Mt. Baldy Closure Extended
Mt. Baldy hiking will remain closed until at least March 20 due to late-February storms that dumped heavy snow and ice across the Angeles National Forest. The U.S. Forest Service extended the months-long closure citing unstable ice and high avalanche risk. Hikers should plan alternative routes and monitor forest service updates for reopening news.
This winter's closure on Mt. Baldy began after three hikers were found dead on December 29, 2025. A 19-year-old man fell an estimated 500 feet from the Devil's Backbone trail, and during the search for him, the bodies of two other hikers were discovered nearby. The mountain, officially named Mount San Antonio, is the highest peak in Los Angeles County, reaching an elevation of 10,064 feet. Its trails become treacherous in winter, when conditions can shift rapidly, transforming popular hikes into dangerous mountaineering routes requiring ice axes and crampons. One of the most perilous sections is the Devil's Backbone, a narrow, exposed ridgeline with severe drop-offs on both sides. Most of the fatalities on the mountain occur in this area and the nearby Icehouse Canyon. From 2016 to 2025, there were 23 deaths recorded on Mt. Baldy. This is the second time this winter the U.S. Forest Service has closed the trails for safety. The first closure ran from December 31 to January 7, after which the trails briefly reopened before the current closure was put in place ahead of more winter storms. For comparison, some trails on the mountain were closed for over a year, until December 2025, to allow for natural recovery after a 50,000-acre wildfire. The recent extension of the closure was prompted by a powerful winter storm system in mid-to-late February. A weather report from February 18, 2026, noted that 33 inches of snow had fallen at the "End of Baldy Road," an area at an elevation of 6,360 feet, with higher elevations receiving even more. The persistent danger has led the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department to publicly call for the U.S. Forest Service to be more involved in visitor safety. Violators of the current closure face penalties that can include a $5,000 fine and up to six months in jail. The risks are not limited to inexperienced hikers. In January 2023, veteran British actor Julian Sands went missing while hiking on the mountain. His remains were not found until five months later, discovered by other hikers in the remote Goode Canyon.
