Not sure what tributary this is, doesn't look like it flows very much
At the "top" I dropped onto the Castle Creek Trail. The brush hasn't been cut back in awhile and within a few minutes I was drenched from all the dripping wet bushes growing over the trail.
It was raining fairly good up there so I did not take many photos, glad I got this one.
I made it all the way up to Muir Peak, but due to the cloud cover there was nothing to look at. Still it was a cool peak and I bet on a clear day the views are amazing!
9.5 miles round trip
4 hours car to car
****************
Then on Saturday the 23rd I woke up at 4:15am, ate breakfast and drove to Ice House Canyon. I started hiking a little before 5:30am by headlamp but after hiking for about 10 minutes I realized I left my sunglasses in the car and had to turn around. Doh! The trail up to the Saddle felt like it floated by...
Sunrise just past Ice House Saddle
...and before I knew it I was postholing my way to Cucamonga Saddle.
Lazy clouds floating through the sky from the Cucamonga Saddle - it was crazy windy up there!
There is still a fair amount of snow on the NW slope of Cucamonga Peak...
Primo conditions for a little mountaineering
In a few spots the snow was still solid ice and I had to chop steps with my ice axe. Awesome!
Cool rock bridge on the ridgeline!
I ate 2nd breakfast on the summit of Cucamonga Peak and took a nap on a perfect rock.
Looking east...
Looking south...
On the way down I came across a group of 4 guys, who seemed to be very appreciative of my kicked steps
They were going to head up to Bighorn Peak and then Ontario Peak, after summiting Cucamonga. On the way down I decided it was way to early and I felt to "fresh" to go home so I decided to go for Telegraph Peak. Phew! That is butt kicker of a trail.
View from the Timber/Telegraph Saddle
About 1 mile from the summit the trail disappeared under snow and once again I found myself kicking steps straight uphill (at least this time the snow was softer).
I ate lunch on the summit of Telegraph Peak & soaked in the views...
Looking down the steep West Face of Telegraph - didn't Taco climb this a few months back?
My favorite photo from the trip.
...and then went back the way I came. I ran out of water on the summit so the whole hike back I had no water. At Ice House Saddle I ran into the same 4 guys I had seen on the way up Cucamonga Peak, they too had taken a nap on the summit and had forgone the rest of their adventure. I borrowed 2 Ibuprofen from them, as I had gotten a ragging headache on Telegraph Peak. I refilled my water reserves at Columbine Spring...
Mmmm... Water!
...and headed home!
Total Mileage was about 16.5 miles (I forgot to track the leg from Ice House Saddle to Cucamonga Peak - so I guessed about 2 miles one way). Also a bit longer than normal due to my turn around to get my sunglasses.
Time - 10 hours and 15 minutes
so he knows the risks and the dangers.