Despite trail closures on Mt. Baldy, people still seem to be hitting the area for hikes
Though road signs warn of possible mudslides and flooding below the burn scars left behind by the devastating Bridge Fire earlier this year on Mt. Baldy, which has closed many of the area's popular forest trails, people still seem to be hitting the area for hikes.
The closures last in some places all the way through the end of 2025 due to recovery efforts and to keep people safe from the potential danger. Still, some people are reportedly violating the closure orders from the U.S. Forest Service.
"I can see why they would be a little bummed, but a little bit of patience might pay off," said Greg Liman, a visitor to the area. "Let the ground heal itself."
He used to frequent the area to hike and ski and says that the alpine conditions are already extreme as it is, so he can't imagine what it's like with extra hazard.
"Hiking around any fire area is gonna be problematic, at best," he said.
The ski run and other business in the area will stay open over winter, so people believe that untouched spots, like the trails and areas near Devil's Backbone, should remain open to the public as well.
Locals aren't as keen to join them in thinking that way.
"Just look at it this way, next three years, they're gonna have to worry about mudslides," said Mt. Baldy resident Jacqueline Miller-Weaver. She runs a ski rental shop in town and says that though she understands the concerns about closures impacting small business, the risk isn't worth it.
She's known people who have lost homes, and can recall many stories of hikers getting hurt or lost, needing to be rescued off of the extremely unforgiving mountains.
"I wouldn't want to be up there," she said.
The Forest Service says that though some of the trails look alright, they may lead to areas that did burn in the fire. A damage survey conducted by the service on the Bridge Fire says that soil and vegetation recovery could take between three and five years.
