Why California’s Mt. Baldy can be deceptive, deadly for novice and skilled hikers alike

For 35 years, Gil Estrada has bore witness to the perils of Mt. San Antonio, the 10,064-foot peak known by most as Mt. Baldy that  divides Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.

The danger, according to Estrada, plays out mostly during the peak winter months, when heavy snow and ice in the San Gabriel Mountains make tackling Mt. Baldy more of a mountaineering expedition than a leisurely hike. The dangerous conditions can spell disaster for novice hikers who become lost, injured or die on the mountain, keeping search-and-rescue teams busy throughout the season.

“I can almost mark my calendar; beginning every January there’s going to be at least one death. I’ve seen a lot of this. You become accustomed to it,” said Estrada, 62, who has worked ski patrol for decades and serves as chairman of the San Antonio Ski Hut. “You fall, you start sliding, and you hit a tree or you hit a rock, and it can be over quite quickly.”

The vicinity surrounding the Ski Hut is where most hikers get lost, injured or die, Estrada said. Owned by the Sierra Club, the Ski Hut is nestled about two miles below the Mt. Baldy summit along the Baldy Bowl Trail. It serves as a pit stop for hikers and skiers needing to refuel, map out their next destination or just enjoy the majestic views.

In the past 14 months, three people have died hiking the Baldy Bowl Trail. San Bernardino County search-and-rescue teams have conducted 20 missions in the area, prompting a word of caution to inexperienced hikers to stay clear of Mt. Baldy during the peak winter months.

“Unfortunately, Baldy claims two or three lives a year, and that’s where we’re at. It’s pretty steady,” said Eric Vetere, commander of the sheriff’s West Valley Search and Rescue Team.

Death toll

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