Get Outside and Explore
Today I would be hiking Wild Horse Trail. I had been wanting to visit the Agua Tibia Wilderness along Hwy 79 in Temecula for some time. This rugged, beautiful, and isolated area, has several peaks to climb along with plenty of jaw dropping scenery. This wilderness area is located within rural San Diego County, about an hour from Orange County. I hiked 12 miles in the wilderness out and back experiencing my first taste of the Agua Tibia Wilderness, a place I vowed to return to again soon.
Today my plan was to take Icehouse Canyon to Chapman Trail, before hiking on to Icehouse Saddle. I had been planning to hike to Timber Mountain, one of the Three’s T’s, the last of the three I had not summited after Thunder Mountain and Telegraph Peak.
I drove up to Crystal Lake Recreation Area from Hwy-39, parking at the Islip Ridge trailhead. After climbing up to four peaks a year ago, to “The Four Hawkins,” I was back again in a beautiful alpine wilderness, standing deep within a giant granite bowl. But there was one more adjoining peak I had not climbed, Mount Islip, which is included in the Sierra Club’s Hundred Peaks section.
I hiked up to Icehouse Saddle, which sits at 7600 feet, for the first time in a year. It sit's nestled within the Cucamonga Wilderness, not far from one of the most famous hikes in California, Mount Baldy. It may not be as well known, as Mount Baldy, but is still one of my favorite hikes. It is especially beautiful during fall in November.
It's one of the most popular hiking trails in Orange County, and it is popular with hikers, runners, and mountain bikers. With distant mountain views, just about anyone looking to get fit outdoors will find a reason to like the trails of Peter's Canyon. Multiple hills, wide accessible trails, and numerous route options draw a crowd. The reservoir and neighboring marsh create a habitat for migrating birds, making it a birding destination as well.
Serafina Hikes 