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Standing in a howling wind at 9,300 feet on Mt. Baldy on Friday, wearing nothing but a thin sun hoody and light hiking pants, I had to decide: Was it wise to keep going to the summit?
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It was a gloriously clear day. I could see the sun shimmering on the water in the Port of Long Beach 50 miles south. I wasn’t worried about getting soaked by freezing rain or struck by lightning — the perils of sudden thunderstorms in the mountains — but the wind was becoming a serious issue.
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Mt. Baldy’s summit towers 10,064 feet over Los Angeles and is one of the most recognizable features of the Southern California skyline. Tens of thousands of people hike it every year and, on a warm, clear day, a T-shirt, tennis shoes and a little stamina are all you really need to reach the top.
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Mt. Baldy has a history of tragedies
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But that familiarity makes it way too easy to underestimate. Baldy ranks firmly among the nation’s deadliest mountains, alongside New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington and Mt. Rainier outside of Seattle — which are also short drives from major cities.
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Last December, three hikers fell to their deaths on Baldy from a notorious section of the Devil’s Backbone trail that has steep, thousand-foot drops on each side of a narrow ridge.
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English actor Julian Sands (“The Killing Fields,” “A Room with a View”) disappeared on another Mt. Baldy trail in January 2023 during a violent winter storm. Despite massive searches, his whereabouts remained a mystery until June of that year when a group of local hikers stumbled upon a boot, some bones and a driver’s license with a familiar face.
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This winter could be exceptionally busy for rescuers if — as forecasted — the Super El Niño brewing in the Pacific sends a steady parade of atmospheric river storms marching into Los Angeles County’s highest peak.
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All of which was in the back of my head, but not top of mind, as I weighed the odds on Friday.
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I’ve summited Mt. Baldy (officially Mt. San Antonio) dozens of times in all conditions; one more wouldn’t make a difference. But I was trying to set a personal speed record for the roughly 12-mile, 4,000-vertical-foot round trip from the trailhead to the summit via the Devil’s Backbone — and I was making great time.
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If I didn’t at least tap my foot on the famous summit sign, it wouldn’t count.
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Conditions can change quickly
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Other hikers coming down while I was heading up were still dressed in the hats, gloves and puffy winter coats they’d thrown on to battle the windchill. Most said they had turned around before the top.
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When I reached the last flat spot beneath the summit, where the ridge of a companion peak blocks most of the wind, I was completely alone. Ahead lay about a quarter mile and 700 vertical feet of completely exposed terrain. I guessed the wind gusts were reaching 25-30 mph — unpleasant, but not necessarily a showstopper.
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So, like an idiot, I gave it a try.
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About a hundred yards up, the wind speed felt like it had doubled. In just a few minutes, the side of my face exposed to it was starting to freeze. The loose straps on my backpack were snapping and slapping like whips. A hundred feet higher, the gusts were so strong they nearly knocked me off my feet.
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Live to hike another day
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I ducked behind some boulders and realized I’d made a stupid, predictable mistake.
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Continuing to the summit, only 300 feet above, was out of the question now. All of my attention turned to planning my route back down. It would require waiting for lulls in the wind and sprinting from one pile of rocks to the next.
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I shouted unprintable words during each desperate sprint and laughed out loud when I finally reached the sheltered section of trail.
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All’s well that ends well, obviously, but please take this as a humble and friendly reminder — it’s way too easy to underestimate Mt. Baldy.
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Top stories
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A rally against Proposition 40 at the Iron Workers Apprenticeship Training Center. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
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It’s official: Prop. 40 lost
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- California voters rejected Proposition 40, a proposed one-time 5% tax on billionaires’ assets to offset federal healthcare cuts, with 53% voting no and 47% in favor.
- The measure found support in Los Angeles and San Francisco but lost statewide amid warnings it could drive wealthy residents away and damage California’s economy.
- Competing ballot campaigns spent more than $400 million; supporters vow to revisit the tax.
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More election fallout
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High tides
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An excavator digs to help create a sand berm along the Alamitos Peninsula in Long Beach. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
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Studio execs shuffle
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More news
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Commentary and opinion
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Editor’s pick
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As a fourth-generation barber with a roster of high-profile clients he’s had for over a decade, Ronnie McCoy knows that making a career cutting hair requires much more than just the technical aspects of the job.
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More picks
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Keep up with California
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Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times.
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Things to do
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The original Broadway cast of “Purpose” later this year will make its L.A. debut at Geffen Playhouse. (Marc J. Franklin)
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Today’s recipe
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(Silvia Razgova / For The Times)
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Chess bars are a Southern treat typically made with a cake base topped with a rich cream cheese filling that’s very, very sweet. In Ben Mims’ recipe, he heavily reduced the sugar and replaced the flour-based cake bottom with an oat dough cut with fragrant hazelnut and almond flours. They make the perfect cookie for a holiday party or even Christmas dessert.
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Question for you
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The holidays are approaching! What’s a California holiday song you love?
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Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
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Photo of the day
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A view of the Alcatraz Lighthouse. (Hailey Branson-Potts / Los Angeles Times)
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Games
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Here’s today’s mini crossword, plus our other free, daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games.
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Have a great day, from the Essential California team
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Jack Dolan, investigative reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
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