair

The peak from the southeast, showing Baldy Bowl

Mount San Antonio, also known as Old Baldy or Mount Baldy, at 10,068 ft, is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, and the highest point in Los Angeles County. Mount San Antonio's sometimes snow-capped peaks are visible on clear days and dominate the view of the Los Angeles skyline.

[edit] Geography

Mount San Antonio has two peaks. The main peak at with an elevation of 10,068 feet (3,069 m) and a sub-peak, West Baldy, at 9,988 feet (3,044 m).^[5] Nearby are San Antonio Creek, and San Antonio Falls.^[6] The creek descends through a gorge and forms several waterfalls. The last drop has a height of about 75 feet (23 m).

[edit] History

The peak, which marks a boundary between San Bernardino County and Los Angeles County^[7] is called Baldy because of the absence of trees around the summit. The Tongva tribe call the mountain Yoát or Joat, which means snow, and the Mohave call it Avii Kwatiinyam.^[8]

Between 1922 and 1927, American physicist Albert Michelson performed a number of experiments involving bouncing a beam of light onto a reflector at Lookout Mountain,^[4] a prominence on the south ridge of the mountain 3.2 miles (5.1 km) southwest of the peak, from the observatory at Mount Wilson some 22 miles (35 km) distant. The exact distance was very accurately surveyed and using the measurements, the speed of light was calculated to be 299,796±4 km/s.^[9]

Mount San Antonio, along with the nearby peak known as Thunder Mountain, is currently home to the family owned and operated ski resort Mount Baldy Ski Lifts, the closest resort to Los Angeles. Nearby lies Mount Baldy Village, a small seasonal community. The village has its own fire department, church, visitor's center and school district. Mt. Baldy School (the abbreviation is the standard usage) has about 88 students.^[10]

[edit] Climbing

Hiking trails access the summit from three sides of the mountain and one route is assisted on summer weekends by the availability of a running ski-area chair lift. Many areas in the foothills are suitable for rock climbing and bouldering. There are dozens of off-ramp accessible trails that are known for vigorous hikes.

For mountaineers the winter and spring offer a snow climbing challenge. The "Baldy Bowl" can be climbed by mountaineers with the aid of the proper equipment. The bowl can be treacherous for inexperienced climbers as sections of Bowl are steep with slopes of 45° to 50°. The steeper sections of the Bowl can only safely be climbed when the snow conditions are good.

[edit] See also

• List of highest points in California by county
• Mt. Baldy Joint School District

[edit] References