Timber Mountain

If the parking lot at the trailhead is full, park along Mt. Baldy Road (be respectful of private property/driveways along here). There are pit toilets and trash cans in the parking lot for last-minute needs. Sign-in to the trail registry if required. The Icehouse Canyon Trail #7W07A is wide and flat for the first 0.5 miles or so as it rises gently along the river. The surface is generally even with sections of stone steps. You pass several little cabins along the river (again, respect the private property here). In this section, you'll notice small but very pretty waterfalls intermittently in the river but different sections flow at different times of the year so waterfalls are not consistent. About 1.5 miles up from the trailhead, you encounter the Cucamonga Wilderness boundary and associated signage. This also marks the transition into a rockier section of the trail as it follows a scree/dry riverbed section of the canyon floor. There are remarkable geological features along this portion. Try to watch the trail, especially on the way up, as it's easy to lose it on parts of the riverbed if you're watching the amazing scenery. Just over two miles into the hike, the trail begins to rise in earnest toward Icehouse Saddle from the canyon floor. The best way to describe this section is a classic lovely mountain trail. It's dusty and narrow with amazing specimen of pine and fir trees and occasionally steep switchbacks. After about a mile of this, there is signage pointing toward the summit of this trail, Icehouse Saddle. The last section is also rising switchbacks and the ecology changes to manzanita stands and open pockets of forest floor. This will take you up to the Saddle, which then splits into a network of other trails out into the Cucamonga Wilderness. This is a great place to stop and enjoy the cool breezes and lovely scenery before the final ascent of 0.9 miles. From this junction, turn left and head north along the Three T's Trail #7W06 as it gradually climbs the ridge toward the summit of Timber Mountain. After 0.7 miles, look for the right-hand turn onto the Timber Mtn. Trail #7W06B. This short spur will climb steeply up to the top of Timber Mountain, marking the turnaround point for this hike with beautiful views at an elevation of 8,827 feet.