The Three T’s

 Introduction

The three T's consist of a beautiful and strenuous hike that will take you up and down 3 peaks (Timber, Telegraph and Thunder peaks) over an 8 mile / 5,000 ft elevation gain one-way stretch, making it quite a strenuous challenge. Yet, it is a hike that offers much solitude and inspiration, while being easily accessible from Los Angeles.

There are several ways to complete this hike. This report describes the most popular way, which is by way of Ice House Canyon.

I did this hike in the spring, however this is a 4-season hike. If hiking the Three T's in the winter, be sure to bring winter gear (ice axe, micro spikes or crampons). Remember that you are hiking above 8,000 feet, so expect alpine conditions and watch the weather forecast for snow conditions.

In the summer, the temperature might get close to 90F during the hottest days, in which case you may want to start out early or avoid this season all together.

 One Way Hike from Ice House Canyon Trailhead to Top of Baldy Ski Lifts 

Park your car at the Icehouse Canyon Trailhead. From there, it's a 3.5 miles / 2,000 ft gain hike towards Ice House Saddle. This part of the trail is very popular, so do not expect much solitude. It consists of a narrow valley, offering good protection from the sun. As we approach the Saddle, the views of the surrounding mountains start becoming more apparent.

Ice House Saddle consists of a Junction between several trails, leading a multitude of different directions. Head up north towards Timber peak.

As we climb towards Timber Peak, the trail becomes much quieter and we start enjoying a more pleasant and rewarding experience. We also could start gazing at neighboring peaks, including Cucamonga Peak to the South and Mt Baldy to the north.

After climbing up for a steep mile, we meet the junction that leads towards Timber Peak. Timber is 1/2 mile from the trail and consists - as it's name indicates - of a wide timbered summit offering little to no views of the surrounding mountains.

We head back towards the main trail. The section between Timber and Telegraph peak is the prettiest. It offers beautiful views of Mt. Baldy and the neighboring mountains. The first mile took us down 500 feet lower towards a narrow pass that seemed to connect both mountains. From there, the trail gains 2,200 ft over 2 miles and reaches Telegraph peak. 

Despite the solitude, the trail remains well maintained. Please note that hiking this section in the winter would require precise navigation or prior knowledge of the area (along with the right gear). Upon reaching Telegraph Peak, pay attention to the false summit where the trail divides.

The last 100 feet consist of a steep narrow path up the mountain top. Telegraph peak is a bird's nest offering nearly 360 view of the San Gabriel range to the west and the Mojave desert to the east. It is the highlight of of the trip.

The section from Telegraph to Thunder Peak consists of a 1.5 mile hike, mostly downhill. Upon reaching the top of Timber peak, a sign informed us we were exiting the Cucamonga wilderness area and entering an area consisting of ski slopes and lifts. Thunder Peak is located at the top of one of those ski lifts. 

From there, it's a monotonous hike down towards the Baldy Bowl. If doing this hike in the summer, you will be walking on dry ski slopes. Once you reach the main Baldy bowl, you will have the option of taking the main lifts down the parking lot ($15 per person) or hike a 2-mile path. Please note that the ski lifts shut down at 5pm. We opted for the ski lifts as the hike down is quite boring and we had done it many times in the past.

Upon reaching the parking lot, you will need to hitch a ride to take you back to the ice house saddle parking lot, (which should not be a problem unless you are hiking at night). Otherwise, be prepared to walk 6 miles and descend 2,000 ft on a concrete road.

We enjoyed a well deserved beer at the Baldy village restaurant before heading back towards LA.

Extending this hike

You may extend this hike by adding Mt. Baldy to it. Instead of going down via the ski lifts, you could go up Mt, Baldy via the backbone trail and return via the ski lift to the Manker's flat parking lot or the old baldy trail which would take you straight to the village. You could also do this hike the other way by parking your car at the Baldy village, go up Baldy via the Old Baldy Trail, come down the backbone trail and then do the three T's, starting with Thunder peak and exiting via Ice House Canyon Trailhead.
A hike such as this one would be reserved for the fittest. We are talking about 20 miles and over 8,000ft elevation gain. For more information, consult the various maps I attached as well as the Mt Baldy report. 
 

Download Terrain Profile for Three T's 

Gear

 CLOTHING

• Base layer

• Mid layer

• Down Jacket

• Softshell jacket (when summiting in the winter)

• Softshell pants (when summiting in the winter)

• Hardshell 

• Shoes 

• Gloves 

• Socks