San Gabriel Mountains

San Gabriel Mountains

The San Gabriel Mountains are located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, USA. The mountain range forms a barrier between the Greater Los Angeles Area and the Mojave Desert. This Transverse Range lies in and is surrounded by the Angeles National Forest with the San Andreas Fault as the northern border to the range. The highest peak in the range is Mount San Antonio, commonly referred to as Mt. Baldy. Mount Wilson is another famous peak, famed for the Mount Wilson Observatory. The observatory may be visited by the public.

The main road that runs through the San Gabriel Mountains is the Angeles Crest Highway, California State Route 2. It starts in the southwest at the city of La Canada Flintridge and ends at its junction with California State Route 138 just past Wrightwood near the Victor Valley. Past its junction with Angeles Forest Highway traveling east, Angeles Crest Highway suffers from blind curves, and various bumps and potholes. This section of the "Crest" is closed during the winter due to rockfall and avalanche hazards. The California State Route 2 just past Mountain High is called the Big Pines Highway all the way to the 138 junction.

The San Gabriel Mountans from the south (Rowland Heights in the Puente Hills) On the left the snow-covered peaks are Mount Waterman, Twin Peaks, and Mount Baden-Powell. The barely-visible peak left of center is Iron Mountain #1. Mount Baldy is the high point to its right, followed by the "three Ts", Ontario, and Cucumonga Peaks.

Another key county route which connects Angelenos to and through the mountains is Angeles Forest Highway. Angeles Forest Highway begins 11 miles northeast of La Canada Flintridge at its Angeles Crest Highway junction. Ending near Acton, it allows easy access to the central Forest and the fast growing Antelope Valley. Because the "Forest" and the 11 mile "Crest" portion leading to La Canada Flintridge is well traveled by Antelope Valley commuters, its road maintenance is much better, and is open much of the winter.

In the winter snowboarding and snow skiing is quite popular in the San Gabriels at Mountain High, and Mt. Baldy. There are two other resorts (Mount Waterman and Kratka Ridge) but they are rarely open. In the summer, hiking, backpacking, picnicing and camping are some of the activities of its visitors. From time to time, a hiker gets lost or stuck on a mountain ledge, or may fall downhill. Some of the more extreme cases of emergency search and rescue will often be given air time on Los Angeles television and radio newscasts.

Summits in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, Angeles National Forest, San Bernardino County, California. The main peaks are: Telegraph Peak 8985' (left), Cucamonga Peak 8859' (center), Ontario Peak 8693' (center right). As seen from Baldy Bowl on Mount Baldy.

Winter resorts

The San Gabriel Mountains accommodate a few winter resorts which are:

• Mountain High
• Mt. Baldy
• Mount Waterman
• Kratka Ridge

Significant peaks

Panorama of the range, from Ontario Peak looking west and north, Mount Baldy in the center.

• Mount San Antonio, AKA "Mount Baldy"
• Mount Wilson
• Mount Disappointment
• Mount Lowe
• Echo Mountain
• Vetter Mountain with Fire Lookout Tower
• Iron Mountain #1 the least accessible mountain in the San Gabriels

See also

Nearby mountain ranges:

• San Bernardino Mountains
• Santa Monica Mountains
• Sierra Pelona Range
• Tehachapi Mountains

External links

• The Natural History of the San Gabriel Mountains
• Geographic, Biological, and Geological information