Along the great ridge connecting the Baldy Massif to the Cucamonga-Ontario blockade stand the Three Tees: Thunder Mountain (8,587'), Telegraph Peak (8,989'), and Timber Mountain (8,303'); along with the sub-peaks of Rees Point (8,961') and Smetana Hill (8,023'). While trekking this ridgetop the hiker will encounter wonderful views of both the surrounding highlands, with the great hogback of Mount San Antonio as its crowning jewel, as well as the sprawling lowlands of both the coast and the desert on either side of the Pacific Crest, which itself can also be seen a few miles away. In the immediate surroundings are magnificent stands of both old-growth pine below 8,000', and more weathered alpine vegetation above. Surrounded by extremely popular trails of both Icehouse Canyon on one side, and the Baldy Notch and Devil's Backbone on the other, this recess of nature is relatively quiet, and even on a fair-weather summer weekend, you should find yourself with plentiful solitude on the Three Tees trail itself, within the heart of the federally designated Cucamonga Wilderness. One of the reasons this trail is much less used is the this trip requires a car shuttle, with one vehicle at the Icehouse Canyon (4,900') trailhead, and the other at the end of Baldy Road (6,200') at the trailhead to San Antonio Falls. I choose to do this trip from top to bottom, and although still a strenuous hike by anyone's standards, is less punishing than attempting it vice versa; adding 1,200' of gain to an already vigorous excursion.
Stats:
Category: Strenuous
Miles: 13.5
Elevation Gain: 4000'
Location: Angeles National Forest, San Bernardino National Forest, Cucamonga Wilderness
Directions: HERE
The Hike:
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