Tag Archives: Icehouse Saddle

Cucamonga Wilderness, Peak Bagging

Ontario Peak

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San Bernardino National Forest

Cucamonga Wilderness

Near Mt Baldy Village

Activity: Peak Bagging, Day Hike

13 miles, 3888’ elevation gain, 6.5 hour duration, rated HARD

Date: 6-18-21

This hike starts out through Icehouse Canyon. This is a favorite of mine. The trek is not only beautiful as you hike along a babbling brook, through green lush timber and undergrowth, but the trail gives the hiker multiple options once you reach the saddle.

From the Icehouse Saddle you can make your choice to turn around as this is a destination for many hikers, or head up to Timber Mt, which is only about a mile further. If you are looking for a long adventure then take on the Three T’s, (which is on my To Do List), Timber Mt, Telegraph Peak, and Thunder Mt. In the same direction as Ontario Peak is Big Horn Peak which I did in the snow, this added a whole different experience altogether. Another option is Cucamonga Peak, yet another thrilling and epic adventure.

I invite you to checkout my previous posts on Timber Mt and Big Horn Peak as they will go into more detail regarding the beginning of the hike through Ice Box Canyon.

You will need a Adventurers Pass or National Forests Pass to park, also you need to fill out a permit, which is no charge at the trailhead. The parking lot was pretty full at 6:30 AM. There was a good amount of hikers heading up Ice Box Canyon.

A fast hiking young woman passed me and just afterwards alerted me to the rattlesnake that had just crossed the path. There was no denying this was indeed a poisonous snake, the stripes and the tale tail rattle, which by the way it did not make a sound. It was secluded under a bush within striking distance. I was filming as two hikers went by. I told them about the venomous viper.  They joked, “Now you are the third guy.” They went on to explain the comment.  The first guy wakes the snake up, the second guy pisses it off and the third guy gets bit.  

The bugs were out. Luckily they stayed mostly around the relatively short lush section that follows the stream up.

I always enjoying meeting folks along the path and hearing about their experience not only on this trail, but other adventures they have taken. I had a great talk with outdoorsman Blake on a bunch of peaks I haven’t hit yet.   More adventures for my To Do List.

I met a fit young woman who has become infatuated with hiking this year and has tackled some incredible peaks right out of the starting gate. We laughed about the false peak we encounter just when we thought that we had finally reached the top. I spent the rest of the afternoon with my new hiking friend Alicia hearing about her recent conquest of peaks, and imparting my knowledge regarding some of the experiences I have enjoyed.

Once on top the experience is almost surreal. The views are simply outstanding! Perched atop some boulders, next to an ancient and majestic tree, which is iconic for this hike, I enjoyed a snack before heading back to civilization feeling a little more Balanced. Of course that is the goal when ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’.

This video on my PBTA YouTube Channel is where you can get glimpses of the deadly rattler as it slithers through the underbrush right on the trail.
“What a glorious greeting the sun gives the mountains. – John Muir

Thanks for joining me on this peak bagging excursion. This was a good one. It is one of the Six Pack of Peaks for Southern California, and thus a major accomplishment for the area. It was a stupendous adventure the kind of outing that brings things back into balance, counter acting the noise of the everyday world with the quite serenity of such a special place. The mountains can do that sitting quietly on a peak overlooking the busy life below. Fresh mountain air with a hint of evergreen, exercise, a feeling of peace, views that have that “WoW” factor- pretty cool indeed. For more pretty cool stay tuned and you can do that by a few simple tasks: LIKE, COMMENT, FOLLOW and SHARE. If you go to the menu you will find the different locals that PBTA treks to each location is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. If you like my shirt, and my hat then go to SHOP APPAREL for all of your Adventure Wear needs. It’s all top quality and it carries the mantra logo.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Cucamonga Wilderness, Peak Bagging

Bighorn Peak

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CUCAMONGA WILDERNESS

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST

Activity: Snow Hiking, Snow Peak Bagging 

12 miles, 8441’ elevation, 3619’ elevation change, 10 hour duration, Rated HARD 

Date: 2-17-21

This is the hardest hike I have ever done. Well, except Mt Langley, a 14’er, as that was a killer and the altitude wiped me out.  The hike to Bighorn Peak is serious in the winter. I took on this challenge with trepidation. I really didn’t want to do this alone especially because of the snow and ice, but then again I got to go at my own pace and to really absorb nature.  The snow trek to Bighorn Peak is long, it is hard, it’s got altitude, it has elevation gain and did I mention snow and ice?  There are steep slopes that make having micro spikes a must. I have new really nice winter hiking boots, and micro spikes and they were essential.

My plan was to go to the first of the two peaks, Bighorn Peak and see how that went. If I felt good then back track and head for the second higher Ontario Peak. Without snow and ice this could be an 8 hour trek. I was soon to discover that hiking in snow is much more difficult and time consuming then I even allowed for especially on a steep incline when you want to be sure of each and every step. So needless to say, one was more than enough.

Sporadic snow and ice on Icehouse Canyon Trail going up, (Ice on Icehouse, go figure…), but nothing that good boots and trekking poles couldn’t handle, that being said use caution. The two times the trail seemed sketchy is because it was, in-fact I got off trail. Checked GPS and back in line.  I zigged when I should have zagged on a couple of the switch backs.  

This would be a tough, long, arduous exploration.  I had only enough experience hiking on steep snowy mountainsides to know that I should indeed embrace that feeling of caution. My first such outing was with my friend Dexter on Blue Ridge Trail near Wrightwood.  We did not have micro spikes or snow shoes, but just tromped a foothold in the snow on an exposed mountainside.  That hike would have been simple in the summer, but not covered in snow where at times we sunk up to our knees.   

I was in the wilderness trudging through the snow to a peak that not many people get to this time of year.  How do I know?  I did see a few folks on the Icehouse Canyon Trail leading to the Icehouse Saddle, not many however, although true enough it was midweek. From Icehouse Saddle the trails could go in 5 different directions as far as hikes. I did not see anyone going up to Bighorn and Ontario Peaks, which was all snow. The prints in the snow heading up past the saddle were very few.

There is a portion of the hike once I made the ridge where I was traipsing along a knife’s edge, with a dangerous and deadly drop, plus the wind was blowing in the direction of the cliff, which kept me on guard.

It was slow going in the snow and the steep, making my journey much more difficult than anticipated.  I was glad to have my new waterproof insulated hiking boots and micro spikes, which definitely was the only way this could have been done.  A large portion of the trek is on a very steep embankment, the kind that you just keep sliding.  I learned some things about hiking in snow and I happily impart that new found knowledge in a post on ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ Hiking and Backpacking 101, “Hiking in Snow.”

From the ridge to the summit provided amazing views of Ontario and Cucamonga Peaks, (both are on my list to climb), that is once the clouds parted. There were sweeping vistas to delight in the opposite direction as well. Snow capped Mount San Antonio aka “Mt Baldy” glistened in the sunshine, the Three T’s: Thunder Mountain Telegraph Peak, and Timber Mountain, (I have already summited Timber Mt), standing like silent sentries to the right are also on my To Do list.

After the ceremonious Selfie Summit Shot, and a quick snack I headed down. Some people think that going down is the hardest part. Since the cardio portion is eased dramatically I am not one of those people, unless… there is snow. Going down is just as hard, and just as slow because of the tromping in the snow, and when you add the slippery slope and having to be sure of your footing it is more difficult. Then throw into the mix that the afternoon sun now was softening the hard pack snow. I was now stepping through my earlier frozen boot prints and instead of being on top of the snow I was now deep in the snow sometimes to my knees and in some snow drifts even higher. The snow hiding the trail, made it tricky to find the way. I got off trail more than once and that usually meant deeper snow. It was all part of the adventure, but made for a more extended day then I had intended. I was spending more time which also meant that I was expending more energy.

I started rationing my water, so I was probably somewhat dehydrated, add new boots, and overexertion and this all led to feet cramps afterwards in the middle of the night. So a word of caution bring a few extra hours of water with you on a snow hike, and plan on it being way longer than you expect. But have fun and enjoy the journey because this is what ‘Pursing Balance Through Adventure’ is about.

A bit of snow to be sure at backcountry campsite Kelly Camp. I will have to keep this spot in mind for backpacking.
Bighorn Peak Summit 8,441’
Mt Baldy is the nickname for Mount San Antonio.
Neighboring Cucamonga Peak
In the background is Mt Baldy and the Three T’s: Thunder Mt, and Telegraph Mt are all on my list. I have summited Timber Mt.
Ontario Peak to the Left and Mt Baldy on the Right. I have my sites on both.
“When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an Adventure is going to happen.”
-A.A. Milnie

Thanks for joining me trudging through the snow up to the Bighorn Peak while ‘Pursing Balance Through Adventure’. Wow, that was a good one, mostly because it was a challenge, it was something new, and it was exciting- said another way it was ‘Pursing Balance Through Adventure’. I hope that you can get inspired to push your envelop a little bit. Speaking of inspiration there are lots of great places to go find yourself. If you look at the menu above you will see the many places that PBTA travels to throughout the West. Each location is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. Speaking of following that is a great segue into please FOLLOW, COMMENT, LIKE and SHARE in order for us to have more bold experiences in nature together in the future. Please stop by SHOP APPAREL to support this site and more importantly find some great Adventure Gear.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Cucamonga Wilderness, Peak Bagging

Icehouse Canyon to Timber Mt

4 Comments

SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS

SAN BERNADINO MOUNTAINS

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST

CUCAMONGA WILDERNESS

Activity: Day Hike, Peak Bagging

9.5 miles, elevation change 3336’, 7 hour duration, rated Hard

Date: 11-18-20

This is a special area and a special hike. Things you need to know to start with is that you will need to come early. Although the parking area is a good size it will fill up on the weekends, as the Icehouse Canyon Trail is a starting point for numerous hikes. You will need an Adventure Pass for parking. A Wilderness Permit is required and you can get the permit right at the trailhead.

The adventure begins with a mild walk through a shady canyon, the sound of the babbling brook sets the mind at ease. The area is filled with a mixture of oak, conifer, and deciduous trees. As I ambled along the easy path there were a couple cabins and ruins of others lost to either fire or flood in years gone by. The chilly air was fragrant with the scent of fallen decaying leaves that carpeted the forest floor. The surrounding ridge was alight with a golden glow as the morning sun has just reached it upon rising over the mountain. After a couple miles the trek picks up the pace from mild to difficult through switchback trail the remainder of the hike to Icehouse Saddle.

I have a post on my blog ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ Hiking and Backpacking 101 regarding Layering Your Clothing. This outing was an excellent example. My early hike began in cold temperatures, but by the time I headed up the steep switchbacks I was stripping off outer layers, but as I got higher I was more exposed to the high winds and I needed to layer up once again.

In late November there were portions of the trail covered in snow and ice. Not quite enough to need micro spikes as trekking poles and a little careful footwork would allow you to traverse these spots. If however you were going on to Ontario Peak or Cucamonga Peak, which would take you to more shaded parts of the mountains, they were still covered with snow from an earlier storm.

I had planned to just hike to the Icehouse Saddle, however once there I decided that there wasn’t much of a view at this wide spot that was heavily forested with fir, and I wasn’t quite ready for my adventure to come to an end. The Saddle is where five trails come together and I decided forge on to Timber Mountain.

As I approached the summit of Timber Mountain I had a wonderful panorama of the mountains to including Mt Baldy. I also enjoyed splendid views of the canyon as the wind whipped up through them chapping my lips. A magnificent area and a great hike to be sure. I will be back for some of the other hikes in this area.

“When I saw the mountains the weight lifted and my restless spirt calmed… I knew I was where I belong.”

What a day! It pretty much checked all the boxes as far as ‘Pursing Balance Through Adventure’. The fresh mountain air, stretching the legs, getting the heart pumping, gaining altitude attitude, getting away from it all, natural scenic beauty and panoramic views, the adventure of a hard hike, add a little snow and ice for a little extra something, solo time to reflect, soul soaring to be sure. I certainly feel a little more balance seep into my life after such an outing in nature, but it is not about the destination. It’s not about bagging that Peak and standing atop that summit posing with that sign, but the trek up and down that mountain, and to looking forward to that next adventure. Speaking of next adventure- stick with me there is more to come because it’s what? A journey, a pursuit for additional chances to balance that ledger of the everyday hetic, chaotic, sometimes mundane, work-a-day life with bold experiences in the great outdoors. Stick with me by doing each and everyone of these things: COMMENT, LIKE, FOLLOW and SHARE. You can join the movement, wave the flag, and carry the banner by adorning yourself in ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ wear. Just go to SHOP APPAREL where you can find the long sleeve high performance shirt and beanie pictured in my summit shot and oh so much more. If you need ideas or inspiration on your own pursuit then go to the menu above where you will find the spots that PBTA travels to seeking that inner peace and to revel in nature. Each location is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure