To the editor: Mount Baldy, the tallest of the San Gabriel Mountains, is well known for being one of the most dangerous mountains in the United States in terms of rescues and fatalities. It attracts the unwary, the unsuspecting and the unprepared. (“Winter permits for Mt. Baldy could save lives of hikers and rescuers,” editorial, March 11)
I have climbed Baldy, formally known as Mount San Antonio, in winter conditions on numerous occasions and have encountered many who had no business there. But your editorial's recommendation of a winter permit system based on watching a short video and answering a few questions would do little or nothing to alleviate the problem of preventing unprepared and inexperienced people from venturing into winter conditions.
It should be noted that “hiking” is a misnomer in this context. Climbing Baldy in winter conditions is mountaineering and involves a quite different set of skills and equipment requirements than hiking. Simply providing cautionary information will not convince those who are too inexperienced to back away.
Sure, more extreme measures, such as closing the mountain under certain conditions, would probably save lives and reduce the number of rescues, but that seems equivalent to driving tanks instead of cars to reduce road deaths. We will simply have to accept those few who refuse to exercise good judgment.
Agustin Medina, South Pasadena
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To the editor: I have hiked Mount Baldy and the nearby Cucamonga Wilderness for about 40 years. I am shocked by the deaths at Baldy, which often involve unprepared hikers.
But an app-less permission system will be ignored by people who are determined to do what they want, when they want.
Cucamonga Wilderness has required permits for many years. I was only asked to show my permit once, by a US Forest Service volunteer, and that was many years ago.
Karen Gustafson, Long Beach
