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Second peak down! We originally wanted to do Cucamonga today, but because of the snow, we decided on the LOWEST elevation possible 😉 Hiking Sitton was a beautiful, short morning. We went early in the morning so it was pretty cloudy but still beautiful and so peaceful at the top. A lot of mud due to the recent storms, but nothing unmanageable. That last quarter of a mile was steep but felt good! Great day!
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Responses
this reply is in response to… “We originally wanted to do Cucamonga today, but”…
Hi Jenn,
I rarely offer up my opinion or advice, especially when its unsolicited. And I had planned to do the same here, figuring someone else would chime in with their unsolicited advice, and then I’d be off the hook. I tried to just let it go, waiting for someone else to step-up, to no avail.
So here goes…
Depending on your level of mountaineering experience, Cucamonga (this time of year) can be very dangerous, and incredibly time consuming to reach. If you have the skills training, experience, and gear necessary for a full-on winter mountaineering excursion, and you are going with a group, then enjoy and be safe. If not, do yourself and your loved ones a favor. Stay away from the Mt. Baldy and Ice House Canyon Area.
Ice House Canyon under the current snow conditions, can be a death trap. Getting to Ontario is less sketchy than Cucamonga, but both require a considerable amount of time, and effort to reach.
Many hikers have been rescued in this area in recent months, and several have died or are still missing. That was before the last two winter storms dumped an additional 5 to 7 feet of snow in the area.
This is the same area that in December and January, when we had far less snow on the ground, San Bernardino County would not let highly trained Search & Rescue Teams do ground searches for missing hikers. Due to the high avalanche risk.
All that fresh deep snow does sound really inviting, and it can be a lot of fun to adventure out in, but in “steep rugged terrain” it can be a recipe for disaster.
I personally can’t wait to get back out there, do some snowshoeing, and test the new winter boots I got for Christmas. I’m guessing that it’s going to be a while before the Mt. Baldy and Ice House Canyon area will be safe enough, for those of us who are not mountaineering experts, to hike.
Get out there. Enjoy the mountains. Be safe.
p.s. – please, please, please, always tell (or text) someone (or multiple people) exactly where you are going, and when to expect you back. It’s the least you can do.
Thank you, thank you for your advice 🙂 Please trust that I had done plenty of research beforehand, and for all the reasons you stated, that is exactly why we decided against Cucamonga or any other mountain with snow on it at the time. I appreciate you keeping everyone out there safe 🙂 Happy hiking!
Thanks, you too.