Hikers in California are rebelling against the authorities by tackling the infamous Mount Baldy despite trail closures and an increased risk of mudslides.
In September, a devastating wildfire that began on a popular Baldy bridge burned more than 50,000 acres of forest and destroyed 20 homes, rocking the local community.
As a result, the US Fire Service has closed all trails leading to Baldy’s summit until at least December 2025, to allow the area and its vegetation to recover and keep people safe from an increased danger of mudslides and flooding.
However, some hikers aren’t happy. Merrily risking a $5,000, scores of hikers continue to brave Baldy’s trails, trekking to one of California's most stunning peaks despite the closure orders.
They claim that many of the closures impede on their freedoms, especially when several trails on the 10,064ft / 3,068m mountain escaped the flames and remain completely undamaged, having luckily escaped the fire.
For example, the Devil’s Backbone Trail, a narrow route with harrowing drops on either side is completely undamaged and has been a popular choice for hikers defying the closure orders.
“To close the whole mountain for a year is ridiculous,” wrote one Reddit user.
“I’m all for letting our natural spaces heal, but this mountain has been left relatively unscathed from the last fire and is likely safe to hike.”
Local businesses are also up in arms. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Robby Ellingson, who runs a local ski resort and restaurant atop the mountain, said that the closures have been devastating.
“We lost our entire fall…if you try to be too safe, you end up with rules that are counter-productive,” he said.
In an email addressing community concerns, US Forest Service spokeswoman Dana Dierkes defended the closures. She explained that, while several routes were left unscathed by the fires, they must be closed as they “provide access to other trails that did burn".
While these trails weren’t burned, vegetation on nearby hillsides, “was completely consumed leaving terrain without a natural barrier to erosion", wrote Dierkes.
Without a vegetation barrier, the trails are at an increased risk of catastrophic landslides and debris flows.
“After seasonal weather has passed, we will reassess the status of potential hazards and see if certain areas might be able to reopen,” concluded Dierkes.
Even without the increased risk, Mount Baldy is considered to be a dangerous destination for hiking due to its high winds, uneven terrain, and often icy conditions. Since 2020, the California Peak has been the site of more than 100 search and rescue missions, and several deaths, including British actor Julian Sands, who became stranded on Baldy last January.
It’s unclear just how many hikers are hitting the trails at Baldy each day, but reports suggest the number to be comfortably in double figures. As of yet, no one has been fined for violating closure orders to hike on Mount Baldy.
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