Hiking Mount Baldy is a SoCal rite of passage — but can it be done safely in the snow?
by Lisa Seidman, Los Angeles Times
Feb 05, 2024
4 minutes
LOS ANGELES — It was all smiles and selfies on the summit of Mt. Baldy on Christmas Day. Crystalline snow underfoot and blue skies overhead. A cheerful hiker clutching a Santa hat. Yet, as I shared the triumphant moment with a handful of adventurers, a darker scene was unfolding just a few feet away.
As I made my way down past frosted trees, still riding a euphoric high from the accomplishment, I stopped for a moment to peel off a jacket. A young man who seemed glued to my back halted. I waited for him to pass, but he didn’t. Suspicion confirmed: “He’s following me,” I thought to myself.
My hiking shadow wore Nike tennis shoes, a concerning footwear choice for
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