hairpin turns and boulder scrambles

Cucamonga Peak is a lengthy, steep hike up. We started at 0730a, hardly anyone in the parking lot, it was a Friday so perhaps that helped. Columbine Spring was flowing and provided a beautiful white noise throughout the icehouse canyon trail. Beautiful scenery made for picturesque photos along the way. There are several ruins from past cabins, my guess, left behind from the mining days or possibly by LA WATER & POWER when they were putting in water pipes? Let me know if you know their true purpose. The entire Icehouse trail was full of steady switchbacks. The Icehouse saddle was super windy! if you plan to stop and rest and fuel up, do it prior or shortly after and you will not have any wind gusts. When we reached Cucamonga Saddle we started up the trail toward the peak, mercilessly switchbacking the entire way. The trail swapped from north to west sides of the mountain…not as shady as Icehouse Trail but nice. We reached the peak at 1:30/2P. Ran into 4 other groups up there. We were above the smog, so I got full sun and clear blue skies. It took us 1/2 the time to get back to the bottom. We saw several chipmunks and birds but no sheep…the Cucamonga Saddle trail was like walking on the edge of the mountain, I assumed i would have ran into one HAHAHAH, but we didn’t. overall this hike was hard on my knees ( downhill) & my feet. My feet were articulating through all the rocks on the trail going downhill. Thinking about switching my Merrells out for some hikers with stiffer soles. If anyone has any they recommend, please let me know. Would I do this hike again, absolutely! On to the next peak.