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It's a long hike, but a favorite for those avoiding crowds. Ice House Canyon is a popular weekend trail, though many people only make use of lower elevation section of the trail by the creek. But don't expect to have the trail to yourself unless you head to further destinations. The north face of Cucamonga holds snow much later in the season. Even in June, we hit many patches of snow that covered the trail, but nothing that required any technical equipment. The trail begins at the popular Icehouse Canyon trailhead about a mile beyond Mt. Baldy Village.
San Gabriel + San Bernardino Mountains, California
The Forest Service website language is confusing, but the information here has been confirmed with the rangers. There are a number of cabins in the lower canyon that are still in use, as well as the remains of many more that have been destroyed by flood or fire over the years. At times it felt like rush hour on the 5 with long lines of hikers and few places to pass. Log in to keep track of trails that interest you with My Hikes and receive the "hike of the month" newsletter from hikespeak.com.
Map + Directions
The final approach to the summit is also an avalanche zone. If you don't have winter mountaineering experience, don't do it. People have fallen to their deaths here in the winter. There's some confusion around permits for Cucamonga Peak, especially after some changes were made in 2020. To do this hike from the Icehouse Canyon Trailhead to Cucamonga Peak, you can fill out a permit at the trailhead, or do it online here before you go. For some other approaches to Cucamonga Peak, you do need to obtain a permit beforehand.
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Poncho sledding, as it could be called, adds even more enjoyment to this winter hike.
Cucamonga Peak via Icehouse Canyon
Nothing is sponsored or promoted, just the actual gear that I use. Aside from a bar, there are next to no services in Mount Baldy Village. Make sure you pick up all of your supplies before leaving the metro area and heading up the hill. Icehouse Saddle itself is simply a weathered sign and a couple of downed trees that are great spots to sit down and catch your breath. Trail signs mark the destinations and distances of the trails that branch off from this point. On the descent, if you keep an emergency poncho in the bottom of your backpack (for completely different circumstances), you can put it to use as a makeshift toboggan.
Nearby Adventures
Hikers may turn around at the saddle or continue on in four different directions. These tracks are barely visible under the deep snow, and only one trail sign is visible. The trail itself is not particularly exciting but does offer some nice views in all directions. Below the National Forest, all but the last half mile lies on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management within the Red Cliffs NCA. The trail may also be accessed from the Broken Mesa trail that junctures with the trail about mid-point.
Cucamonga Peak Camping Permit
Icehouse Canyon is located in a beautiful stretch of the Angeles National Forest near Mount Baldy Village, just southeast of the mighty Mount Baldy. A trail through the canyon leads up to Icehouse Saddle. At 7,500 feet, this low point in the ridgeline offers sweeping views of the western San Gabriel Mountains.
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Gear for the Hike
The combination of blue skies, white snow, and impressive peaks make for an exception outing. One mile from the start, comes a junction with the Chapman Trail, which turns north, passing through Cedar Grove Trail Camp on a more roundabout course to Icehouse Saddle. The Icehouse Canyon Trail continues straight ahead, eventually crossing over to the south side of the creek. Incense Cedars and firs become the dominant arbors, and 0.8 miles past the junction, the trail crosses a sign marking the boundary of the Cucamonga Wilderness. This is the halfway point by mileage, but in some ways, the hike is just beginning.
Icehouse Canyon to Icehouse Saddle in the San Gabriel Mountains
You can stay up to date with my new guides by following me on YouTube, Instagram, or by subscribing to my monthly newsletter. Before you start, you will need an Adventure Pass for parking ($5/day or $30 annually) as well as a free wilderness permit. Permit and pass can be purchased at the Mt. Baldy visitor center. The parking lot can fill up on weekends so get there early. There are basic toilets at the beginning of the trail but not on the trail itself.
The views are very nice and the time we went there was snow on the ground, but sneakers were still fine with some decently warm socks. Busy on a Saturday morning, but the farther you go up the less people you see.Definitely recommend for a good workout, but not too hard where you can't talk along the way. Above the snow-covered waterfall, the trail becomes more generous again and there is only one more steep passage over the last third-mile.
The hike is accessible in all seasons, but in winter there can be snow and ice so special equipment may be useful, but not required. In mid-January there were patches of ice on the trail but were easily crossed in boots and trainers. You can take the trail and end at Ice house Saddle or continue on to other destinations for a longer hike or overnight camping. The Icehouse Canyon trail is a beautiful, well-forested trail that parallels babbling Icehouse Creek. There is lots of parking at the trailhead (Adventure Pass required) but due to the popularity, it fills up early. We started our hike at 7am and the parking lot still had a few spaces, but was quickly filling up.
I use the affordable National Parks Pass, which gets me in every park, monument, and national forest. You can also use a (Southern California only) Adventure Pass, or buy a $5 day permit from the visitor's center. Don't attempt it if you haven't done long mountain hikes and if you don't have a good level of fitness. Likewise, if there's snow and ice on the route, don't attempt it unless you have winter hiking and mountaineering experience. The trail is well-worn because it is a route for hikers attempting several of the high country peaks or others just out hiking the canyon with no particular turnaround point in mind. You may see quite a few other hikers during the busier seasons.
It's almost like the Eastern Sierra, to an extent, but it needs fewer people playing music on speakers as they hike. After your hike be sure to stop at the Mt. Baldy Lodge for something to cool you down or warm you up. The chili and grilled cheese are my top choices and they have lots of hot and cold drinks, alcoholic and otherwise, which you have more than earned. There are many trails that lead from Icehouse Saddle and signage may be confusing or non-existent. I recommend carrying the Harrison Mt. Baldy and Cucamonga Wilderness Map, and backing that up with the GPX track loaded in GaiaGPS on my full-charged phone.
The trail begins as an old 2-track which gradually peters out to a single-track, dirt path before reaching Mill Creek and then continues across the mesa. A 100 foot elevation gain is dwarfed by a total elevation loss of about 1,860 feet, the majority being a gradual decent across the mesa with a drop of about 400 feet the last 0.5 mile. The lower trailhead junction off of the Middleton Powerline trail is reached from the Mill Creek trailhead. The trail is bike and equestrian friendly except for the last 0.5 mile because of the steep descent on lava rock. Check the summit weather, the snow satellite imagery, and call the ranger office for the latest conditions, and don't take any risks. When there is snow and ice on Cucamonga Peak, it is no longer a hike and becomes a mountaineering activity.
This is a backcountry hike and you should prepare accordingly. It's also a hike best left for times when there's no snow or ice. The Three T's Trail hike is one of the more peaceful hikes in the Mt Baldy area.
Come prepared with the ten essentials, including a map that you’ve studied beforehand and the knowledge of how to navigate and find an alternate route in case of wildfire or other emergency. Once you reach this marker to the summit, you’re almost there. And if it’s a clear day, you are rewarded with amazing views in every direction. We offer a compact version of Go-California for mobile users, allowing you to access just the information you need on the road. Of course, you can still use the full version of Go-California on your mobile device just as you can on your desktop. Overall the trails are well-marked and in good condition.
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