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River canyons to 10,000 feet
San Gabriel Mountains
Steep relief, high summits, deep forks, and serious mountain weather directly above Los Angeles.
Photo: Thorsten Trotzenberg · CC BY 2.0REGIONAL FIELD NOTE
Know the landscape
The San Gabriels rise abruptly from the foothill cities, creating everything from boulder-filled river canyons to alpine summit routes. Short map distances can hide thousands of feet of climbing and rapid changes in temperature.
The range is also shaped by wildfire, flood, and active restoration. Forest orders, damaged roads, winter ice, and flash-flood risk are core planning factors rather than last-minute details.
TRAILS IN THIS HUB
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River canyon · 10.0 miles
Bridge to Nowhere via East Fork Trail
A long canyon day with repeated river crossings, rugged route-finding, and an abandoned 1930s bridge deep in the East Fork.
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Alpine summit · 11.0 miles
Mount Baldy via Devil's Backbone
A demanding climb to 10,064-foot Mount San Antonio, using the broad Notch approach and an exposed ridge above the Los Angeles basin.
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