The Great Mt. Baldy Debate: Trail Closures Spark Fierce Online Discourse
A Conflict of Values
As 30-mph wind gusts howled across a flat spot known as “the notch” halfway up Mt. Baldy last weekend, three young men staggered down from the summit looking cold, tired and very excited to have just reached the highest point in Los Angeles County in such punishing conditions. Not only had they braved the summit’s soaring altitude and fierce wind, they each also had risked a $5,000 fine for violating a U.S. Forest Service closure order.
A Trail Closed, but Not Unhiked
The U.S. Forest Service closed all of the trails leading to the mountain’s breathtaking summit for more than a year — until December 2025 — to ensure public safety and promote “natural recovery” of the fragile plants and soils that had been damaged by the autumn Bridge fire, which ravaged Mt. Baldy Village, destroying 20 homes and burning more than 50,000 acres on surrounding hillsides.
Debate Erupts Online
But had the three climbers, who ascended a trail called the Devil’s Backbone for its narrow ridge with spine-tingling drops on either side, seen any scorched earth or trees along the way? “No, nothing at all, the trail was fine,” said Isaiah Rosas of Moreno Valley. “There were a lot of people going up and down with us.” That’s the catch. While the village 5,000 feet below was devastated by the autumn Bridge fire, the summit and the most popular trails leading to it escaped largely unscathed.
Trail Closures Spark Online Debate
And so, like seemingly everything else in our fragile public discourse these days, the government’s closure of the mountain has sparked a heated social media debate. On one side are so-called trail Karens, who monitor online web cameras and question why the forest service isn’t ticketing “ignorant and selfish” rule breakers who are hiking the mountain anyway. On the other side: scofflaws who condemn the forest service as another “useless” government agency reflexively shutting things down in the name of “safety” at the expense of freedom.
Businesses Feel the Pinch
Adding fuel to the online fire was the agency’s decision to allow recreational businesses inside the closed area to continue operating — despite the alleged threats to plants and soil. “I think it’s not fair, big time, to the businesses and the locals,” Cindy Debonis, a Mt. Baldy Village resident, says of the extended trail closures on the mountain. “It just screams of capitalism being okay, and has nothing to do with safety or protecting our public lands,” one Reddit commenter wrote in a particularly spirited thread a couple of months ago.
Conclusion
The debate surrounding Mt. Baldy’s trail closures highlights the complex and often contentious issues that arise when government agencies attempt to balance competing values of public safety, environmental protection, and individual freedom. While some may see the closures as necessary for the long-term health of the mountain, others view them as overly restrictive and unfair. As the dust settles, it remains to be seen whether the forest service will revisit its decision and find a more nuanced approach that balances the needs of all stakeholders.
FAQs
Q: Why are the trails to Mt. Baldy closed?
A: The U.S. Forest Service closed the trails to ensure public safety and promote “natural recovery” of the fragile plants and soils that were damaged by the autumn Bridge fire.
Q: Are the trails actually damaged?
A: The most popular trails to the summit, the Devil’s Backbone and the Ski Hut Trail, did not burn in the Bridge fire. However, trails that access burned areas are closed to prevent erosion and landslides.
Q: Can I still hike to the summit?
A: Yes, but at your own risk. Ignoring the closure can result in a $5,000 fine, but many hikers are choosing to disregard the closure and hike the mountain anyway.
