"Sunshine lulls people into a false sense of security. Despite recent sunshine, 'It's just a sheet of ice up there,' a rescue official says. Currently spikes at a minimum, and ideally crampons, with an ice axe (and knowledge of how to use it), are strongly recommended. All trails above about 6500 ft remain lightly (or above 9000 ft, moderately) snow-covered. Spikes are currently usefulthroughout the trail system above about 6000 ft, potentially lower in places. For both storms snow estimates for the highest elevations range from 10-15 inches, with perhaps only an inch of snow in Idyllwild following some rainfall. Snow depths measured at many locations on the trail system on 11th January are given at the foot of this posting. This is also the parking area for the Big Falls Trailhead. That fair weather in the valleys has fooled too many hikers, Weston said. They tend to be especially valuable for descending trails. UPDATE Wednesday 28th December: the overnight rain storm produced 0.73 inch in Idyllwild (measured at 5550 ft) while Long Valley (8600 ft) led San Jacinto mountain locations in rainfall with 1.01 inch. All have been reported to US Forest Service. But I'm worried about him." There was a further 0.5 inch dusting of snow above 8000 ft on Thursday 29th (as I describe in this video). Aminian's body was found Jan. 14. The total snow accumulation was ultimately very close to that forecast in the days immediately prior to the storm. Although that day was not as cold and windy as 15th, I ascended in heavy cloud conditions with steady snowfall for the first three hours. Go Hiking Trip Reports San Gorgonio Wilderness-California. The Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail has a well-traveled track to follow throughout, snow cover is 90%. Although the flakes are small, it has been steadily accumulating at an inch per hour, with about six inches fresh powder so far today, for a Peak area total of about 30 inches. However it is thinning rapidly everywhere, and will look radically different in a week or so. Moderate snow has continued for the past few hours at San Jacinto Peak, with a storm total so far of about 7.5 inches. We talk about his top SoCal mountains, tips & advice for long day hikes and newbie hikers, salsa dancing up Half Dome, redemption on San Gorgonio, disappearing on Ontario Peak, completing the Six Pack of Peaks challenge in one month, Cactus to Clouds vs Iron Mountain, summit cypher, dance origins, and the one hike he would re-live all over again. On both days I was able to ascend barebooting to about 8800 ft on 30th and to 9200 ft on 1st, before putting on crampons. Although the snow is not currently particularly deep (10-12 inches) it is heavily drifted and has an ice layer underneath the fresh powder. Snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Just no way this is accurate. Spikes will not be required by most hikers, depending upon comfort level hiking on patchy angled icy snow. Best,
41900 Falls Rd. All have been reported to US Forest Service. However the route is now well-traveled and compacted. Even when the gate is closed there are nine legal parking spaces below the locked gate (which still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent to be displayed). At the Peak on Monday 12th December 2022 at 0715 the air temperature was 9.7F (-12C), with a windchill temperature of -13.4F (-25C), 100% relative humidity, and a sharp WSW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 21.2 mph. Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 3.0 inches (storm total 3.0 inches). By late afternoon, with the sun sinking, the search was suspended for another long, cold night. The first storm system comes through overnight on Tuesday 27th, with precipitation continuing into the morning of Wednesday 28th. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and it is already clear that 2023 will be no exception. San Bernardino Trail and Forsee Creek trails, along with the campsites near those trails, are still closed. Snowshoes can be used for ascending the highest peaks, but with considerable caution. Drive northeast for about 14 miles to the intersection with Valley of the Falls Road. Use this trailhead address: South Fork Trail 1E04, 40800-40894 Jenks Lake Rd W, Angelus Oaks, CA 92305. Snow cover is shallow up to about 7000 ft, but relatively heavy above 8000 ft. Melting on sun-exposed slopes is well underway, e.g., on lower South Ridge and Deer Springs trails. Strong winds expected on 11th-12th, and again on 14th, will likely obscure many tracks. Dark Canyon Road (4S02, the access to Seven Pines Trail), and Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) also closed to vehicle traffic for the season on 7th November 2022. Note that generally the maximum depths so far this winter were immediately following the major storm sequence on 14th-17th January 2023 (details of those depths available here). The San Gorgonio Campground provides access to a variety of recreational opportunities, as well as a beautiful location in which to enjoy nature. ) or https:// means you've safely
MikeH. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. 2006-2021 SummitPost.org. Also, Mill Creek RS phone number is now 909-382-2882 and they are closed Tues/Wed. Transporting firewood can move these pests to new locations. Some publications list the elevation as 11,502 feet. Only saw one person all day on the way down (started at 5:30 am). In several places the trail itself was buried by up to 5 feet of snow making it very slow-going. So rather than being a once-in-a-generation event, this may prove to be a once-in-a-lifetime event for most Idyllwild residents. The State Park campground at Stone Creek is also closed. Devils Slide Trail has a very lightly traveled track to Saddle Junction in place. Cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. While fresh snow may be optimum for snowshoeing for the next couple of weeks, snow at all elevations will become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places, and I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. Both days I put spikes on at the Peak for the descent, on 24th keeping them on until about 8000 ft on Marion Mountain Trail, and on 28th until about 9900 ft on the Peak Trail, roughly one mile north of Wellman Divide. Altitudes are approximate. However excellent well-traveled and compacted tracks are now in place for most of the major trails (details below). The fourteenth and fifteenth storm systems of winter 2022/23 impacted the San Jacinto mountains back-to-back on 13th and 14th February, as discussed in the previous Report available here. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Conditions will remain very unsettled well into the third week of January. The finally push to the summit from Sky High trail was relatively easy. "If he's not hurt, he's on the move somewhere. Currently crampons, with an ice axe (and knowledge of how to use both), are strongly recommended. For about one mile north of Saddle Junction, snow cover is only a patchy 30% on the sun exposed slope (Angels Glide) and then averages about 50% on the Wellman Trail, but then icy snow cover is about 95% on the Peak Trail to San Jacinto Peak. Current Trail Conditions Since the depths given in the previous Report, there had been very minor storms on 28th and 29th December, which added a couple of inches at the highest elevations, down to 0.5 inch at 8000 ft. I think some of the switchbacks above High Creek Camp may have been lengthened in recent history to make the route longer. May 20th is the Erie Zoo Earth Day Celebration and they've invited the Girl Scouts to the party. On 2nd, 5th, and 6th we barebooted to San Jacinto Peak on well-traveled and compacted tracks through increasingly patchy light icy snow. Water source "miller . I agree. Early on cold mornings, the icy snow is grippy, and I did not find spikes necessary on 5th. The lower half of the trail in particular is very icy. For day use a permit is required on any of the trails in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Dark Canyon Road (4S02, the access to Seven Pines Trail) and Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) closed to vehicle traffic for the season on 7th November 2022. To Tahquitz Peak snow cover averages about 40%, alternating on the 18 switchbacks between those that are largely clear (south-facing) and those that are largely snow-covered (north-facing). Most notable for our region is the remaining uncertainty within the meteorological models, which could result in us receiving half (or double!) Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. "Especially on the north-facing slopes, it has remained extremely cold up there," he said. South Ridge Road (5S11) is currently closed to vehicle traffic but is rapidly clearing [checked Saturday 17th] of snow. The main track is clearest just above LRV and again close to the Peak junction. South Fork camps such as Dry and Dollar Lakes are also filling several weeks in advance. Please report trail conditions. The East Ridge Trail (from near Miller Peak to San Jacinto Peak) has a handful of tracks through the continuous snow, though none (including mine) accurately follow the trail route. The South Fork Trail is over 10 miles one-way. Spikes are recommended, at least for descending. Broadly speaking it is clear that snowfall has become much more variable in the past decade, ranging from extremely dry (<10 inches) to, obviously, very snowy. I barebooted to Saddle, and then snowshoed back down to help consolidate the track. On the morning of Friday 6th January, getting an Alpine start, I broke trail the entire way from Humber Park to San Jacinto Peak via Devils Slide, PCT, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails. The Ernie Maxwell Trail is clear of snow. Note that generally the maximum depths so far this winter were immediately following the major storm sequence on 14th-17th January 2023 (details of those depths available here). 2,345 Sq. Fresh snowfall in Long Valley is now at about four inches. They are not currently recommended for traversing moderate or higher angle slopes above 9000 ft that have challenging ice underlying powder. Minor storm overnight on 27th-28th December. Currently, and as conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 7000 ft. Trails remain icy due to daily freeze/thaw cycles and compaction from hiker traffic, and spikes are useful throughout the trail system above about 9000 ft (lower in places). Seven Pines Trail has one set of hiker tracks through the snow since the storm in early November 2022. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. The East Ridge Trail (from near Miller Peak to San Jacinto Peak) has a handful of tracks through the continuous snow, though none (including mine) accurately follow the trail route. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Tuesday 6th December 2022 at 1530 the air temperature was 19.9F (-7C), with a windchill temperature of 3.8F (-16C), 18% relative humidity, and a sharp due West wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 13.2 mph. The trail is clearest above immediately above LRV and again close to the Peak junction. Since then Idyllwild had a very light dusting (<0.25 inch) of snow on Friday 20th, but the high country was above the cloud and unaffected. The State Park has closed the wilderness due to the weather conditions, as described on their website here. It's nearly 20 miles, a 5,600 foot elevation gain and it reaches 11,503 feet! All trails above about 5500 ft are currently snow-covered. San Gorgonio Peak via Vivian Creek Trail Directions: I put together this table from a spreadsheet I maintain of publicly available National Weather Service meteorological data. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying the storm there is extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. They will be especially valuable on well-consolidated tracks over the coming days and weeks before they clear of snow (e.g., Devils Slide, Ernie Maxwell, Deer Springs trails, at least), on colder mornings when conditions are icy, and for descending. Length 19.0 miElevation gain 5,492 ftRoute type Out & back. Altitudes are approximate. Monday 5th was the first day since the snow storm in early November that I did not use spikes for descending, as the icy snow in the high country was crisp and grippy in cold, cloudy conditions. Thank you so much for your support. Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. 2 night trip SB Peak Trail to Limber Pine, Trail Fork Springs and back. The Wellman Trail track was disappearing under spindrift as I re-broke it on Monday 23rd. Steady melting of snow, especially on sun-exposed slopes, and freeze-thaw cycles will combine to change trail conditions and potentially the preferred equipment for the terrain. And he said he doesn't have any doubt that his friend is still alive. In the meantime, a lengthy video discussion of the current situation recorded at the Peak is available here, and a brief panorama video from the Peak proper is available here. Following the twelfth storm system of this winter on 29th-30th January, temperatures have largely swung to well above seasonal, with melting underway at all elevations, but especially below 8000 ft. As discussed above, multiple additional snowfalls forecast for 14th-18th January will further complicate the trail conditions. Melting of snow on sun-exposed slopes and freeze-thaw cycles will combine to change trail conditions and potentially the preferred equipment for the terrain. As forecast, the storm came in two main waves, with the bulk of the precipitation falling for most of the daylight hours of Sunday 11th, followed by a remarkably calm and clear night, and then a much less intense period of snowfall between about 0800-1300 on Monday 12th. The Ernie Maxwell Trail is functionally clear of icy snow, although a few minor patches remain, especially close to Humber Park. Clearly conditions are expected to continue to change over the next week or two, so this summary is intentionally brief. They are strongly recommended on certain moderate and higher angle slopes, at a minimum on the Peak Trail above Wellman Divide, the Wellman Trail, Deer Springs Trail above Little Round Valley, and uppermost South Ridge Trail, and on both flanks but critically on the north face of Tahquitz Peak. There is a lightly traveled compacted snowshoe track on the East Ridge between Miller Peak and San Jacinto Peak but it does not accurately follow the route of the East Ridge Trail. Spikes will likely become increasingly useful over the next few days and weeks as established trails become consolidated by hiker traffic and undergo freeze-thaw cycles. Spikes are not generally required for ascending, but most hikers will find them useful for descending. Marion Mountain Trail has a lightly-traveled posthole track to follow, that does not follow the trail route in places. Altitudes are approximate. This may mean rain and/or freezing rain as high as 10,000 ft, and challenging layers of icy or mixed snow/ice conditions at all elevations, including the possible melting of some or most preexisting snow below about 8000 ft due to rainfall. Started by: jack. There are five new major treefall hazards, plus many other limbs and branches, across the trail between the Suicide Rock junction and the Marion Mountain Trail junction. The Vivian Creek Trail is an out-and-back trail. Cold clouds in the high country produced thick rime on the trees above about 10,200 ft elevation on 1st December (photo from 2nd below) but otherwise no meaningful precipitation. Rainfall may continue at mid elevations potentially for several consecutive days, and the relative warmth of the air masses may produce rain and/or freezing rain as high as San Jacinto Peak, challenging layers of icy or mixed snow/ice conditions at all elevations, and perhaps melting of much preexisting snow below about 8000 ft. Current forecasts for precipitation suggest as much as three inches of rain around the elevation of Idyllwild (5000-6000 ft) between the afternoon of Tuesday 27th December 2022 and Wednesday 4th January 2023. [UPDATE 1st December 2022: the double storm system that looks likely to bring significant precipitation to northern and central California appears to be missing the San Jacinto mountains, despite optimistic forecasts over the previous week. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. whitebark 300 Hiked May 4, 2008. Extremely cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. It warmed last night to just above freezing below 6000 ft, with a mixture of rain and sleet falling on top of the prior snow, turning it increasingly to wet slush at mid elevations (we measured about 0.25 inch rain in Idyllwild). A few trees were cut by chainsaw at the far (Hidden Divide) end of the Forest Service section recently, presumably by a CCC or State Park crew. As evident in the video, spikes are currently needed at least, and snowshoes would be ideal especially for sections that have not yet been traveled. Devils Slide Trail is functionally clear of icy snow to Saddle Junction. Willow Creek Trail remains a relatively slow, messy hike for a couple of miles. Currently the USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. 2020 San Gorgonio: Type of Hike: Overnight: Trailhead: South Fork: Hiking Companions: Hiked with a group: Road Conditions: Road suitable for all vehicles: Bug Status: No bugs: Snow Conditions: Trail snow-covered at times - Gear and expertise recommended: Trail Conditions: Obstacles on trail: Hiked up to Dry Lake and set up camp for an early . RESCUES IN THE WILDERNESS CAN BE AVOIDED. The permits can be obtained at the Ranger Station in Mentone, 34701 Mill Creek Rd. I snowshoed down from San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, Saddle Junction, and Devils Slide Trail. Nevertheless, the snowfall so far in winter 2022/23 in Idyllwild would place it seventh in recorded history (reliable data collection started in 1943). Personally I would not currently venture above 9000 ft elevation without crampons (always with an ice axe) and snowshoes, due to the current complexity and challenges of the icy snow slopes above that elevation. Spikes are recommended at least for descending upper Deer Springs Trail. Above that elevation, icy snow is largely continuous to Saddle Junction. However they remain valuable for off-trail travel at elevations above about 9000 ft (potentially lower in places). The Peak Trail has about 90% cover of icy snow to 9900 ft elevation, and then >95% cover to San Jacinto Peak. Map showing recreational areas. 3 Beds. Be prepared for trails above about 7500 ft (lower in places) obscured by moderate to deep snow, and even fresh tracks being erased by spindrift snow in places. It was near-whiteout conditions due to wild spindrift above Wellman Divide, but the new snow was firm and overall made for good snowshoeing conditions. Official websites use .gov A .gov
A few minor patches exist close to the top. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular track or trail. The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. Spikes are recommended at least for descending upper Deer Springs Trail. The story so far.. A minor storm on the night of Tuesday 21st (sixteenth storm of the winter) produced little snow just an inch in Idyllwild but severe cold and severe winds, erasing all tracks with wild drifting. Trip Report. Despite warmer temperatures on some days, hikers should be prepared for temperatures near freezing in the high country, and generally below freezing when considering wind chill effects (see below for my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak). All trails above about 5500 ft are currently snow-covered. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Sunday 1st January 2023 at 0830 the air temperature was 17.9F (-8C), with a windchill temperature of -2.3F (-19C), 100% relative humidity, and a sharp WSW wind sustained at 11 mph gusting to 21.1 mph. connected to the .gov website. The storm expected on 28th November failed to materialize, producing only below average temperatures, wind, and spectacular clouds (photos below). Spikes tend to be especially useful for descending trails. (6), Images Although the snow is not particularly deep (10-12 inches) it is heavily drifted and steeply angled, and has at least one ice layer underneath the fresh powder. A short video giving a feel for current snow conditions at San Jacinto Peak is available here on YouTube. A strong and bitterly cold NNE wind made conditions interesting, with large parts of the broken tracks filling in overnight with spindrift (and wind blown ice blocks), so I found myself breaking lengthy sections of trail yet again. Although some treefall hazards from Red Tahquitz to Antsell Rock (PCT Miles 172.5-175) were cleared in June 2021 prior to the rockslide removal work, the situation has badly deteriorated since. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are closed for the season. (
The summit of San Gorgonio (11,499') is 3 miles beyond High Creek. Finally, though not as well endowed as the Vivian Creek route, there is water avialable at a few locations. 2 Baths. Currently the USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. Ft. 3919 Calle Andalucia, San Clemente, CA 92673. Hi Tyler, welcome to SoCalHiker.net! Two significant further atmospheric river storm systems are forecast, on Tuesday 10th, and then again on Saturday 14th-Sunday 15th. Spikes are currently recommended throughout the trail system above about 7500 ft. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 23rd January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) are as follows. The next, much more substantial, wave of snow arrives later this afternoon. Steady heavy snow started in Idyllwild at about 0830 but stopped at about 1400. Two more significant atmospheric river storm systems are forecast on Saturday 14th-Sunday 15th, and on 16th-18th. However I was surprised to find almost all of this had melted by the time I hiked to San Jacinto Peak on 31st December. To the west, along the Pacific Crest Trail, a second team was searching for Ronald Barbour, 69, of La Crescenta, who set out on a combined bike ride and hike Sunday. Be aware of your surroundings trails look different in the snow and are sometimes are hard to find. Since the depths given in the previous Report, there has been some melting at higher elevations on sunny days and below 9000 ft caused by the heavy rainfall. The holiday weekend had temperatures far above seasonal until Tuesday 27th. Contact the San Bernardino National Forest, San Gorgonio Ranger District, 34701 Mill Creek Rd., Mentone, CA 92359 (909) 794-1123 or fax (909) 794-1125. Alternatively snowshoes could have been used, depending on personal preference and time of day. 10 inches on 9th), Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 1-2 inches (was 4 inches on 9th), Annies Junction/approx. Generally considered a challenging route. Put on snowshoes and went up to the base of San Gorgonio . View 18632 Deer Trail Rd, Banning, CA 92220 property records for FREE including property ownership, deeds, mortgages, titles & sales history, current & historic tax assessments, legal, parcel & structure description, land use, zoning & more. On the afternoon of Monday 6th I was treated to moody clouds and virga, a cloud base just above my head at San Jacinto Peak, and the briefest possible flurry of small snow flakes while at the Peak (but nothing settled). Please feel free to add this route to the mountain page. The Wellman Trail from Annies Junction to Wellman Divide has about 20% icy snow cover. Major snowfall months have also occurred recently, in winters that did not otherwise end up with exceptional annual totals. Early on the morning of Saturday 17th I broke trail back-and-forth across the 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between Chinquapin Flat/PCT and Tahquitz Peak which now has a lightly traveled posthole track to follow through the drifted powder. While my snowshoe track continues from Saddle Junctions through to San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, this may rapidly become obscured by additional light snowfall and/or drifting snow from strong winds. Both Mt. Long Valley (8600 ft) looks to have added about 12 inches since last night. SOLD JUN 7, 2022. Please check this page for periodic updates throughout the storm (the most recent is at the top). Note that temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing are forecast for mid to upper elevations (at least >6000 ft) for the foreseeable future. Be prepared for trails above about 8000 ft (perhaps lower in places) completely or largely obscured by moderate to deep snow. The number given is the current average total snow depth. On multiple recent ascents of San Jacinto Peak I have generally ascended and descended via the east side (Devils Slide, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge routes). Spikes are not required. Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. After a 10 mile uphill grind, we summited at 10:45am and it was stunning: beautiful . Note that averages are given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting. The Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail has a well-traveled track to follow throughout its length, snow cover is about 80%. UPDATE Thursday 5th January 2023: We are just catching the southern edge of the highly-publicized storm currently passing through central California. The freeze level will again start very high, but is forecast to fall lower, with the possibility of a light dusting of snow down to about 5500 ft. Another inch of rain is forecast for mid elevations, but a heavier snowfall is expected in the high country, with predictions ranging from 8-20 inches above 10,000 ft. Further precipitation is tentatively forecast for 3rd-6th January, but amounts, timing, and freeze levels remain uncertain this far ahead. While searchers said three of the men who died were experienced hikers, Kumm is better described as an outdoors enthusiast, said Cpl. Devils Slide Trail has a well traveled and compacted track to Saddle Junction in place already. Even when the gate is closed there are nine legal parking spaces below the locked gate (which still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent to be displayed). Compacted trails such as Devils Slide, Deer Springs, Marion Mountain, South Ridge are extremely icy between 7400-8900 ft due to the rain yesterday which has now frozen. Trail crews are back in the wilderness! Above Little Round Valley there are at least half-a-dozen tracks ascending toward San Jacinto Peak, none of which entirely accurately follow the established trail route. The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. Some hikers will find spikes are useful at least for descending. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail. Forest, San Gorgonio Wilderness, San Jacinto Wilderness and State Park. As I snowshoed down past 9000 ft elevation it was clear from a layer of ice underfoot that after a light snowfall, there had been rain on top of snow, before it started snowing again on top of that Sunday morning. Altitudes are approximate. Bear in mind that half the winter total, 26 inches, have fallen in the past five days! Accumulation so far of about 0.5 inch in Idyllwild, and one inch at Long Valley. Even when the gate is closed there are nine legal parking spaces below the locked gate (which still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent to be displayed). . They are now invaluable on heavily traveled, compacted, icy tracks (before they clear of snow in the coming weeks) such as Devils Slide, Ernie Maxwell, and Deer Springs trails, at least, especially mornings when conditions tend to be most icy, and for descending.