Throop Peak + Mount Burnham + Baden-Powell From Dawson Saddle

9 miles - Moderate Effort
4-5 Hours (Total)
2,700 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 9,399 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

This hike, which takes in Throop Peak, Mount Burnham, and Mount Baden-Powell from Dawson Saddle, has dramatic high-mountain scenery and interesting history. This ridge of peaks was initially referred to as "North Baldy Mountain," with Throop Peak being the "West Twin" and Baden-Powell being the "East Twin." Whatever you want to call it now, this is a great hike, with three peaks to bag, expansive views, and well-groomed trails, including the PCT.

In this Guide:

Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions for the Hike
Where to Park for Dawson Saddle
Insider Tips and Recommendations

Quick Links: Angeles National Forest - Weather Forecast - Top Gear Picks (Feb 2023)

When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.

Where is Dawson Saddle?

This hike starts from Dawson Saddle, along Angeles Crest Highway (CA-2). Use this address:
Dawson Saddle, CA-2, California 91702

Check the road conditions before you go, this section of CA-2 can close in the winter.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 3 — Look for this big turnout on the side of the road and park here. We're going to start the hike just west of here, about 100 feet further down the road at the Caltrans structure.

You do not need a parking pass or permit at Dawson Saddle.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 2 — There's a trail board by the parking area. Dawson Saddle is the highest point on the Angeles Crest Highway.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 5 — There are two trailheads, one about 100 east of the trailhead, and one about 100 west of the trailhead. We'll start this hike at the one west of the trailhead, a 2 minute walk along the road, directly across from the Caltrans maintenance shed. The trail starts right across CA-2 from this shed. Also note the burn by the shed, which was on the eastern edge of the 2020 Bobcat Fire.

Throop Peak Parking Map — Here's the parking area, shed, and trailhead on a map.

Gear For the Hike

This is a high-altitude hike in the mountains, and you should be prepared accordingly. I find that 2L of water is usually enough, and that trekking poles are helpful on some of the steeper slopes.

I waste my time with lousy hiking gear so you don't have to. Only the winners get onto my gear page. There's no fluff, sponsorships, or promotions. It's just gear I personally use, have tested, and recommend. Right now I'm liking my inReach Mini 2, Garmin Epix, and Lone Peak 6 shoes.
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My February 2023 Top Gear Picks

Trail Maps

This hike will take a combination of established trails, and smaller (yet well-trodden) unofficial trails. If you have a GPS and load the GPX file, these smaller trail turnoffs should be obvious. And if not, there are plenty of footprints to go by.

Explore Map on CalTopo View a Printable PDF Hike Map Download the Hike GPX File

Free Nav Tools: GaiaGPS - AllTrails

Guides to Help You Navigate

How To Use the AllTrails App (Beginners)

Hiking With Gaia GPS For Beginners

How-To: Using Routes, Tracks, and Waypoints for Garmin Outdoors GPS

How To Read a Topographic Map

Elevation Profile

This hike has some up and down, which can make it feel tougher than a single long climb. On the way back you can skip the climbs to Burnham and Throop and just cruise (mostly) downhill.

3D Map

Hike Brief

Throop Historic Topo — If you look at this 1901 USGS topographic map, you can see that peaks (like Mt Islip in the lower-left) have a black dot marking the summit. Here "North Baldy" marks the entire ridge, with no summit point. You can see the hike route along the North Baldy ridge in purple.

Throop Peak is pronounced "troop," but I've also heard USFS personnel pronounce it "throop."
Originally Throop Peak was called Dougherty Peak, after mountain man Charles Vincent Dougherty, aka Charles Vincent. Nearby Vincent Gap is named after him and you can visit his cabin.
In 1916 an early hiker named the peak after his alma mater, Throop Polytechnic Institute in Pasadena, later becoming the California Institute of Technology. Today a summit marker denotes that the peak is named after Amos Throop, founder of the school. I guess that all works out.
If you're doing this hike, you've probably already hiked to Baden-Powell from Vincent Gap and know that Baden-Powell was the founder of the Boy Scouts. You may not know that he never actually stepped foot on the peak of Baden-Powell or hiked around here. He was a don of the British Empire who managed to get around the globe quite a bit. He's buried by Mount Kenya.
Mount Burnham was named after Major Frederick Russell Burnham, a buddy of Baden-Powell and another guy active in the Boy Scout movement.
From 1906 to 1911 the SoCal event that people went crazy for was the "North Baldy Race" or "Baldy Race" for short, an automobile race from LA to Big Horn Mine by way of North Baldy.
When the North Baldy Race was run, Angeles Crest Highway hadn't been built yet. Racers drove over dirt and rough tracks to climb thousands of feet into the San Gabriels. Photo LA Times, 1 Aug 1908.

North Baldy Ridge Hike Directions

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Video Directions

Turn by Turn Directions

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 4 — Start the trail, across the road from the Caltrans shed. The beginning is steep but it gets better.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 6 — You'll start climbing up above CA-2.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 8 — Make the hard right at the intersection of the trail to the other side of the parking area.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 7 — You'll get nice views to the west of Mt Lawlor, Twin Peaks & Mt Waterman.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 9 — When you gain the ridge and turn the corner, Throop Peak is right in front of you.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 10 — You have a nice straight trail that climbs up along the ridge.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 11 — To the right you'll see the antennas on top of Mt Wilson.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 12 — And also see back to the distinctive Strawberry Peak. For great views of the other side of Strawberry Peak, try hiking to Josephine Peak.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 13 — And then on the left you'll eventually see the peaks we'll be hiking later, Mount Burnham and Baden-Powell. We'll be following the ridge.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 14 — When you get to an area with lots of campsites on your right, look for a small side trail heading up Throop Peak.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 15 — The beginning can be confusing because of the tent sites, but you should be able to see a distinct trail climbing toward Throop.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 16 — The trail winds up the spine.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 17 — And does have a few steep and rocky parts.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 18 — Take a break on the steep climb and look east toward the Mojave. On a clear day you can see Telescope Peak, the highest point in Death Valley NP.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 19 — Eventually the top comes into view.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 20 — And here you are at the summit area of Throop Peak.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 21 — There's a memorial placard and if you're lucky, a summit sign.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 22 — From Throop Peak you'll get great views, including Santiago Peak to the south.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 23 — And to the east, you can see Mt Baldy and even Sugarloaf, which is close to Big Bear.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 24 — Head down the other side of the summit.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 25 — The trail down will bear to the left.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 26 — Follow the steep path downhill toward the ridge.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 27 — Make the left onto the PCT.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 28 — And then continue to the right along the ridge on the PCT. When you come back, just go straight here to bypass the climb to Throop Peak.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 29 — Here's the massive sign at the PCT junction. We're heading toward Mt Baden-Powell.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 30 — This part of the hike is beautiful as it follows the ridge.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 31 — Eventually you'll get views of Burnham and Baden-Powell ahead.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 32 — When you reach the base of Mount Burnham, look for a small trail climbing to the right.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 33 — The climb to Burnham is steep at first.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 34 — But then mellows out a bit.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 35 — Look for the marker to the right of the summit area.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 36 — Here you are, Mt Burnham.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 37 — Similar to Throop, we're going to continue down the other side of the summit to rejoin the PCT.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 38 — When you reach the PCT, bear right to continue towards Baden-Powell.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 39 — Then you'll have another spectacular hike along the spine of the mountain.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 40 — The PCT heads to the left side of the ridge.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 41 — And then at the base of Baden-Powell, look for a small side trail heading uphill.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 42 — It's a short but steep climb to the summit.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 43 — But soon you'll see the Baden-Powell monument ahead.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 44 — And then past that, the summit!

From here, just turn around and head back.

Throop Peak Mount Burnham Baden Powell Directions 45 — You can skip the use trails to Burnham and Throop summits if you just follow the PCT and Dawson Saddle Trails straight. The trail will wind along the east side of the ridge, skipping the summits.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!).

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