The trail from Dawson Saddle climbs the ridge line and heads around the back side of Throop Peak to where it joins with the PCT. From there you continue down the PCT on the ridge line for the most of the hike until you come to the spur trail that leaves the PCT at its highest point in Los Angeles County and continues to the top of Mt. Baden-Powell, named in honor of the founder of the Scouting movement Lord Robert Baden-Powell.
Map of the area, and the track we took in green:
And the elevation profile of the hike:
Jose and I met up in La Canada at a park and ride and carpooled to the trail head. We arrived at the TH at 6:30, greeted by some stiff winds blowing up the saddle where we parked. The TH is right at the apex of the curve that cuts through Dawson Saddle and easy to miss just driving by. There is a forestry sign denoting the trail, but it's about 500' up the trail in the middle of the hill so it's easy to miss.
The trail switchbacks up the hill until gaining the ridgeline, where it continues along until you come to the base of Throop Peak and then contours around the east side of Throop where it intersects the PCT. From the middle of the ridge line before Throop you can look west to Islip Peak and Windy Gap.
PCT Junction:
Looking back to Dawson Saddle where we began with the San Andreas fault and the Antelope Valley in the distance:
From the PCT junction there is a use trail that heads up the north eastern flank of Throop Peak until you reach the summit bald. At the summit there is a plaque noting that the peak was named for the founder of then Throop University, now better known as Caltech.
Pano from the summit bald with Mt. Baldy at the far left:
From there we headed back the way we came and rejoined the PCT, heading east loosing some elevation and aiming for the next peak on the ridgeline - Mt. Burnham. Similar to Throop, the PCT contours around the actual peak where you catch a use trail on the east side and then hike to the top. In typical fashion for peaks in the San Gabriels the top is usually just a bald, so no surprise here. Jose decided to have is breakfast here before we headed back down the ridgeline and continued on the PCT.
Again, you loose some elevation when heading along the ridgeline to the saddles between the peaks, only to gain it back on the other side. From here it's a nice shaded hike along the north side of Mt. Baden-Powell as the PCT contours around the actual peak. On the north east side where the spur trail leaves the PCT you have the Wally Waldron tree, a limber pine that is estimated to be about 1500 years old and named after a local scout leader which hugs the ridgeline:
PCT to the right, and MBP summit trail to the left:
At the top there is a monument to Baden-Powell and Scouting that was erected by all of the local scouting councils in the 60's
Looking west along the spine of the San Gabriels towards Mt. Wilson which is obscured by clouds.
Looking south east to Mt. Baldy with the clouds billowing up from the draw below:
Old benchmark on the peak reflecting it's original name of North Baldy before it was renamed in 1931 for Baden-Powell:
Jose on the Summit of MBP with El Mirage Dry Lake bed far off in the distance to the north east:
Looking south over the clouds obscuring the land beyond from the peak:
We hung out for a few taking pics from the top and then proceeded to retrace our steps back to the trailhead. Looked back once we were just above the saddle between Mt. Burnham and Throop Peak to see the clouds beginning to obscure the top of Mt. Baden-Powell:
Back to the PCT / Dawson Saddle trail Junction:
From there it was an easy downhill trek back along the ridgeline to the trailhead. Good quick out and back hike at a higher elevation than we normally get to in the front country of the San Gabriels. 10 miles in 5 hours and three 9000' foot peaks tagged for giggles while Jose was trying out his new Granite Gear pack and breaking in a new pair of boots. From there we headed back down the Angeles Crest Highway to La Canada, grabbed a celebratory lunch of pizza at Blaze, and then went on our separate ways.
