Cucamonga Peak

11.6 miles / 4,300’ elevation gain / 10 hrs / 8,859’ summit

Cucamonga Peak would not be considered a technical climb. If there is no snow, you are simply following a clearly defined path from the trail head to the summit. It’s 12 miles roundtrip which can be done in one day however, there are a number of campsites for overnight stays which makes the whole trip more of an adventure. Cucamonga is not an easy hike but, compared to the other mountains in the San Bernardino range, it’s not as strenuous. Cucamonga is cool because you start off hiking a canyon trail spotted with cabins still in use along with the remains of 100-year-old cabins destroyed by flood and fire. You hike through a narrow canyon until you reach what is called the Ice House Saddle which is a flat transition point between four different trails. It’s great place for lunch. From the saddle, the trail opens up to incredible views of untouched valleys, curves around another mountain, stops at a smaller saddle and then you transition to the steepest part of the hike, a barrage of switchbacks that take you all the way to the summit. One you reach the top you can see the the entire Inland Empire, which at night lights up like a thousand stars. It’s actually kind of cool because you’re both deep in the wilderness and right on top of a city.