So with my hiking buddies out of town I decided to hit up Icehouse Canyon again and since I have seen it so many times recently I pushed the pace more with less sightseeing. I wanted to concur Cucamonga Peak this year for sure after a few failed attempts. I hit the trail head at 7:30 and made one stop before Icehouse Saddle, this took me 90 mins. I headed out to Cucamonga Peak and too a few stops and made it to the top in another 90 mins, 3 hours to the top.
Once I started down my mind started drifting about additional peaks and I saw what looked like a trail from Cucamonga Saddle up the ridge to Big Horn Peak. So sure enough, when I got there no one was around so I started up (slightly off trail) there was definitely a trail from other hikers and evidence of usage since the snow melt (by the way I saw hardly any snow on the trail). There was one truly sketchy part with bad consequences but I think if I stuck to more of the ridge it would have been better.
Made it to the top of bighorn peak, Not especially beautiful but at least there was a few trees I could sit a relax. I was able to pick up the trail again headed back down and ran into two guys coming up. They helped me with my position on the mountain and as pushed on. The junction to Ontario Peak or Kellys camp (direction for home) was much farther than I thought so when I got there I decided to go for Ontario Peak.
The trail to Ontario Peak was much of like parts of the upcoming 9 Peaks hike. Sunny and there were parts with no tree coverage (lots of small ups and downs). Once there it is much more quaint. Only one guy there having a bear. There is a bottle cap opener nailed to the tree. I didn’t know probably because the guy was sitting on top of it but there is a register there. There is a large rock pile and a big spiny dead tree.
I headed back now to the trail junction to Kellys Camp and ran into one more guy (4 total on the entire trail, Cucamonga had towns of people though). Kellys camp was open and had at least 3-4 very flat sites and even a camp fit pit with some sitting logs. From there is took longer than anticipated back to Icehouse Saddle but I was sure glad to hear voices once there. I passed one small spring on the way back. I descended Ice House Canyon and my feet were mighty sore now. I stopped once down the steep section and switched socks.
All in all it was a good hike but I am not sure I want to go up that canyon again this year. I estimate I did 15-18 miles and roughly 6000 ft in 8 hours I got back to the car at 3:30. Still sore today but better. I would post some pictures but I am still learning how to get them off my new phone.
Icehouse Ridge? - Cucamonga, Bighorn, Ontario
You probably passed us near the trailhead in the morning: tall guy and tall girl with a small tan puppy.
Nunc est bibendum