4/17/2022:

On an Easter Sunday, I hiked up to Cucamonga Peak with my niece Helen.  We started very early in the morning.  Since it was Easter, we didn't see alot of hikers on the trail.  At the first junction, Helen and I decided to take the Chapman Trail to the Icehouse Canyon saddle.  This was our first time hiking on the Chapman Trail.  This trail is so scenic.  We saw lush mountains from beyond.  There was also a campsite I never knew about.  The first half of the Chapman Trail had trees and bushes.  They were very lush.  OMG! The part of the Chapman Trail was rocky and scree.  There was a section we had to hug onto the mountain to pass.  It was kind of scary like the Devil's Backbone.  Then the Chapman Trail connects back to the Icehouse Canyon trail.  Helen and I took a snack and water break at the Icehouse Canyon saddle.  At the Saddle, I saw Sam, one of my hiking buddy's dog.  I instantly knew that Jeese was here, too.  Jeese is Sam's owner.  Jeese had also brought his hiking partner, Aimee.  Jeese, Aimee and Sam were hiking up to Cucamonga Peak, too.  Helen and I continued on with our hike up to Cucamonga Peak.  Jeese, Aimee and Sam eventually caught with Helen and I.  They then passed us.  Helen and I were very cautious because there were ice and snow a mile from the saddle.  We put on our microspikes for safety.  As we hiked up towards the switchbacks, we encountered two siblings: an older sister and her younger brother.  They got lost because it was there first time to Cucamonga Peak.  Di they followed us.  But these two siblings weren't equipped to hike in snow.  The younger brother had on tennis shoes and one borrowed trekking pole from a hiker they met.  His older sister had on hiking boots and use two tree branches as trekking poles.  She was sluggish and scared.  I had a pair of microspikes in my backpack.  I lent them to the older sister.  She put them on and it helped her tremendously.  We finally got to Cucamonga Peak together.  After taking our summit photos and had lunch, we decided to descend.  Helen looked over the older sister and I looked over the younger brother.  We finally got back to snow free trail and to the saddle.  The siblings thank us for looking over their safety.  The older sister returned the microspikes back to me.  After that, Helen and I headed back to my car.

What an adventure.