Los Angeles, CA: Waterman Mountain Loop

Escape L.A. traffic and experience igneous rock formations at Waterman Mountain that even Gaudi couldn’t make up. A remote peak at the doorstep of the San Gabriel Wilderness, Waterman is also a skiing destination during Southern California’s rare snowpacks. Incense-cedars and pines cover the mountain and fill its surrounding ravines, giving hikers a memorable aromatic experience.
Waterman Mountain is not the tallest at San Gabriel—Mount Baldy towers at 10,064 feet—but what it lacks in elevation, it makes up in character and trail versatility. Multiple junctions allow for loops, extensions, and off-trail explorations. Views of Twin Peaks will knock you off your feet, figuratively that is. The mountain’s dormant ski lifts create an abandoned amusement park ambiance in certain places. Don’t be fooled by this trail’s relative proximity to the city nor by its winter role as a ski resort. Hiking to the true summit of Waterman Mountain affords a sense of solitude rarely found in Los Angeles County.
-Mapped by Casey Schreiner

Trail Facts

• Distance: 10.3

Waypoints

WTM001

Location: 34.346687, -117.921085

From the parking lot on the east side of the road, cross the Pacific Crest Highway and travel 140 feet north to the trailhead. The wooden sign is in poor condition but a small, vertical metal sign also marks the start of the trail. Bear left @ Y-junction and walk toward the second metal sign, ignoring the apparent trail to the right. Continue south on the unnamed trail that is parallel with the road.

WTM002

Location: 34.344138, -117.92156

Bear right @ Y-junction and merge onto the Waterman Jeep Trail. The trail gains elevation as it climbs along a wide dirt road.

WTM003

Location: 34.344643, -117.924057

The first views of the Waterman Mountain summit appear through a south-facing clearing on the jeep trail. It’s the forested peak just beyond a closer bump to the right.

WTM004

Location: 34.343998, -117.925644

Stay right @ Y-junction, favoring the more established jeep trail.

WTM005

Location: 34.346161, -117.92804

Continue left @ Y-junction and ignore the fire road that branches off to the right.

WTM006

Location: 34.344208, -117.932823

Bear a slight left and travel south at this multiple junction of jeep roads and ski trails. Between the jeep roads and the broad ski trail, there is a low-lying ridge that the trail climbs over. Walk up a southwesterly ski-route toward a lower summit, about .4 miles from the top of Waterman, keeping the ski lifts to your left.
Optional: Stay right at intersection, sticking to the jeep trail, which continues up the mountain. Passing a ski hut and small pond.

WTM007

Location: 34.342087, -117.936523

Pass one of the Waterman Mountain ski lifts to the south as you climb the snowless ski slope.

WTM008

Location: 34.342075, -117.937546

Continue west, going straight between a small patrol hut on the right and a chairlift on the left.

WTM009

Location: 34.341549, -117.93808

Veer right @ Y-junction of two well-used jeep trails. The left road takes you to a dead end at the top of Waterman’s northern ridge. On this trip’s initial jeep road, the sign for Forest Road 3N03 appears on the right after about 800 feet. There will be no other signage to identify the road. For a short distance, the trail becomes lost in pine-needles, clearings, and off-trail paths.

WTM010

Location: 34.339302, -117.939888

The trail becomes faint, fading in and out.

WTM011

Location: 34.338615, -117.940155

Turn east into the San Gabriel Wilderness Boundary, which is marked by a thin metal rod that reads “Wilderness Boundary.” The trail becomes very clear here and heads east.

WTM012

Location: 34.338298, -117.938412

The sign marking Waterman’s summit is not near the actual summit: walk off-trail to the south of the sign to a broad, northwest-southeast ridge. There is no distinct path, but it is easily hikeable. Travel 200 feet south and loop to the west toward the false summit.

WTM013

Location: 34.337642, -117.939289

The false summit is near a tall outcropping of boulders. This group of rocks, which are right before the mountain slopes down immediately to the south, stands out from lower boulder formations. It’s a fitting place for both bouldering and relaxing. Ahead, veer east for 0.1 mile.

WTM014

Location: 34.337873, -117.937476

Turn right and hike 0.1 mile southeast along the broad summit ridge to another outcropping of vertically aligned boulders. The summit of Waterman is a very gradual ascent from this ridge. No scrambling or climbing necessary: just walk along the summit plateau.

WTM015

Location: 34.336491, -117.936773

Waterman Mountain (8,038 ft.): Look for the USGS summit marker. The view is forested in most directions. Look to the north and you may be able to see Waterman’s northern peak. (You would have seen it on your left as you hiked up the ski slope and past the patrol booth and ski lift). There is a small concrete structure on this peak. Optional: Continue hiking off-trail to the south. As the mountain slopes downward, views of Twin Peaks and the rest of the San Gabriel Wilderness open up.

WTM016

Location: 34.335621, -117.928604

Turn left @ Y-junction. Turning right will put you on the trail to Twin Peaks. It’s a 3.8-mile trek to the summit that will take you back through large, majestic incense cedars and pines. Be aware: it’s a tough path full of established trail and unofficial climbing routes with intense elevation gain in both directions. The established trail goes to a saddle between Waterman and Twin Peaks, just north of Twin Peaks. From there, the unofficial climbers trail (not even Class 2 scrambling), ascends another half mile to the southeast toward the eastern peak of Twin Peaks. The trail you’re on there makes a sharp turn east, and switchbacks down a long slope.

WTM017

Location: 34.33564, -117.924113

Look straight (directly south) to view the eastern Twin Peaks. The majority of the mountain view will be slightly on the right. It is the closest, most prominent peak visible from this location.

WTM018

Location: 34.338267, -117.921774

Small spring during the wet season.

WTM019

Location: 34.34042, -117.921577

Pass another seasonal spring.

WTM020

Location: 34.343068, -117.923121

A solitary picnic table sits nearby a small, rocky stream: a nice spot for a snack near the end of the hike. The trail continues in a northern direction through large cedars and pines, eventually crossing the jeep road you turned on back at the beginning of the hike. From there, continue back the way you came in.

False Summit

Location: 34.3377, -117.939034

This appears to be the highest ground from the summit sign, but it’s not the summit of Waterman.

Lone Picnic Table

Location: 34.343077, -117.923083

Trees

Location: 34.341583, -117.922195

Lots of nice cedars and pines here.

Intersection

Location: 34.34414, -117.92152

The Waterman Mountain Loop Trail intersection — trail to the left, road to the right.

Trail Sign

Location: 34.33564, -117.928362

Junction to Twin Peaks and Chilao.

Twin Peaks View

Location: 34.335711, -117.923877

A great, clear view of Twin Peaks from the trail.

Ski Lift

Location: 34.342094, -117.936264

The Waterman Mountain ski lift.

Ski Routes

Location: 34.343914, -117.932846

Leaving the trail for ski slopes.