Mount San Antonio

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For General George G. Meade's American Civil War horse, see Old Baldy (horse).

Mount San Antonio, better known to most in Los Angeles as Old Baldy or Mount Baldy, is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California, USA and the highest point in Los Angeles County. While not as unique in its landscape as Seattle's Mount Rainier, they are similar in being easily sighted for miles around their urban settings. Baldy's snow-capped peaks are usually visible on clear days and stand in contrast to the pervasive gray-green of the remaining L.A. landscape.

The peak, which marks a boundary between San Bernardino County and Los Angeles County [link] is called Baldy because of the absence of trees around the summit.

Mt. San Antonio, Ontario Peak, and Cucamonga Peak as seen from Montclair, California at Arrow Highway, about 500 feet east of Mills Avenue (the county line between Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties)

The peak may host more hikers than any other mountaintop in the western United States (of those inaccessible by car), or so guesses San Gabriel Mountains historian John W. Robinson. Mount San Antonio also has two summits. The eastern summit is higher at 10,064 feet while the west is at 9984 feet.

The peak from the southeast, showing "Baldy Bowl" just below the summit. West Baldy is on the left and Mount Harwood is on the right. The lowest point visible in this photograph is circa 5,000'.

The Tongva call the mountain Yoát or Joat, which means snow. It is considered to be a cosmic spiritual "recharging" site by the Aetherius Society.[link]

Mt. Baldy, along with the nearby peak known as Thunder Mountain, is currently home to the family owned and operated ski resort Mount Baldy Ski Lifts; the closest resort to LA.

Between 1922 and 1927, American physicist Albert Michelson performed a number of experiments involving bouncing a beam of light between Mt. San Antonio and Mount Wilson to accurately calculate the speed of light, which he found to be 299,796±4 km/s.

External links

[Maps and aerial photos]
* WikiSatellite view at [WikiMapia]
* Topographic map from [TopoZone]
* Aerial image from [TerraServer-USA]
* Surrounding area map from [Google Maps]
* Location in the United States from the [Census Bureau]

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