Mt Whitney Training hike #2: Cucamonga Peak Via Icehouse Canyon

After setting the pace for our Mt. Whitney training on Iron Mountain, the husband and I decided to tackle one of the big Southern California peaks.  For this hike we chose Cucamonga Peak.  This prominent peak towers above Rancho Cucamonga and the sprawling suburbs of Los Angeles.  It tops out at an impressive 8859'.  And might I say, it is an absolutely stunning hike!

Just one view from the top of Cucamonga Peak

Cucamonga Peak is the second hike in what is known as the "So Cal SixPack of Peaks."  The So Cal SixPack is a series of more and more strenuous hikes that go higher in elevation with each peak.  The peaks included in the six pack are as follows:  Mt. Wilson (12.6 miles, 5710'), Cucamonga Peak (11.6 miles, 8859'), Mt. San Antonio (a.k.a. Baldy, 11 miles, 10068'), San Bernardino Peak (15.7 miles, 10649), San Jacinto Peak (11.8 miles, 10834'), and the crowning glory, the tallest peak in So Cal, San Gorgonio (a.k.a. Old Greyback, 17.3 miles, 11503').  Done in sequence, these hikes are an excellent training schedule for any big hike like Whitney or Half-dome.  But they are also great accomplishments in their own right!  We plan to hike all of these peaks before Whitney with the exception of Mt. Wilson.  We skipped that one because it is the lowest, and we aren't sure we have enough weekends for all of them. For more info on the So Cal SixPack,  check out the SoCal SixPack page at EveryTrail.com.  They have great trail descriptions, difficulty ratings, distances, and elevations.  Overall they are one of the best hiking sites I have found.  They are definitely the site I go to most often for my trail info.

Training Hike #2  

Cucamonga Peak via Icehouse Canyon

Peak Height: 8859'

Distance: 11.6 miles round trip

Elevation Gain: 4300'

We completed this hike on Sunday, June 14th.  We left the house at 7am.  We planned to leave at 6am but we were both feeling pretty groggy and it was a struggle just to get out by 7am.  It is 1hr 45 minute drive to get up to Baldy Village from Oceanside.  Our first stop was the ranger station to pick up our wilderness permit and adventure pass (we left our annual pass in the other car.  It was a rough morning).  The minute I got out of the car and inhaled that cool, clean mountain air filled with the scent of pine, I was instantly refreshed. This was our first visit to the Baldy Village area, and it is a great little spot!  You really feel like you have escaped all the hustle and bustle of the city.  And these are some real mountains with huge towering trees and some respectable peaks.  These things can sometimes be hard to come by in So Cal.  I was stoked to get started!

We drove up the road a mile or so and grabbed a spot in the Icehouse Canyon parking lot, gathered our gear and set out at around 9:30am.  We set a leisurely pace as we began to climb up through the canyon.  Icehouse Canyon is absolutely beautiful.  It was the perfect temperature, and the canyon hosts a flowing creek complete with many waterfalls and clear pools, as well as a smattering of little stone cabins and ruins.  Some of the cabins appeared to still be in use.

Cute little waterfall in Icehouse Canyon

With the sound of the creek and the multitude of birds, squirrels, and chipmunks lifting our spirits and propelling us onward, we made good time through the canyon.  It really seemed to fly by in such a gorgeous setting.  We followed all trail junction signs up to Icehouse Saddle by the shortest route.  At one junction there is a slightly longer, but gentler trail option called the Chapman Trail, but we opted for the shorter, steeper route.  Once you climb out of the canyon there are some switchbacks that lead up the mountainside.  The views start to become more grand.  

Climbing out of the canyon on the switchbacks

Once we finished the switchbacks, which are pretty strenuous, we arrived at Icehouse Saddle.  This is a junction of three major trails.  The 3 T's trail branches off to the left, the Ontario Trail branches right, and straight ahead is the Cucamonga Peak trail.  For many hikers in Icehouse Canyon, this is their destination.  But after a quick lunch of PB&J (that I dropped in the dirt, much to my dismay), and some trail mix, we continued up the Cucamonga Peak trail to the summit.

Erik checking out the map at Icehouse Saddle

The saddle is more than halfway to the peak, but we had a long drive home so it was time to get moving!  As we left the saddle the trail quickly became looser and less maintained.  We got to cross some impressive talus slopes and the views were quite spectacular.  We kept moving as the trail became increasingly strenuous.  There is one final push up a steep slope to the peak.  We made it!

Basking in victory at the summit!

At the top we got to relax for a bit and have a snack.  My legs were toast!  But it was worth every step.  The views on the summit were amazing.  The peak is really prominent and plunges directly down into the Inland Empire.  And in the other direction you get a stunning view of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Erik enjoying a snack at the summit

Luckily the hike down is pretty gradual in most spots so it wasn't too brutal.  Plus on the way down there was a little more time for photography!  We booked it down the trail stopping for pictures here and there.

Crossing a talus slope on our jaunt back to the trailhead

The afternoon light in Icehouse Canyon is perfect for pictures.  On our way back down into the canyon we stopped at Columbine Spring, which flows directly under the trail, to splash some cool, refreshing water on our face.  The waterfalls in the canyon were gorgeous, so we dipped our heads in a few of them as well.  

An inviting pool in Icehouse Canyon, but the water is cold!

The cabins in the canyon are quite adorable, so of course I had to pose with one.  I wouldn't mind having a cabin like this of my own someday!

This is my future summer home

We got back to the car around 5:00pm with plenty of daylight left.  It was a fantastic hike, and a gorgeous day.  I definitely plan to do some of the other hikes from Icehouse Canyon in the future.  I can honestly say this was one of my favorite So Cal hikes to date.  It would also make a great backpacking trip!  I can't wait to go back to the area to tackle more of the peaks.  

Till next time, keep living life to the fullest and hike on!

   

Mt. Whitney training: Iron Mountain

Anyone remember my post about goals?  No?  Well, here is a little refresher.  Sometime around the new year I mentioned that I had some new years resolutions.  Some of these goals were easier than others (I did pretty darn well eating paleo for 6 months!).  Some have yet to be accomplished.  But that is a story for another time.

I only bring this up because the dear husband and I have set our sites on a much loftier goal for the both of us!  We have decided to climb Mt. Whitney for our one year wedding anniversary!

View of Mt. Whitney from the Whitney Webcam.  We'll be way up there!

Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the United States outside of Alaska and tops out at 14,505' above sea level.  This mountain is in the California Sierra Nevada range.  We will be attempting the climb over two days via the main Mt. Whitney Trail.  The total distance is 22 miles round trip with over 6100' of elevation gain.  Our anniversary is July 30th, and we have planned our summit attempt for the second weekend in August.  As we came to this decision just a week or so ago, we did not have the opportunity to enter the permit lottery for the mountain.  Our plan is to show up and try to snag a walk-in permit from a cancellation.  Cross your fingers for us!  It is going to be a tough one, but we have already started our training!

We are not complete strangers to high elevation hiking.  Both Erik and I have spent a fair amount of time at elevation.  We both lived in Tahoe City, CA and in Boulder, CO for years above 5000'.  I have hiked many miles above 10,000' and we summited San Jacinto last year (10,834').  We attempted to summit Longs Peak in Colorado (16 miles roundtrip, 14,259') but due to a very late start (try 10am when you are supposed to start before dawn...oops.) only made it to the keyhole (13,150').

Sitting on the top of San Jacinto Peak!

This is all well and good, but alas, living at sea level has made us soft!  We decided need to do some training hikes leading up to the big summit attempt.  We have decided to start fairly small and build up to longer and higher hikes every weekend.

Training Hike:
Iron Mountain, Poway, CA
6.63 miles round trip, 1000' elevation gain (plus side trip to the iron mine)

Our goal: Iron Mountain

We completed this hike on Sunday, June 17th.  The Iron Mountain trail is extremely well developed and easy to follow.  It was quite hot out on Sunday but the trail was still pretty busy.  We were sweating up most of the trail, but got a good rhythm going a mile or so in from the trailhead.  It was 91 degrees at the summit but it felt a lot hotter walking up the trail with no shade.  We completed this hike pretty handily despite the heat, so it was a good hike to judge our current fitness level.  There are a few picnic tables at the top to stop for lunch, and the view is gorgeous.

   Great view of north San Diego County from the top

On the way back down the trail we took the short but strenuous detour to the old iron mine.  This trail is very primitive and overgrown in spots, and was difficult to find.  It slogs straight up the hillside about a mile from the main trailhead.  The reward at the top is a small pit where people used to mine for iron ore (hence "Iron Mountain").  There were still chunks of the heavy, dark iron ore lying around the pit.  We tested a few of them with a magnet to confirm the identity.  I grabbed a nice, heavy chunk to use as a book end and lugged it back to the car.  Collecting iron at Iron Mountain?  Totally worth it.  We finished our hike with a BBQ bacon cheeseburger, fries and a shake at The Habit in Carmel Mountain.  Overall an awesome day!

More training hikes to come.  Stay tuned! :)

I'm engaged!!! Plus Snowboarding, Mountain biking, hiking update! Summer fun galore!

Wow, have I been busy so far this spring/summer! This seems like a good time to update on all of my activities at once. It has been great! I left my job at GNC for a position as a sales associate at Performance Bikes. It has been a lot of fun. I am learning a ton about bikes and bike accessories, and it is wonderful to be able to help people choose an awesome bike that they will love to ride! Everyone in Boulder should have a bike. I could not imagine living without one. When the weather is good I ride my bike everywhere. There is just no reason to drive in a town with such amazing bike paths. When someone comes into the shop and tells me "I haven't owned a bike in 20 years, what do you have?" and I am able to hook them up with a cruiser or hybrid that they are comfortable on and will want to ride around town, it is a great feeling.

But on to adventures and engagements! I will go over the main adventures of the summer, and from now on I must update more often for some in-depth trip reports. Skip down to July if you want to read about my engagement!! :D

In March we had an awesome weekend snowboarding in Breckenridge with a bunch of cool people. We all rented a condo and had a blast for the weekend. The weather was sunny and glorious with some good snow still left on the slopes. We spent an afternoon shredding the half pipe, soaked in the hot tub, and ate lots of good food. Excellent times were had by all!

Later in March, Erik and I tried to escape the lingering winter and head to a warmer climate. We drove out to St. George Utah for some camping, mountain biking, and national park time. The campsite we found was great. We stayed at Quail Creek State Park, which is located on a huge reservoir. We spent the first day poking around in St George and relaxing. We had a ton of gear and were definitely comfort camping. The next day we rode Church Rocks. This ride is 12 miles or so of fun flowey single track with some slick rock and technical sections. Some sections of the trail were pretty sandy, so I would think this is best in the early season. The weather was perfect, and the ride was awesome!

Quite comfy in an erosional feature.

On the way home we booked it to Zion National Park. Zion never ceases to amaze. The spectacular canyon walls on all sides are dizzying. The park was packed but since we have a National Park pass we got to skip the line! We decided to hike Angels Landing, as it is one of the most spectacular hikes in the park but is still pretty short. It hike straight up a huge spire in the center of the park. The view from the top is breathtaking, and the climb can definitely suck the wind from your lungs. It was amazing.

A dizzying perch atop Angels Landing in Zion National Park

My birthday was at the end of April. My family came to visit Boulder over my birthday. We watched prairie dogs, went out to some fabulous restaurants and I finally had tea at the Dushanbe Tea House. Jen and I had a joint birthday party out on the town. It was definitely a rager, ending with all of us riding the mechanical bull at Shooters. I woke up with some bruises!

We are taking advantage of the Boulder Open Space trails and did Gregory Canyon on a rainy morning a little bit ago. The water was so high the trail was a creek in places. This is a great loop. We started at the Chataqua parking lot and hiked along baseline before continuing up into Gregory canyon. The Gregory canyon lot is a fee lot, but Chataqua is free! Afterwords we decided to stuff our selves at an all you can eat Indian Buffet. Maybe not the best idea... :P

On Sunday the 20th of June we planned to summit our first 14er, Mt Bierstadt. But sadly the road to the trail head was closed. To salvage the day we decided to hike around Echo Lake near Idaho Springs. This is on the Mt Evans Scenic Byway. We had a great hike out towards the Chicago Lakes and did a little bit of exploring on the National Forest Service land.

4th of July we returned to the area for a three day backpacking trip out into the wilderness. It was simply amazing! We hiked in on Saturday night and camped along the trail to Chicago Lakes. In the morning we discovered our stove fuel was leaking and thus had to cook all of our food and make coffee on an open fire for the rest of the trip. The next time we go backpacking with a working stove it will feel positively luxurious. We packed up our gear and continued on the the lakes themselves on Sunday morning. The views from the upper lake are incredibly spectacular. We found an excellent place to camp nestled in a grove of pine trees off the trail. This protected us from some of the variable weather that came in on Sunday evening (rain, hail, lighting, etc.). Before the storm we had a chance to hike up a cascading waterfall that fed from the upper to lower lake. It was definitely and adventure!

A view of Erik above the Lower Chicago Lake in Mount Evan Wilderness area.

The waterfall that connects the upper and lower Chicago Lakes

After the fourth we set of on a cross country epic in the van. We loaded our camping gear and mountain bikes up and set out to drive from Boulder, CO to the Bay Area in California (with no air conditioning). Erik had booked some hotels along the way, which was nice. We were so sweaty and disgusting after spending a day driving across the Nevada desert without A/C that I think I would have died if we were camping in the desert. The thermometer in the van read 100+ at the hottest. I was taking ice from the cooler and wiping down our necks, arms and legs so as not to overheat. It was pretty brutal to say the least.

When we arrived in California we decided to make a little side trip to Tahoe City, where we met. We cruised down to the Dam Cafe (our favorite coffee spot in town) and got some breakfast burritos. Erik decided it would be nice to eat them down by the lake, and i agreed. He grabbed his backpack and the burritos and we walked down along the crystal blue water admiring the gorgeous views. After finding a nice spot on the sand, I plopped down and started getting comfortable, but before I had a chance Erik pulled me up to standing. He put some music on his iPhone (Jason Mraz: I'm Yours) and bent down to grab the burritos from his pack. But instead of handing me a burrito, when he turned to me he dropped down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes with tears in my eyes! It was the most beautiful moment I could have ever imagined. We are now engaged and planning an outdoor beach wedding for next summer! I have yet to upload the pictures from that day, but they are forthcoming! :)

In California Erik did a 24hr Mountain bike race with some of his old buddies. It was really cool! I was support crew, along with another accompanying girlfriend.

I then spent some time in San Fransisco and and had a chance to catch up with my old friend Christine. We went to San Carlos to visit some of my extended family and announced our engagement!

Erik then left for a friend's bachelor party in Tahoe, and I went and spent a week in Mission Beach with my family basking in the ocean and feeling the soft air against my skin. We are both now back in Colorado. I am working at the bike shop and Erik is finishing school this semester. It has definitely been a full and exciting spring/summer!

This coming weekend we plan to hike Longs Peak. Woo 14er!

Till next time when i manage to sit down at the computer for long enough to post! It's been real.

Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park: Chasm Lake

This last Sunday I embarked on a 8.4 mile hike with a group of friends in Rocky Mountain National Park. The destination: Chasm Lake. This trail offers everything a hiker could ask for: wildlife, creeks, waterfalls, wildflowers, a gorgeous lake and spectacular views. When hiking at elevation it is always important to be prepared. The weather can change quickly in the mountains, and a lovely summer day can turn to a hypothermic rain, snow or hail storm in minutes. Be sure to pack some warm layers and plenty of water. And definitely bring rain gear. Get below tree line if a storm is on its way. Lighting danger is very real! And remember to tell someone where you are hiking and when you plan to be back, so if you don't show, someone will know to call the authorities and look for you!

The Chasm Lake hike begins at Longs Peak Ranger Station on the east edge of the national park. The cool thing about this trailhead is you don't have to drive all the way up to Estes Park (a nearby town and the general gateway to RMNP) and you don't have to pay to enter from this area! There are restrooms near the trailhead in the camping area, and it would be wise to use them before setting out. The trailhead is located at 9400 feet with an elevation gain of 2360 feet over the 4.2 miles to the lake. This puts the lake at 11760 feet in elevation. This can put an amazing strain on the lungs and legs if you are not acclimated to the elevation. Luckily, living in nearby Boulder that sits at around 5600 feet, the elevation is not too crazy. But you can definitely feel it!

Yay water features!

We started on the trail at around 10:00am, though later we wished we had embarked a bit earlier to have more time to enjoy the lake at the top. The hike begins with a steady climb on a nice wide trail through pine trees and boulders, with the occasional squrrel in the trees. While winding up through the pine trees hikers pass near several creek and waterfall areas, as well as a few creek crossings with convenient little foot bridges. The areas near running water are green, mossy, and cool, and make excellent rest spots to catch your breath.

Pretty little waterfall!

After hiking through the trees, and a cascading creek crossing, hikers are greeted by a lighting warning sign! When you see this sign you know you are about to bust out above treeline. It is important when hiking to be sure you are below treeline if a storm begins to move in. With lighting it's one strike, your out!

Warning! Lightning Danger!

As you come above treeline the pines and evergreens get shorter and stumper, and are eventually replaced by shrubby groundcover and windswept rock. The first view of Long's Peak as it bursts over the horizon is stunning. I can't wait to hike to the top of that monster!

The first view of Long's Peak

A meandering but nevertheless strenuous trek across the open boulder-field brings you the the Long's Peak trail junction. Here there is a hilarious little solar powered bathroom that desperate hikers can take advantage of before continuing down the trail another .7 miles to Chasm Lake, or branching off to head up a grueling 10+ miles to the summit of Long's Peak.

Crossing the boulder field

From this point forward, the trail is dizzyingly spectacular. A wide singletrack contours the edge of a steep slope. The Diamond on Long's Peak (a famous granite rock face for climbers and mountaineers) looms in the background, while the forground is the cascading Columbine Falls. Look for Blue Columbines, the Colorado state flower, when you near the falls and the waterways that follow.

The goal is in sight!

Beyond the falls lies a wetland area filled with ponds and streams. Watch for marmots and pikas near the trail. They make for an adorable photo-op! There is another solar powerd toilet in this area located near a picturesque emergency ranger hut if the need arises. If you are hiking late in the season this area is easily negotiated, but in the earlier season it can be packed with snow and ice, so tread carefully!

Blue Columbines line the trail

After a short yet lung busting scramble up the final leg of the trail you are greated with the site of Chasm Lake spanning before you at the base of the Diamond. This vista is massive. The scope of the peak before you is hard to grasp.

Chasm Lake with Long's Peak in the background.
I couldn't fit the whole thing in the shot!

Here we sat in the shadow of the mountain, eating our lunches and chatting, when the clouds started coming in. We made a quick exit as hail started to fall, and made it down below tree line well before the lighting and rain kicked in. Luckily we had all packed rain gear and some warm layers. Our hike back through the pines was a wet one, but what an experience! I definitely recommend Chasm Lake to anyone looking for a little morning adventure. I can't wait to hike Long's Peak one of these days!

And then there were cows!

Cows!!

This last weekend Erik (my boyfriend) and I decided it would be a lovely day to go on an easy mountain bike ride. I chose a trail that I thought would be pretty mellow based on distance and technical ability. The trail I wanted to ride is called Foothills trail, which goes in a big loop. It is a wide, level path with only a few easy uphills and one slightly technical downhill section, but there are gorgeous views of the plains and the mountains. This trail is located just East of Boulder, and winds through the open plains and around some picturesque ponds and reservoirs. But the coolest thing about this trail is that it cuts right through the center of a working ranch!

Now riding through a ranch is very interesting, as we discovered. There are a lot of cattle gates that you need to go through to connect with the bike-able portions of the trail. These gates are spring loaded, and if one isn't paying attention it would be easy to slam your bike frame in a metal gate (ouch!). I usually dismounted to go through these gates, but Erik became pretty skilled at balancing on his bike while opening and shutting the gate gently (he refuses to unclip from his pedals unless absolutely necessary. I ride with flats, so I don't have the clipped in obsession).

Erik during a rare dismount

But the thing I did not expect on this ride were the cows! We had to ride our bikes quietly and carefully through an entire herd of cattle! I was pretty crazy riding slowly next to a huge animal like that, hoping that the squeak of your brakes doesn't startle it into running you down (I am told cows are docile animals. I still think they are kind of scary)! There times when I was forced to get off and walk, or drag my bike off the trail to make room for a passing bovine. One gate presented a particular problem as there was a huge bull standing just on the other side (pictured above). We hung out at this gate for a while trying not to make eye-contact with the big bull, and eventually he decided we were not a threat and moseyed (or maybe it was more plodding) off. Plus the trails had a fair number of steaming cowpies deposited conveniently in your way.

Careful...careful...think calming thoughts....

All in all it was a great late morning/early afternoon ride in an area of Boulder we don't spend much time in. This weekend we are hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park to Chasm Lake. It should be awesome! I will definitely post about the trip. My goal is to hike Long's Peak at the end of the month. Chasm lake is only 8.4 miles round trip, but Long's Peak is a rugged 16 miles! Not bad for a day hike! Long's Peak is one of Colorado's 14ers, so named because it is over 14,000 feet in elevation.

Wish me luck this weekend, and on my journey to the top of Long's!