Mt. Baldy Run-to-the-Top
Mount Baldy, CA
- 7.1 Miler
- Trail (Unpaved)
- Official race website
The annual Mt. Baldy Run-to-the-Top trail race on Labor Day is one of the most challenging mountain trail races in California. Held on Mt. Baldy in the Angeles National Forest, this historic forest service road and single-track route races up one of Southern California’s highest peaks. From the start line … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Sep 07):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 96 | 106 | 90 | 106 | 92 |
| L (°F) | 69 | 75 | 63 | 78 | 69 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Almost entirely uphill to the summit
Plenty of parking Train your vert and if you can, at elevation Mostly gravel trails and some rocky parts There is no trail at the last summit part. It's just … MORE
Plenty of parking
Train your vert and if you can, at elevation
Mostly gravel trails and some rocky parts
There is no trail at the last summit part. It’s just free for all!
Do your strength training especially for quads and gluts and calves
I started to get numb at the calf part around 7-8000 feet probably due to lack of oxygen. It didn’t happen during training runs. Must be the intensity during the race.
You can walk back down to the ski lifts and take it back down but it takes two segments and costs 10 if you book it early on their website, otherwise, it’s 20 on the day of the race. Or, you can run it back down and it’s about 12 miles total.
Elevation? Elevation!
The Mt Baldy Run-to-the-Top is 7 miles of running, then jogging… then a slow, painful slog up the mountain… and it is all absolutely worth it! Expo / pick-up: -Bib … MORE
The Mt Baldy Run-to-the-Top is 7 miles of running, then jogging… then a slow, painful slog up the mountain… and it is all absolutely worth it!
Expo / pick-up:
-Bib and race shirt pickup was only offered the day of the event, beginning at 6:15 in the morning, at the start line near the Baldy ski lifts. It’s quick and smooth. Plastic bags for gear check were also offered. But keep in mind that you’ll need to trek down from the finish line peak to the Notch area to pick up your post-race gear, so it will take a bit of time to make that trip.
Parking/Pre-Race:
-Raceday parking at the Baldy ski lifts was free! And since everyone is required to pick up their race bib on the day of the race, get there early or else you’ll be parking far from the start line. The same idea applies to the port-a-potties. There were plenty, but the later you go, the longer the lines will be, so go early! I haven’t done many trail races, but the start line was bare-bones with no corrals or pacers spacing out the runners. You just self-organize where you want to begin in the crowd, then ready yourself for the countdown.
Course:
-Miles 1-3.5: The race begins at the Baldy Ski lifts parking lot, where you dip downhill for a quarter-mile on pavement for the only elevation loss along the course, before zooming north up trails towards Mount San Antonio Falls. The course then winds its way on smooth dirt trails through valleys, between rocks and trees, and under the ski lift chairs rising higher and higher around Mile 3. Just past Mile 3.5, the elevation plateaus as you reach the Baldy Notch and some much-needed drinks and refreshments.
-Miles 3.5-6: Take a breather – you’re going to need it. As you leave the Notch, the elevation ramps up significantly with the grade bouncing between 10-20%. Your pace will likely suffer due to the climb, and as you reach the Devil’s Backbone section of the trail, the path also narrows so significantly that it’s basically single-file for all runners. There are steep drop-offs on either side. To highlight just how precarious this portion of the trail is, you’ll begin to see park rangers and medical assistance stationed at various points along this climb. Keep going, stay focused, and just keep your eyes on the trail.
Miles 6-7: From here, you stare upwards at the face of Mount Baldy. It’s a real sight to behold! The elevation grade is as steep as ever, and now the path up splits into multiple mini-trails of loose gravel. It can be tricky to navigate and even trickier to find your footing, so take it slow and steady. One foot after another. As you approach the summit, you’ll start to hear other finishers cheering you on, and this will give you the jolt you’ll need to make one final push to the top. Cross the finish line, and now you’ve made it! You’ve run to the top! You’ve scaled Mount Baldy.
Scenery/Weather/Support:
-The Baldy Run-to-the-Top boasts some gorgeous mountain views, especially once you go past the Notch. As long as you’re not holding up a line of folks at a narrow section, don’t hesitate to pause for pictures when you can. Temperatures were in the low-to-mid 80s. Things started relatively cool during the first half of the race as you run in the shade of the mountain, but a hat and/or sunglasses might be handy as you scale up higher and higher along the face of Baldy. Water and aid support was good, with stations around Miles 2, 3.6, 5, and Mile 7 at the top. You can expect water at every station, with some electrolytes and small bites like orange slices at Miles 3.6 and 5, and chips and electrolyte powder at the finish line.
Post-race:
-Cross that finish line mat and celebrate. The post-race atmosphere is unlike anything else because you’ve reached the highest peak in the Los Angeles area. Whoo! The air is thin and the views are breathtaking, so take it all in. Pose for pictures with the Mt Baldy plaque, chow down on chips and electrolytes that the race staff have so generously hauled up to the top. Stretch, relax, and recharge because you’ll need some energy for the return trip. You didn’t think you were done with the mountain, did you? The trip back down to the Notch is over 3 miles, and you’ll get a chance to really admire the panoramic mountain views in case you were too focused on the trails on the way up. At the Notch, you can retrieve your gear check items, check the official race results, pose with a photo backdrop, grab a burger at the Top of the Notch restaurant, and then buy a ski lift ticket for a trip down the mountain (or keep running down if your legs aren’t dead yet!). The lift trip down is such a soothing experience after a long race, I highly recommend it.
Swag:
-The official race shirt is dark green, with “Mt. Baldy Run-to-the-Top” in bold, yellow all-caps font across the center. Above that, there’s a white graphic of a mountain range, with the yellow Mt Baldy Run-to-the-Top ram logo in the top-left corner. The race date is in red at the bottom, and white text commemorates this year as the 60th anniversary of the race. It’s a nice design! I wish I could say the same for the medal. The medal is a plain golden disc, with “September 1, 2025, Mt San Antonio, 10,064 FT, Finisher” etched in the center, “60th Annual Mt Baldy Run-to-the-Top” outlining the top, and “7+ Miles – 4,000 Ft Vertical Climb” at the bottom. The medal is pock-marked a bit to look weathered, and looped with a simple, solid black ribbon with no text. For such an epic race, I wish the medal had as much visual “pop” as the race shirt. It could’ve used some sort of design, maybe even the official ram logo somewhere on it.
Bottom-line:
-The Mt Baldy Run-to-the-Top is a fantastic race. It’s a beautiful, challenging route that pushes you in ways you might never expect, deeply humble you, and helps you appreciate the majesty of the mountain. I highly recommend it!
An amazing finish line
This race is run every year on Labor Day (Sept 1). It starts in the parking lot next to a ski lift at 6,200 ft and when you are done … MORE
This race is run every year on Labor Day (Sept 1). It starts in the parking lot next to a ski lift at 6,200 ft and when you are done you are at 10,064 on the tallest point in the San Gabriel mountains. The distance to the top of Mt Baldy (officially Mt San Antonio but called Baldy because it is above the tree line) is about 7 miles.
When you start you are surrounded by mountains and you can just feel this is going to be a wonderful experience. The first half of the race is on a wide fire road with a steady incline. In the first mile you will pass a beautiful waterfall. At mile 3.5 you come to the Notch a nice little restaurant and where the ski lift drops off spectators.
The second half of the race is steeper and single track. The Devil’s Backbone is where the trail clings to the side of the mountain with a scary drop on one side. The final mile is pretty rocky and technical in places but the last 100 ft are great. You hit the finish line and after catching your breath which takes longer than usual you have a chance to look around with a 360 panoramic view. To get this view you have to climb the mountain, there is no road access. After that you walk or jog back to the Notch and catch the ski lift down.
This is an old established race and they know how to do it right. There are 3 aid stations along the course and be sure and drink more than usual because altitude dries you out (I found this out the hard way). All the supplies at the finish line have to be hand carried up and down so don’t expect anything spectacular other than the experience.