Etiwanda, Cucamonga, Bighorn, Ontario, Sugarloaf Peaks in Angeles National Forest, CA

Hike Etiwanda, Cucamonga, Bighorn, Ontario, Sugarloaf Peaks Angeles National Forest, CA

Class 2 15.6 miles 6900 gain 7-10 hrs Loop May 25, 2019
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Etiwanda, Cucamonga, Bighorn, Ontario, Sugarloaf Peaks GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

This loop felt like I good way to bag a bunch of the peaks I'd neglected in the San Gabriel Mountains' high peaks. Years ago, I hiked Cucamonga Peak, and last year I did Sugarloaf Peak, but I thought linking them together would serve as a nice long ridge traverse. This route hits Etiwanda Peak, Cucamonga Peak, Bighorn Peak, Ontario Peak, and Sugarloaf Peak. I later found out locals call this traverse ECBOS ("eckbose"). I thought I was unique in doing this route, but I guess that was a dumb presumption due to the popularity of the area.

Starting from the Ice House Canyon Trailhead, I followed the trail through lovely spring morning light and along the heavily flowing creek. I briefly debated heading up Falling Rock Canyon, but after remembering how steep and unpleasant it was the last time I headed thay way, I chose to make that my descent route. Instead, I continued to Ice House Saddle, where a million people were eating lunch, the crowd exacerabated by it being Memorial Day Weekend. I was feeling incredibly good, and I'm not sure why, but when I have days like this where my body is cooperating, the weather is nice, and I'm excited for all the things, it's best not to question it and keep pushing hard. Rather than take what seemed to be the mandatory rest at the saddle, I jogged on to the saddle north of Cucamonga Peak, then bolted up the switchbacks to the summit. Instead of lingering on Cucamonga, where people were blasting music and throwing up from exhaustion, I continued along the well-traveled social trail to Etiwanda Peak, where I could enjoy lunch in peace. I don't remember it being this crowded, but again it could just be Memorial Day Weekend's fault.

From Etiwanda Peak, I headed back over to Cucamonga, and then back down the switchbacks to the saddle between Cucamonga and Bighorn Peak. The going got a bit steeper now that there wasn't an official trail slowly switchbacking up to Bighorn Peak. It was interesting to look back and see the switchbacks up Cucamonga. The views from the summit were incredible. I never had seen Mt. Baldy from this angle, and certainly not with snow on it.

I continued west along the ridge from Bighorn Peak on a really nice social trail, all the way to Ontario Peak. I really enjoyed this ridgeline. Fog started rolling in while I was on the summit, and I didn't want to lose visiblity on my descent ridge, so I located the ridge that would take me down to Sugarloaf Peak. It went at Class 2, and would have absolutely been more work had I come up this way (reversing my loop). I was happy to have ascended the way I did, the trail ascent a pleasant change from my steep slope routes I've been doing all year. The ridge led down to the saddle southeast of Sugarloaf Peak, where I headed up to bag my last peak before heading down the steep and loose Falling Rock Canyon. There were a couple of Class 2+ moves toward the bottom to get down a waterfall, and then I crossed the creek and rejoined the Ice House Canyon Trail.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Cucamonga Peak
8859 ft
1299 rise
2
Etiwanda Peak
8662 ft
302 rise
3
Bighorn Peak
8441 ft
361 rise
4
Ontario Peak
8693 ft
1039 rise
5
Sugarloaf Peak
6924 ft
244 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

Heading up the Ice House Trail with some nice morning light.
Heading up the Ice House Trail with some nice morning light.
Image 1 from gallery
Image 2 from gallery
Image 3 from gallery
Image 4 from gallery
Ice House Canyon opens up a bit as the trail begins to ascend to Icehouse Saddle.
Ice House Canyon opens up a bit as the trail begins to ascend to Icehouse Saddle.
The trail switchbacks just above Ice House Canyon.
The trail switchbacks just above Ice House Canyon.
Looking back down into Ice House Canyon.
Looking back down into Ice House Canyon.
Approaching Icehouse Saddle.
Approaching Icehouse Saddle.
Just after Icehouse Saddle, along the Cucamonga Peak Trail.
Just after Icehouse Saddle, along the Cucamonga Peak Trail.
Cucamonga Peak visible ahead. Approaching the saddle between Bighorn and Cucamonga.
Cucamonga Peak visible ahead. Approaching the saddle between Bighorn and Cucamonga.
On the way up the witchbacks to Cucamonga Peak, looking back toward the Bighorn and Cucamonga saddle. Bighorn Peak visible on the left.
On the way up the witchbacks to Cucamonga Peak, looking back toward the Bighorn and Cucamonga saddle. Bighorn Peak visible on the left.
Image 12 from gallery
A bunch of switchbacks with nice views.
A bunch of switchbacks with nice views.
View along the switchbacks toward Bighorn (right) and Ontario out of frame on the far left.
View along the switchbacks toward Bighorn (right) and Ontario out of frame on the far left.
Image 15 from gallery
Image 16 from gallery
Approaching Cucamonga Peak after the switchbacks ended.
Approaching Cucamonga Peak after the switchbacks ended.
Cucamonga Peak view south.
Cucamonga Peak view south.
Cucamonga Peak, view east toward Etiwanda Peak.
Cucamonga Peak, view east toward Etiwanda Peak.
Etiwanda Peak close-up from Cucamonga Peak.
Etiwanda Peak close-up from Cucamonga Peak.
Heading along the ridgeline to Etiwanda Peak.
Heading along the ridgeline to Etiwanda Peak.
Social trail leads through the forest, and is pretty easy to follow.
Social trail leads through the forest, and is pretty easy to follow.
Image 23 from gallery
Etiwanda Peak ahead.
Etiwanda Peak ahead.
Image 25 from gallery
Steep section to Etiwanda Peak summit.
Steep section to Etiwanda Peak summit.
Etiwanda Peak, view east.
Etiwanda Peak, view east.
Etiwanda Peak, view northwest. Mt. Baldy visible on the right, Cucamonga Peak on the left. Bighorn and Ontario center.
Etiwanda Peak, view northwest. Mt. Baldy visible on the right, Cucamonga Peak on the left. Bighorn and Ontario center.
After coming back over Cucamonga, I went back down to the saddle. Bighorn Peak is ahead.
After coming back over Cucamonga, I went back down to the saddle. Bighorn Peak is ahead.
Steep social trail up Bighorn Peak.
Steep social trail up Bighorn Peak.
Looking back toward Cucamonga Peak on the way up to Bighorn Peak.
Looking back toward Cucamonga Peak on the way up to Bighorn Peak.
Bighorn Peak ahead.
Bighorn Peak ahead.
Bighorn Peak summit, view toward Cucamonga Peak.
Bighorn Peak summit, view toward Cucamonga Peak.
Bighorn Peak, view toward Telegraph and Baldy.
Bighorn Peak, view toward Telegraph and Baldy.
Continuing along the ridge, headed west.
Continuing along the ridge, headed west.
Image 36 from gallery
Great views along the ridge as I headed toward Ontario Peak.
Great views along the ridge as I headed toward Ontario Peak.
View north toward Mt. Baldy as fog started rolling in.
View north toward Mt. Baldy as fog started rolling in.
Looking back toward Bighorn (left) and Cucamonga (right).
Looking back toward Bighorn (left) and Cucamonga (right).
The trail out to Ontario is easy to follow and well marked with cairns, though you don't need them.
The trail out to Ontario is easy to follow and well marked with cairns, though you don't need them.
Looking back.
Looking back.
Image 42 from gallery
Image 43 from gallery
Approaching Ontario Peak.
Approaching Ontario Peak.
Image 45 from gallery
Ontario Peak ahead.
Ontario Peak ahead.
Looking back the way I came from the summit of Ontario Peak, Cucamonga on the far right.
Looking back the way I came from the summit of Ontario Peak, Cucamonga on the far right.
Ontario Peak, view south.
Ontario Peak, view south.
After coming off Ontario Peak, I located the ridge I wanted to take to get down to Sugarloaf Peak.
After coming off Ontario Peak, I located the ridge I wanted to take to get down to Sugarloaf Peak.
Looking back up toward Ontario (left).
Looking back up toward Ontario (left).
Steep ridge with some Class 2.
Steep ridge with some Class 2.
Image 52 from gallery
Image 53 from gallery
Image 54 from gallery
Sugarloaf Peak ahead. Falling Rock Canyon on the right. That will be my descent route after bagging Sugarloaf Peak.
Sugarloaf Peak ahead. Falling Rock Canyon on the right. That will be my descent route after bagging Sugarloaf Peak.
Headed toward Sugarloaf Peak, looking back toward Ontario Peak in the clouds.
Headed toward Sugarloaf Peak, looking back toward Ontario Peak in the clouds.
Sugarloaf Peak ahead.
Sugarloaf Peak ahead.
Close-up toward the Mt. Baldy road way below. I thought it was cool-looking from this high up.
Close-up toward the Mt. Baldy road way below. I thought it was cool-looking from this high up.
After bagging Sugarloaf Peak, I headed down Falling Rock Canyon. It's absurdly steep and would have been no fun as an uphill.
After bagging Sugarloaf Peak, I headed down Falling Rock Canyon. It's absurdly steep and would have been no fun as an uphill.
Looking back up the steep section.
Looking back up the steep section.
Entering the Class 2 rocky Falling Rock Canyon.
Entering the Class 2 rocky Falling Rock Canyon.
Image 62 from gallery
A couple of trickling waterfalls made for some Class 2+ obstacles.
A couple of trickling waterfalls made for some Class 2+ obstacles.
Looking back toward one of the dryfalls.
Looking back toward one of the dryfalls.
Crossing the creek to get back onto the Ice House Canyon Trail, completing the loop.
Crossing the creek to get back onto the Ice House Canyon Trail, completing the loop.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!