EISPIRATEN

I haven't been hiking in a while, moving plus a very sore back has kept me at home. So with a warm Saturday in front of me I decided to go up to Timber Mountain, thinking my gf would join for the walk. Dropped off the Ranger to get an oil change and alignment and the went to the FS station in Baldy Village to get the Cucamonga Wilderness permit. I also got a stove permit so I will be legal during my Sierra hike later this year. We got near the Icehouse parking area at 9:30, as usual it was crowded so we parked up the road around the bend a ways, about a half mile to the trailhead. Surprisingly we didn't see too many people out, maybe they were already hiding in the shade somewhere. We stopped for a break at the Cucamonga Wilderness sign and for some water at Columbine Spring, and finally for a Clif bar at the Saddle. I went ahead to the summit, hung out there for a few minutes and then we went back down. I took a little time to place impediments in front of a few of the cut switchbacks, I doubt if they do much good but I feel a little better about myself now. Uneventful walk down, and a burger and ESB on tap at Baldy Lodge made for a good finish to about five hours in the local mountains.

A few pics....



As mentioned elsewhere around here, not too much water in the creek.



My least favorite part - you just know it will be hot going up this stretch.



Baldy from the viewpoint below the saddle.



Surprise, only one other person at the saddle.



This always feels like the longest quarter mile ever but when I look at the time it's about 8 minutes.



Timber summit. Register box in the tree still says Chapman.



Baldy from the Timber trail.



Tiny patch of snow just below the saddle.

I took a little time to place impediments in front of a few of the cut switchbacks, I doubt if they do much good but I feel a little better about myself now.

We came across a uniformed trail maintenance guy a few years ago who told us the he placed logs only to have the switchback cutters move them out of the way. I've taken to calling them out when I see them including a group of 3 last Saturday. At the risk of sounding racist, those switchbacks were pristine until the Koreans discovered Icehouse Canyon.

At the risk of sounding racist, those switchbacks were pristine until the Koreans discovered Icehouse Canyon.

I wonder if my ancestors said the same thing when they saw the white man in the mountains?

Wanna take a crack at the people using the East Fork, too?

Nice pics, Jeff.

HJ

Such a beautiful area!

OK, this is gonna sound weird, but who cares... I have such a soft spot in my heart for these pictures of the last, tiny snow patches of the season...

Don't know what it is about them --- the last hold out... the little engine that could type of thing... holding onto the 'past'

Maybe these patches remind me of the sadness of driving past the last patch of snow when we would be leaving Big Bear and heading back down to the city. As kids, we'd beg our parents to pull over so we could get one last touch of snow. Thankfully our mom convinced pops to stop the car --- you know how old school dads don't like to stop once they get going

So Jeff, you're 'patch' picture will now begin the collection of 'last snow' photos


Richard, I don't think your comment sounded racist --- you didn't use any perjoratives to take in that direction It's no secret that there are many more Korean hikers in the Ice House Canyon area and even if a few are cutting switchbacks, that's gonna create a problem.

Boy how things have changed in the Ice House Canyon area... every once in awhile, we'd get a super late start and there'd still be plenty of parking at the trailhead as late as 10-11am...

Very nice report. Your picture of the "hot" part of the trail and last patch of snow reminded me of my trip to Timber in January.

It looked a little different then. What a difference four months make.

RichardK wrote: ↑
We came across a uniformed trail maintenance guy a few years ago who told us the he placed logs only to have the switchback cutters move them out of the way. I've taken to calling them out when I see them including a group of 3 last Saturday.

I stopped to holler at a guy about three switchbacks below the saddle.
Me: "That's not the trail!"
Him: "....smiles...."
Me: "You're not supposed to be there, it's not trail."
Him: "...smiles...eees good for me!"


Grrrrrr!

phstudio wrote: ↑

At the risk of sounding racist, those switchbacks were pristine until the Koreans discovered Icehouse Canyon.

I wonder if my ancestors said the same thing when they saw the white man in the mountains?

Wanna take a crack at the people using the East Fork, too?

The worst prepared and most destructive Ive seen in the SGs.
Hands down.