We were uncertain if we were going to hike a peak this day – and if so which one. The weather reports for the various areas indicated there were afternoon showers, and possibly t-storms, in the forecast for Saturday. We monitored the weather forecast and on Friday we settled on Cucamonga Peak! Assuming an early start, we felt if we were to get rained on it would be in the later part of the hike. We therefore prepped Friday evening for early Saturday departure.

What a fantastic day for a hike! Rain? Never saw it. The temperature remained cool enough to not overheat while hiking yet warm enough to not require multiple layers of clothing. We saw hikers wearing an array of clothing from tank tops to (lighter) winter jackets, shorts to long pants, and hiking sandals to boots.

We arrived at just before 6 am and were lucky enough to grab one of the last few parking spots by the trail head. By the time we were unloading there were plenty of cars lapping the parking lot and resigned to the fact that they were going to park down the street – adding some valuable steps before and after their hikes. If you want to park close on a weekend, arrive early (or better yet – earlier than early!).

I found the overall hike to be quite enjoyable. We took what seemed to be traditional trail through the saddle and up to the peak. The trail was well marked and quite easy to follow. There has been some rock slide activity on the trail and you will hike over some of them. They did not present even a minor obstacle to the hike.

The creeks were running and there were some waterfalls flowing. The first (and last) couple of miles were along the creek, passing several cabins along the way. Once through this area the trail was mostly a single trail and there was a lot of traffic! Especially when returning from the peak – lots of stopping and going. Most hikers we found to be extremely courteous allowing faster hikers to pass.

We made the peak in a little under 4 hours. We then spent almost an hour at the peak. We waited in line to have our picture taken on the iconic ledge with the “Cucamonga Peak 8859 FT” sign as there were a dozen or so fellow hikers in line with us. A quick walk up the final 300 meters or so to the actual peak, some nutrition, and we were on our way back down the mountain.

The descent took less than three hours and was mostly uneventful. This is when we encountered our first bugs – but they were few and far between which was very welcomed!

Overall – I would say this is a strenuous hike given what seemed to be a decently steep grade at times. My Garmin put the hike at 12.25 miles with a total elevation gain of  3,960. The views were fantastic, and on a clearer day, I would imagine they would be spectacular. Despite some low clouds in the valleys, the mountain offered many panoramic views for all.