suggested day hikes
Manker Flats Loop
Distance: 11.25 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 4300 ft Hiking Time: 7 hours Difficulty: Strenuous Trail Condition: Good, some difficult spots Hike Type: Loop Switchbacks: FewTake the 210 Interstate and exit on Mountain Avenue heading North into the Angeles National Forest. Follow Mountain Avenue until the intersection with Shinn Road and turn left. Follow Shinn Road until Mt. Baldy Road and turn right. Follow this road through two tunnels, Mt. Baldy village and finally up to Manker Flats. After the road becomes dual carriage way, look out on the left for sign to the San Antonio Falls Road. Park here but don't block the gate.
Follow the track after the first switch back when you are over the trailhead. A single-track path veers up to the left. Follow this one. The light-green ski hut is approximately at 8200 feet. Please take a break there! After that it is a fairly rapid climb to the 10064 feet of Mount Baldy San Antonio summit. There are hazardous drops along the trail, although it doesn't get much worse than the Devil's Backbone section, which you will see immediately. Not recommended with young children or during precipitation which is unusual during most of the year anyway.
Descend eastwards along the Devil's Backbone ridge and watch out especially in snowy/icy/rainy conditions, as the path has partially been covered by landslides in some spots. Back at the Baldy Notch Skihut at 7800 feet, take the ski lift down for $15 or if you haven't had enough walking for one day descend by the dirt track back to Manker Flats approximately 1 hour.
Icehouse Canyon
There are many well-marked trails accessible from Icehouse Canyon. The trailhead is easy to find. Heading up from Calremont/Upland take the road until it ends. Instead of making a right to continue up to Mount Baldy, simply follow the road the short distance to the parking lot. The old Icehouse is at the top of the parking lot and the trailhead is to the right.
Icehouse Saddle
The first destination many follow is to simply hike to the saddle. From the saddle you can see the valleys on the north side of the range and on the south. There is a large open area for picnicking or just relaxing. From here there are trails heading in three directions that will take a little more time and will reach the summits of some of the more well-known peaks in this area. The hike to the saddle is easy enough to follow. Trail markers point the way to the old route or the newer trail. The hike more-or-less follows the river or creek, rather, depending on time of year and rainfall up to the saddle. It is a well-traveled and well-maintained path with many places to stop along the way and enjoy the surroundings.
The Three T's
Upon approaching Icehouse Saddle there is a sign to your left that marks the trail to the Three T's. The three T's are Timber, Telegraph, and Thunder Mountains. The trail will take you near to the peaks of these three mountains and will eventually drop you off near the notch where the trail continues on to Mount Baldy or down the ski slope. This trail is more strenuous and takes a fair amount of time. It should also be kept in mind that the trail ends at the notch. If you're hiking in a group it may be a good idea to have cars parked at both the icehouse and the ski area park lots.
Cucamonga Peak
This trail is about 13 miles roundtrip and can be quite strenuous, but worth the work. From the saddle the trail is marked ahead to your right. The trail runs behind the mountain for much of the climb and makes several switchbacks. It eventually wraps back around to the southern side and climbs the last bit to the summit, where a breath-taking view is available of the Inland Empire. There was once a sign-in post at the peak. All that is left is the bottom stump of the post. Take note of where you've hiked from as this is the meeting place for multiple trails from both sides of the mountain. Head back down the way you've come or hike on over and meet up with the trails from Lytle Creek. If you do the latter make sure you've got some time and a car to take you back to where you came from. Also make sure you've brought your camera. It's definitely a shot you'll want to remember.
Ontario Peak
From Icehouse Saddle this trail begins from your hard right. The sign is sometimes hard to see due to trees. This trail is also one of the least maintained summit paths from the saddle. This can be good if you're looking for some solitude but thusly more dangerous if you're less experienced with hiking or even with this area in general. There are a few trail markers along the way, but if you're hiking in the off-season these can be hidden by snow and neglect. Follow the trail on up and you'll be granted a view of all the other summits in the area as well as a shot of the valley, smog allowing.
