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Icehouse to Fontana San Gabriels Linkup

Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2024 11:00 am
by nihaody
Thinking about linking up some of the peaks between Icehouse and Fontana was wondering if anybody had done this or had recommendations?

GPX Here

Specifically I'm curious about two things:

1) How heinous is the descent from Etiwanda Peak to Joe Elliot Tree Memorial.
2) How easy is it to exit in the Southeast corner of the range - either Panorama Park or Texas Hill. Anything to be aware of?

Was considering leaving the car at Icehouse and Ubering / Lyfting either all the way back to Icehouse or getting a ride up Icehouse to retrieve car with a friend.

Re: Icehouse to Fontana San Gabriels Linkup

Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2024 12:26 pm
by David R
The last couple of miles to Joe Elliot are in poor shape, there is a fellow who has been trying to get a group up there to fix it but it sounds all doable and if worse comes to worse you can xcountry much of it. Your exit strategy is more problematic, that old fire road is over grown and I don't even know if it is passable anymore. I took it years ago and it was already quite brushy, In addition you end in a private community and they don't want you there. I snuck through early in the morning and only got one nasty look.

Re: Icehouse to Fontana San Gabriels Linkup

Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2024 10:47 am
by nihaody
Did it this weekend and that descent to Joe Elliot was absolutely heinous. Close to impassable, we came out extremely cut up. The better route would have been to descend the steep (but grassy and secure-looking) ridgeline / gully into the wash. Honestly even if they trail had been clear it's a pretty silly route that adds about 3 miles of distance in exchange for saving oneself from a little bit of steep terrain.

Ended up exiting at Texas Hill instead and ending at the gas station / McDonalds down the road.

No water on the route past Ice House saddle at all and we didn't bring enough. Maybe I'll put together a TR later this week.