EISPIRATEN

I hiked up Cucamonga Peak to watch the fireworks and to recon the south ridge. It was pretty hazy. There were about a dozen other people on the peak, all of them camping for the night. I was the only day hiker. A couple of the campers started campfires. I didn't say anything since I doubt they would have stopped.

The sunset was really nice, but the fireworks weren't all that great. It was kind of cool to see dozens of fireworks shows going off at the same time, but they were all really far away. Since we were looking down at the city, the fireworks also mostly blended in with the city lights. None of this surprised me but I figured I'd see for myself.

Returning in the dark, I saw a lot of spiders with green sparkley eyes. Most of them were the size of a quarter and the biggest ones were about the size of a half dollar. I also saw two deer just below Icehouse Canyon Saddle. The first one looked to be a baby and wasn't afraid of me. It even came closer as I took pictures of it. It probably had no idea what I was because all it could see was a really bright point of light.

That's pretty awesome. As I was driving home from the Pomona fairgrounds last night I thought about doing something like this as well, but if it didnt work so well, guess I wont!

However, on that note of night hikes, anyone ever done baldy and seen the sunrise from the top? Was thinking about trying.

Awesome photos! Those are Wolf Spiders. Very intelligent spiders that typically live under logs or in burrows. instead of waiting in a web, they actively chase down and attack their prey. Excellent animals.

Funyan, I often watch the sunset from the top of Baldy, as I like hiking those trails at night more than during the day. much more peaceful, with an amazing view. I've seen the sunrise from Baldy a few times, and other peaks. Well worth it in the winter, with the early morning light reflecting off snow and ice.

Tim, Those are great pictures! I especially like the sunset one with the pink clouds. On the following pic do you know what peak that is poking up above the clouds?

Cool Spider 8) !!!!!! That thing looks huge... it must have a painful bite!!!

I've handled hundreds of Wolf Spiders, never been bitten.

Might be Santiago peak, Fight On.

As for hiking at night, is the threat of running into animals any greater? I have no desire to run into anything that will uh, bite my head off. Though, I'd be hiking with a partner, with headlights and shit, just wondering if I should be a little more wary.

Yeah, I believe that is Santiago and Modjeska Peaks.

Animals are more active at night so you are more likely to have an encounter. It's unlikely anything will happen, although I am still wary when hiking at night because I am usually alone. I try to stay alert, I look for glowing eyes and I listen for sounds. I also carry very powerful LED lights so I can blind whatever I do run into. It's really not that scary and is definitely worth it to experience the golden hours at sunrise or sunset, especially if you're into photography.

RichardK, you might have run into me. I started around 4:30 PM and was the only one going up.

I hike home at night all the time, and have not had any real problems. I see lotsa weasel-size things... that's about it.

My wife and I must have passed you on the trail. We dayhiked Cucamonga on the Fourth. We were on the trail from 8AM to 5PM.
We saw nobody on the way up, but passed about a dozen backpackers on the way down. Nice report.
Here is a pano looking east.

Nice! But does that mean you're going to bail out of this Saturday's hike?!

What about the south ridge, does it look passable?

RichardK, that photo is way cool

ditto...excellete photos&tr....

JM, I'll probably still be there this Saturday, although I might have to bail early from the summit for an appointment in San Diego.

The upper part of the south ridge looks doable. It's mostly low lying grass. I forgot my binoculars so I don't know how brushy the lower part of the ridge is. When we get a cool day I need to attempt this. Want to go?

Btw, I think I freaked out another hiker who was descending the trail just behind me. Check out this trip report: http://www.mtsanjacinto.info/viewtopic.php?t=972

That was me taking the pictures of the deer (what he thought was a cougar). I was in a hurry to get down and go home to bed so I was moving pretty fast. But this other hiker kept getting closer. I didn't understand why he was trying to catch up to me when I was moving so fast. So I booked it even faster and pulled away for awhile. Then later I saw his light again and he kept getting closer. What the heck? It kind of made me nervous so I said, screw this, I started trail running and I was out of there. I guess I was so far ahead now that he thought I had hid in the bushes. It's hilarious. I didn't mean to freak him out, but he kind of freaked me out.

hilarious!

Yeah I'm definitely up for the ridge route one day.

Nice pano!

HAH!

The South Ridge route... same south ridge as this one?
http://www.summitpost.org/route/159562/deer-canyon.html

Smith Ridge looks good too.

I might do this in the winter, a few days after the first big snowfall, erm, after enough time for it to consolidate somewhat.

TacoDelRio wrote:The South Ridge route... same south ridge as this one?
http://www.summitpost.org/route/159562/deer-canyon.html

Smith Ridge looks good too.

I might do this in the winter, a few days after the first big snowfall, erm, after enough time for it to consolidate somewhat.

That she be. Seems like it'd be a lot of mixed climbing in the winter...that south side melts fast.

I think it would be pretty easy, with the hardest part really just being the elevation gain coupled with it being the likely first alpine climb of the season. First ones always suck.