If you would like to add some difficulty to your Ice House Canyon trek, Timber Mountain is the trail for you. Though you will be adding just 0.9 miles to your journey, it will bring much more satisfaction to your day of hiking.
Directions:
From 210 freeway exit Baseline Road
Travel West 0.1 miles to Padua Ave Turn Right
Travel North 1.8 miles to Mt. Baldy Road Turn Right
Continue on Mt. Baldy Road for 8 miles passing through Mt. Baldy Village
Where the Road forks continue straight onto Ice House Canyon Road
From 10 Freeway exit Monte Vista Ave
Travel North on Monte Vista, it will turn into Padua Ave above the 210 freeway
Travel North 1.8 miles to Mt. Baldy Road Turn Right
Continue on Mt. Baldy Road for 8 miles passing through Mt. Baldy Village
Where the Road forks continue straight onto Ice House Canyon Road
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Timber Mountain is located just 0.9 miles from Ice House Saddle. Take the popular Ice House Canyon trail to the saddle and continue from there. This write-up will only cover the Timber Mountain portion of the journey. If you want a full description of Ice House Canyon, please check out the previous Ice House Canyon to Icehouse Saddle article.
Trailhead from the parking lot |
Ice House Canyon contains a well-maintained, well-marked, highly traficked trail. The signs will guide you along the way and you will have plenty of sights on your way to the saddle. Here are some of the landmarks you will encounter during your trek.
Keep straight on the Ice House Canyon trail, leave the Chapman trail for another day. |
Keep an eye out for mile markers |
Enter the Cucamonga Wilderness. Make sure you have your free Wilderness Permit from the Ranger Station |
Take a break on the saddle and check out the surrounding peaks |
Take the Three Tee's Trail. The trailhead is on the north side of the saddle. |
The ascent to Timber Mountain will cover 700 feet of elevation gain in 0.9 miles. It is a solid hike for you and your dog and when you reach the summit you with feel accomplished.
If you see any rocks blocking your path, take a look around and make sure the trail does not travel in another direction. |
The trail to the summit is short and straightforward. It is easy to follow and is just challenging enough to get your blood pumping. You get some cool views on the way to the summit so take some breaks for pictures. If you want to hike any peaks but you don't know where to begin, I would recommend this as a good practice/training hike. The other peaks are more difficult, but this will give you an idea what you and your dog are capable of.
When you travel almost 3/4 of a mile from the saddle along the Three Tee's Trail, you will see a sign guiding you to Timber Mountain. Take a right and head up the final 1/4 mile to the summit. This is quite a little trek, and it can be quite difficult if there is still snow on the trail. There is no clear trail, but it is obvious where you need to go. Just continue your ascent straight up the mountain.
Be sure to sign the register in the tree to the right of the Timber Mountain Sign |
Wander around the summit to get some spectacular views |
Large amounts of pristine snow on the summit |
We made the first footprints in the snow |
Also, take snow into consideration (you will most likely encounter snow here from November - April). Your dog may enjoy the snow, but make sure your dog's paws are doing okay. Take breaks and check their pads and clean out any snow or ice that can cause irritation. Some dog's pads are more sensitive than others so keep an eye on them. You can avoid some problems by keeping your pup's nails trimmed and by keeping the hair in-between their pads groomed and trimmed. If your dog's paws are sensitive, it may be a good idea to invest in some dog boots.
Ice House Canyon is a busy trail, so I have to prepare you by saying that you may encounter other dogs and many people along the way. This is always something to be aware of if you pup doesn't interact well with strange dogs.
The "trail" to the summit |
Elevation Gain: 3300 feet
Distance: 9.0 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate +
Time: Around 6-7 hours total
Required Permits: Cucamonga Wilderness Permit, Forest Adventure Pass
Where to Obtain Permits: Mt. Baldy Visitor Center (In Mt. Baldy Village 909-982-2829) If you want to hike before 8 a.m. call the day before for a Wilderness Permit. Buy a Forest Adventure Pass
Dog Approved: Yes!
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