Harwood is an unassuming and infrequently-visited summit situated very close to the popular Mt. San Antonio (Baldy) in Southern California. Due to its lack of prominence, hikers can often find welcome solitude on the slopes and summit of Mt. Harwood which is noticeably lacking on its neighbor. The most popular route up is the Class 1 Devil's Backbone Trail which also provides access to the highest point in the range.

Strong winds frequently buffet the summit of Mt. Harwood, leaving very little vegetation in and amongst the wide-open scree slopes. There are, however, some surprising groves of lodgepole pines high on its slopes. If you're looking for some peace amid the hustle and bustle of the greater Los Angeles area, Mt. Harwood is a good option.

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2007.06.11 - There's not a whole lot to this one. On my final business trip to Southern California, I arrived in Orange County with quite a bit of late-afternoon sunlight to burn. Having no map or definite plans, I decided to head up toward Mt. Baldy just to see how far I could climb along the Devil's Backbone route before my 1-liter water bottle ran dry. I knew the trail fairly well from some previous research, and felt comfortable navigating the area with little more than a compass. Since you're reading a trip report for Mt. Harwood, it's safe to assume hw far I was able to go with my supplies and daylight.

I started hiking from the parking lot for the Mt. Baldy Ski Lifts and simply followed a dusty, steep trail beneath the chairlift. The sun and dry air were really sucking my hydration, but since I had such a limited supply of water, I tried to just take a few sips at a time. At each water stop, I marveled at how blue the sky was here, just above the dense smog of the LA basin. Before too long, I came upon a junction with a dirt access road for the upper lift house. I followed this stretch for the remaining way to the top of the ridge, and took another short road / ski trail over to the start of the Devil's Backbone.

The hiking was never really difficult, but on the ridge proper, the views made it so much more enjoyable! I was making decent time and actually entertained thoughts of pushing for Baldy's summit at this point.

I stopped for a quiet break and snack in the final grove of pines along the trail. As I was eating, two descending hikers stopped for a brief chat. They offered me some of their water (which was greatly appreciated!) and mentioned that they had bailed a few hundred feet shy of the Mt. Baldy summit. Based on the amount of time they said it took, I decided to just go up to the saddle between the Baldy and Harwood. We exchanged pleasant goodbyes, and went on our respective paths.

Just a few more minute of hiking brought me to the saddle. The remaining stretch of trail was deceivingly short, but I went ahead with my decision to turn around. Since I was so close to the summit of Mt. Harwood, I elected to take the short trip over. The views were just as fantastic as along the trail, but as long as I didn’t look west, I did feel as if I'd made it up to a true summit. Realizing that daylight would soon begin waning, I started the descent back to the Devil's Backbone trail.

The descent went by very rapidly, moreso since I jogged a good bit of it. My water ran out by the ski lift buildings, but "Non-Potable Water" signs abounded. I made quick work of the road section, and found a switchback with a narrow trail leading back down toward the parking lot. Feeling comfortable that I could navigate back where I needed to go, I made my way down the forested track and wound up above the retaining wall which overhangs the parking area. A quick jaunt brought me to my car just before dusk started to settle in.

This brief hike was great in so many respects! My lack of planning allowed for me to just get out and enjoy nature with an available afternoon. The views were amazing, and probably best of all, I wasn’t breathing the nasty air of the LA basin. These thoughts ran through my head as I descended the road back into the thick smog that would be my home for the next two days. Oh well; it was good while it lasted!