Dawson Peak

Dawson Peak, named for an Angeles Chapter and later National Sierra Club president from the early 20th century, is a remote peak that is hidden behind Mount San Antonio until you are on the final ridge of the Devil’s Backbone trail. Named in honor of Ernest Dawson, who was an influential early member of the Sierra Club, this hike is often combined with Pine Mountain and Wright Mountain along a ridge that continues to the summit of Baldy which some have called the “other Devil’s Backbone trail”. Dawson has views of Baldy towering above you and inviting you to continue on, of Stockton Flats and Lytle Creek to the east, Fish Fork and Wild View to the west, and Blue Ridge to the north.

Routes 1 and 2 begin off the Blue Ridge Road, subject to seasonal closure. If the gate at Guffy Camp is closed this adds 1.8 miles each way on road. The routes then climb straight up the ridge. Route 3 requires you to hike up and over Mount Baldy and then back up and over Mount Baldy on the way out, adding 1,900’ of elevation to your 4,000’ Mount Baldy climb. One can also reach these peaks from Wrightwood via the Acorn Trail (see the description for Wright Mountain Route 3). The remoteness and beauty of Dawson is certainly a draw, but no matter the route you choose, it requires solid planning and conditioning.