Mount Gleason

Mount Gleason is located north of Condor Peak on the northern edge of the San Gabriel Mountains. This peak is easily recognizable from many points in the San Gabriels for its large round top and the scattered trees at the top. The hike requires following either the PCT or the Mount Gleason Road (3N17) from Mill Creek Summit. The peak was once home to a Nike missile base, and a County Correctional Fire Camp that burned down in the Station Fire, after which the entire facility was razed. There is a touching monument to the firefighters who lost their lives trying to escape that fire that is worth visiting.

For Route 1, the gate is now open year around except during rain, a welcome change after many years of closure, that has turned a tedious road walk into a near drive-up and makes nearby Iron #2 more accessible from this direction. Route 2 takes the Pacific Crest Trail from Mill Creek Summit and roughly parallels the road. The summit of Mount Gleason is a large open area and the register is located 0.2 miles northeast of the USGS summit. It is also possible to reach the peak from Condor Peak or the PCT from Indian Canyon, but both of those routes would be backpacks instead of hikes.