First snow on Ontario Peak

JerryN · Post by **JerryN** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:04 am

Yesterday (11/11) we went out to experience the first snow of the year on a hike to Ontario Peak. The ice and snow started at the parking lot for the Icehouse Canyon Trail. The ice in the canyon was slippery, so we put mini-spikes on. That was more than sufficient. Some sure-footed folks went without, but we encountered many people who did not have traction devices turning around on the trail. One of my buddies used chains and they worked well also. From Icehouse Saddle we started out for Ontario Peak. The boot prints ended a tenth of a mile along as previous groups turned around. I broke trail to Kelly Camp through 2' of virgin snow. It was a blast, but by the time we got to Kelly Camp we were looking at a return on snow/ice/steep hillsides in the dark, so we called it. No summit but an incredible day alone in new snow on the side of Ontario Pk.
Ice House Canyon Trail (above the canyon floor)

Icehouse Saddle

Newly made boot holes into Kelly Camp, the only place where the snow was compacted and we did not have to posthole

Kelly Camp--hanging here before the turnaround

Post by **Sean** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:59 am

Nice. Thanks for the report. I hope we get a super cold storm this year and see lots of snow on the front range too.

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 1:17 pm

Looks like a beautiful outing. Good call on turning back. what's the phrase? 'the hiker who turns away, lives another day'?

Girl Hiker · Post by **Girl Hiker** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 4:03 pm

I am so jealous. I can't wait to hit the snow. Nice pics. Happy to hear you turned back. No sense in risking your life for a mountain that will always be there. I heard from a few people that they decided to turn back from both Ontario and Cucamonga peaks.

JerryN · Post by **JerryN** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 7:26 pm

We were the only ones to get 100 yards past the Saddle and on to Kelly Camp, no one got more than a few hundred yards from Ice House Saddle on the trail to Cucamonga. But the snow was awesome!!! too much fun

Post by **JeffH** » Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:39 pm

One set of footprints is always a good picture. That narrow trail goes along a very steep slope which is quite interesting when it gets icy, good idea to get back before then.

Post by **Uncle Rico** » Fri Nov 13, 2020 7:13 am

Super nice.

JerryN · Post by **JerryN** » Thu Nov 19, 2020 5:38 pm

Ontario Peak Part Deux,
We went back up today. There is still some ice on the Ice House trail but it is easy to navigate. From the saddle to Kelly Camp there is mixed bare ground, ice and snow with a well stomped trail in the snow and ice. Snow conditions were quite good, It was similar from Kelly Camp to the summit. I spiked up since I had them in my pack anyway. Had I not brought spikes I still would have gone for it, but that is a matter of individual choice and comfort. The snow is only on the more shaded north slopes, we saw very little on Timber, Big Horn and Baldy from our vantage but snow still on Cucamonga north slope. The second snow hike of the year yielded a summit