[singlepic id=43 w=320 h=240 float=left]The past Saturday was a hot summer day in east LA area. We planned to hike up to Ice House Saddle before noon to avoid the heat.
It was pretty warm there on the trail but fortunately many trees gave us a nice shade here and there. A beautiful creek was running along at the beginning of the trail. Even in July there was a good amount of water, which added a high light to the hike. Maybe because of the creek, it was quite popular. On the way going up we met many hikers, especially asian hiker groups.
The trail was 7 miles long, 2300 feet escalation. After half way, we found that the trail started getting very steep, and the steepness almost lasted till the saddle. The saddle was a nice rest area with many trees and cooler wind. Several signs showed that it’s also a place that connects to trails to other famous peaks nearby, such as 3T (Timber, Telegraph, Thunder), Cucamonga peak, Mt Baldy, etc.
Because of the steep part, my legs got pretty tired on the way back. But it was a great work out. I am sure my legs got much stronger after this hike.
On the picture, you can see Mt Baldy, where we hiked up last year, clearly from half way to the saddle.