Icehouse Canyon Trail is located in a beautiful wooded stream-driven section of the forest near Mt. Baldy Village. The winding trail begins in a shady canyon passing remnants of old recreation cabins as it heads towards Ice House Canyon Saddle.
After the halfway point, hikers will trek through a series of switchbacks lined with alpine flora and massive boulders washed down from historical floods.
Upon reaching the saddle, deep into the Cucamonga Wilderness*, hikers have several options to continue onto either Ontario Peak, Bighorn Peak, or Cucamonga Peak.
*Note: A free wilderness permit is required to hike the trail past the Cucamonga Wilderness boundary. They can be obtained at a brown box at the trailhead (Icehouse Canyon RD. Parking Lot) or at the Mt. Baldy Visitor Center (open weekends only) a quarter-mile away.
Hiking at high elevations (Mt Baldy, Ice House Canyon, Mt. Islip, etc.) in winter/spring/and even early to mid-summer requires experienced mountaineering skills and is not recommended for those unprepared for extreme conditions that can change very quickly.
The weather might be warm at the start of your hike, but there could still be winter-like conditions on taller peaks in the mountains ahead of you.
Consider both your safety and the safety of rescuers.