Mount Baldy via the Backbone Trail – Summit #5

This would be Mount Baldy summit #5. It was a cool fall morning in the Cucamonga Wilderness in October as I began my hike to Mount Baldy from Manker Flats around 7:30 am. It was just below 50 degrees out and the weather was perfect. I had no planned eta on this one. However long it takes. However many breaks. If I needed to turn back I would. I was trying to be realistic, and not push too hard on this one. I began heading up Baldy Rd. towards the notch, since today I planned on summiting Mt Baldy via the Devil’s Backbone Trail. It had recently snowed here a week ago, and I had a feeling the snow had melted off along the trail just enough in the past few days, with the warmer drier conditions, to make the backbone trail safe and passable. I brought micro-spikes and a trekking pole for stability on small patches or snow or ice.

Hiking Icehouse Canyon to Bighorn Peak

I started my hike up to Bighorn Peak a lot later in the day than I was hoping to. It was around 11:30 am when I arrived at the parking area, to find it completely full on a Saturday morning. I drove downhill, parking along the road. By the time I had gotten ready to head out and reached the trailhead, it was now about 12 noon. My goal today was to head to a peak, and there were several choices. I could hike to Timber Mountain, which was the last peak I hiked to here. I could go on to Cucamonga again, a peak I have been wanting to re-visit for years. It’s 4000 feet of gain, making me re-consider if I am ready today, with this late start. Then there is Etiwanda, beyond Cucamonga, which was also on the list.

Timber Mountain via Chapman Trail

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.

2 Peaks in a Day – Thunder Mountain and Telegraph Peak

On a cool fall day I set out to hike to two peaks, in one day: Thunder Mountain, and Telegraph Peak. The Three T’s is a popular hike in the Angeles National Forest, near Mount Baldy. I would be hiking up Mount Baldy Rd. from Manker Flats, passing “the Notch,” and heading on to Thunder Mountain, before coming to the sign for the Three T’s Hike, in the Cucamonga Wilderness.