Mount San Antonio via Bear Canyon

HPS Star Emblem Peak
Hiked: 7/9/2022
Distance: 12.7 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 10064' (3067m)
Prominence: 6224'
Elevation Gain: 5882'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 4.7
Round trip time: 9 hours
Recommended water: 148 oz.
Parking/Fees: Adventure Pass at Visitor Center
Difficulty: Strenuous

With limited parking at the Visitor Center, Leisa and I arrived at sunrise searching for one of the six parking spots. There were two available spaces, but they were too small and my truck bed stuck out into the road. We had to drive up the road another 500' to find a turnout with legal parking. We were there to hike the Bear Canyon Trail. It was the most difficult official trail to Mount San Antonio, and the only trail I hadn't hiked. Bear Canyon was our first training hike for a Whitney attempt later in the summer.

We followed the paved Bear Canyon Road to the end where the trail starts. About 1.6 miles up, we reached Bear Flat, a shaded rest area. Much of the trail had shade, except the ridge after Bear Flat and the upper mountain. The well-maintained trail got steeper past Bear Flat and began climbing the main south ridge. The crux of the hike was the 3500' of gain between Bear Flat and the tree line at 9000'. There was not much of a break in the mid-section. Buckthorn was abundant at first, then gave way to more open pine forest. Views improved with each step, first back down San Antonio Canyon, then over to Ontario, Timber, and Telegraph.

At 9000', it was an open moonscape toward West Baldy and the summit. Clumps of shrubbery and ancient pines clung to the gray slopes. It was my favorite section on the route. The final 1000' had an easier gradient. We reached the busy summit with blue skies and clear views in every direction. We grabbed some quick photos, then had lunch just below the summit. After burning our calves on the way up, we burned our quads on the way down. The sun heated the lower section of the ridge, and it was very hot just before we reached Bear Flat again. We took refuge there to cool down before completing the descent back to Baldy Village. I rarely nail food and water needs precisely, but this time, I brought the exact amount of provisions, out of both at the trailhead. In addition to great training, this completed my Baldy Trail Superfecta, reaching the summit from all four official trails (Devil's Backbone, Ski Hut, North Backbone, and Bear Canyon). Bear Canyon lived up to it's reputation as the most difficult. This was my 6th Baldy summit.

Moonscape

Iron Mountain below West Baldy, Baden-Powell on the right

Ontario and Cucamonga