Timber Mountain Peak via Icehouse Canyon 8-27-2014

Looking down Icehouse Canyon from just above Icehouse saddle

     Icehouse Canyon is a very popular hike in the Angeles National Forest, not far from Mt. Baldy. Apparently this hike is very busy on weekends during the summer, although the crowds thin out the farther up you go. On this particular Wednesday morning we encountered only a dozen or so people the entire time. The hike to Icehouse saddle is about 3.5 miles each way. From the saddle it is another .9 miles to reach the summit of Timber Mountain, just north of the saddle. This hike is pretty strenuous as you constantly gain elevation over the course of the hike. Our total elevation gain for the hike was 3,303 feet, making this by far the most elevation gain I've done to date.

History

     Back in 1858 someone began cutting ice in this area to sell down the hill in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas, hence the name. The first mining claim for the area was made in 1892. In 1921, a man named Clarence Chapman built the Icehouse Canyon Lodge, the remnants of which can still be seen next to the trailhead parking lot. This lodge was a popular getaway for celebrities for 50 years. It burned down in 1988 according to this LA Times article. At the time, rumors circulated that the owner was seen with a gas can near the property just before the fire.

The Hike

   

An early section of the trail

     My friend, Jeremy, and I reached the trailhead just before 9:15 am on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 after stopping at the visitor center in Mt. Baldy to obtain the required wilderness permit (available for free) needed for this hike since it enters the Cucamonga Wilderness Area. An Adventure Pass is also required to park at the trailhead. At the center, we were informed that wilderness permits were now available from a box right at the trailhead. After filling out the required information on the pass Jeremy and I were on our way. The first 1.5 miles or so follows a stream through the bottom of the canyon providing a nice soundtrack to the hike. The trail is also very well shaded at this point. This lower section of the hike is dotted with cabins still in use and the remains of cabins from days past.