Visible throughout the entire Los Angeles Basin, Mt. Baldy, originally known as Mt. San Antonio and affectionately referred to as "Old Baldy," is the tallest peak in the majestic San Gabriel Mountains. Approximately 49 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, Mt. Baldy first gained popularity during the Great Hiking Era--the decades before and after the turn of the 20th century--when visitors traveled up San Antonio Canyon to hike, camp, fish, and hunt. Before outdoor recreation became fashionable, the resource-rich area was a haven for gold miners and businessmen who sought their fortunes in the steep and rugged terrain. Despite natural disasters in recent decades, the mountain community continues to receive record numbers of visitors to its rustic lodges, state-of-the-art ski facilities, and superb hiking areas. The community of Mt. Baldy Village, once known as Camp Baldy, is a quaint and picturesque locale that includes a post office, volunteer fire department, school, church, visitor's center, and resort accommodations.

Nov. 15, 1958. An arctic-like blizzard roars out of nowhere across the mild desert terrain of southern Arizona. Boy scouts are feared caught out in the open, perhaps buried under the three to seven feet of snowfall in the mountains. Cowboys urge their horses through the chest high snow, hikers push through monster snowdrifts, and helicopters hover at dangerous altitudes in their struggle to find the boys before they die.

Australian Army Cadet Corporal, 15-year-old Roger Dunning, sets out with his friends, Peter, Stephen and Graham, on a five-day hike on the Atherton Tablelands to complete the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Their OC, Captain Conkey, has placed a set of clues to test their navigation along their 100-kilometre hike. However, almost immediately the four friends walk into trouble so unexpected and so deadly that it tests all their skills as cadets and their friendships. For Roger, it is the toughest test of endurance and character he has ever encountered. To survive, he must summon all his resources of determination and moral courage to see the thing through.

Annotation Armed with first-hand information, Alan Kane describes over 170 scrambles in a clear, concise format. This includes equipment needed, when to go, how to get there, where to park and what to expect as you work your way to the summit. Photos showing the ascent line complement descriptions that include historical trivia, origins of placenames and summit views. Routes range from off-trail hiking suitable for strong hikers to challenging routes at the low end of technical climbing where use of specific handholds is required on steep, airy terrain.

An entertaining look at the myths and urban legends surrounding Los Angeles encompasses Hollywood tall tales, rock music rumors, the lore of L.A.'s landmarks, crime tales, and more.