CLIMB TO THE CREST

Angeles Crest Highway is one of Southern California’s best motoring roads, with high elevations and huge vistas. It’s also the entry point to hiking backdrops that rival the Sierras, and this one takes you to the top of the Mt. Waterman ski area. Be sure to wear good shoes, use sunscreen and bring plenty of water, and remember that hiking at altitude requires a little more effort than walking at sea level. Pro tip: Check the weather before you go.

1 Start your walk at the 58.02 mile marker on the Angeles Crest Highway, about 10 minutes east of Newcomb’s Ranch and just west of the Buckhorn camping area. Park on the north side of the highway, then cross carefully and find the trail behind a gray bulletin board.

2 Follow the trail signs as the narrow, well-tended path goes left away from the highway, crosses a dirt road and later a streambed flecked with incongruous ferns.

3 Climb a series of switchbacks, rising slowly through the pine, cedar and manzanita trees, to a saddle where the trail takes a hard right turn. Stay right as you pass a sign on the left reading “San Gabriel Wilderness.”

4 After an hour of steady walking, about 2 1⁄2 miles from the start, a sign will point the way toward Chilao and Twin Peaks, straight ahead, or the Mt. Waterman summit, to the right. Go right. Farther along, where the trail splits, stay on the right, downhill side.

5 A sign will proclaim the good news — you made it. This is Waterman’s summit, at 8,038 feet. That means you’ve climbed about 1,700 feet, in 31⁄2 miles.

6 Keep walking straight on the Mt. Waterman Trail to explore the Mt. Waterman ski area. Turn right and follow a dirt road all the way back to the highway — about 3 1⁄2 miles — or cover about the same distance back down on the trail that brought you to the top.

Fleming is the author of “Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles” and “Secret Walks: A Walking Guide to the Hidden Trails of Los Angeles.” Each month, he leads a free walk at one of his favorite spots in Southern California. Find out more at his Facebook page, Secret Stairs. He is on Twitter @misterfleming.

Photographs by Brian van der Brug Los Angeles Times JUST OFF Angeles Crest Highway, Mt. Waterman Trail rises slowly, with sweeping vistas all the way to the summit at 8,038 feet.

A SERIES of switchbacks feature pine, cedar and manzanita trees. Stop and enjoy the Angeles National Forest views.

AT THE TOP of the trail is a lift that signals you’ve reached the Mt. Waterman ski area. Feel free to explore further.

SIGNAGE on the trail helps hikers keep track of their progress. Remember to take water and sunscreen for the haul.

FERNS provide ground cover near a stream along the path.