Note that averages are given; due to strong winds and considerable powder there is extreme drifting. Note that near its junction with Deer Springs Trail, the route was not close to the established trail, so cautious navigation may be needed. The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between Chinquapin Flat/PCT and Tahquitz Peak has a well-traveled and level track to follow through the steadily melting 1-2 inches of icy snow. Conversely in some places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. Still one of the most scenic trails in San Gorgonio, Now is the time to do this hike before the weather changes. Freeze levels will be well below 3000 ft at times, and for example Garner Valley (4300-4800 ft) could receive as much as 6-12 inches of snow this week. Melting and freeze/thaw cycles will combine to change trail conditions and potentially the preferred equipment for the terrain for the remainder of February. However it is thinning rapidly everywhere, and will look radically different in a week or so. Please check this page for periodic updates the most recent is at the top throughout the multiple day storm sequence. Two and three-tenths miles further is High Creek Camp (water available - 9,200'). Yesterday afternoon we checked Devils Slide trailhead at Humber Park, and measured an average snow depth of 26 inches. 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). (406), Comments The main Dry Lake Trail is much steeper and can very slick if conditions are icy. PCT Mile 179.9 (8070 ft): 4 inches (storm total 3.5 inches), Devils Slide Trail at Humber Park (6550 ft): 3.5 inches (storm total 3.5 inches). There is a very well-traveled track on the lowest section of Deer Springs Trail continuing out to Suicide Rock. View San Gorgonio Image Gallery - 231 Images. Sky High Trail (5km) Raywood Flat Trail (5.1km) North Fork Meadows Trail (5.4km) Went out on South Fork/Dry Lake Trails with micro spikes to Dry Lake via winter route. Cliff Weston, the San Bernardino County sheriff's search-and-rescue coordinator. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying the storm there is extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. 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. Bring extra food, flashlight, and warm clothes. PCT Mile 181.8 (9070 ft): 0-1 inch, photo below (was 6 inches on 9th), Deer Springs Trail at top of Marion Mountain Trail (8700 ft): 1-2 inches, Tahquitz Peak (north side trail, 8700 ft): 0-1 inch [measured 26th November], Tahquitz Peak (south side trail, 8500-8700 ft): 0 inch [measured 26th November], Long Valley (8600 ft): <1 inch (was 2-3 inches on 9th), Strawberry Junction (8100 ft): 0 inch (was approx. The eighteenth storm, due this evening, is an unusual atmospheric river combined with very cold air again, expected to produce heavy snowfall for 24th-25th February. Very cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. Currently the USFS gate at Humber Park remains open and the parking area has been largely plowed. At the Peak on Saturday 31st December 2022 at 1650 the air temperature was 24.9F (-4C), with a windchill temperature of 4.8F (-15C), 62% relative humidity, and a bitter WSW wind sustained at 18 mph gusting to 30.1 mph. Above that elevation, icy snow is largely continuous to Saddle Junction. Deer Springs Trail [updated 22nd December] has an accurate track to follow all the way to San Jacinto Peak as I broke trail the entire way down to the Suicide Rock Trail junction on 15th December. I kept those on for the rest of the ascent, and almost all of the descent, finally removing them most of the way down Devils Slide Trail. 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). Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. In combination with the four inches of rain since Saturday, not to mention the many inches of rain earlier this winter, the mid elevations, including the mountain communities, are now best described as a very soggy and slushy mess. On the south east side of the 15. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. Sadly this phenomenon has become much more of a factor in recent years with freezing rainfall (rather than snow) occurring at higher elevations at higher frequency with much warmer weather systems. LockA locked padlock -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hikers22jan22,1,1003736.story?coll=la-home-local Hikers Warned to Avoid Icy Risks Four are dead and two missing in Southland mountains. Put on snowshoes and went up to the base of San Gorgonio . A major change to the weather might occur next week (see Weather section below) with forecasts suggesting a possible double storm system impacting the San Jacinto mountains, and cold temperatures at all mountain elevations for a week at least. Through LRV and up to San Jacinto Peak, there are at least three tracks (two posthole, one snowshoe), none of which attempt to follow the trail route, and all are steep and very direct. The fourteenth and fifteenth storm systems of winter 2022/23, both of them minor but having a significant effect in combination, impacted the San Jacinto mountains back-to-back on 13th and 14th February. "It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over, that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed." The best times to visit this trail are May through November. From the 10 freeway (coming east or west), you'll take Highway 38 through Forest Falls to get to the trailhead. My snowshoe track continues from Saddle Junction through to San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide , the Peak Trail, and East Ridge, but this may become obscured by additional light snowfall and/or drifting snow from strong winds. All trails above about 5500 ft are currently snow-covered. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. U.S. Forest Service personnel were preparing similar advisories to be given to hikers who buy parking and hiking permits in the San Bernardino, Cleveland, Angeles and Los Padres national forests. However avalanche risk may become significant over the next week if we receive a major wind-loaded snowfall on top of the deep, hardened base of snow currently in place. Hikers should be prepared for temperatures below freezing in the high country, and generally far freezing when considering wind chill effects. In my recent experience off-trail snow is now also largely too shallow and/or patchy for snowshoes. My Time: 9 hours 17 minutes (moving), 11 hours 37 minutes total. On the morning of Wednesday 15th February I ascended via the east side (Devils Slide, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge routes), descending the western side via roughly Deer Springs Trail. Altitudes are approximate. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Thursday 24th November 2022 at 0810 the air temperature was 29.0F (-2C), with a windchill temperature of 5.7F (-15C), 16% relative humidity, and a severe NNW wind sustained at 25 mph gusting to 35.1 mph. There is a well-traveled track on the lowest section of Deer Springs Trail continuing out to Suicide Rock. Deer Springs Trail has a broken track to follow all the way to San Jacinto Peak. Overnight in Idyllwild we had three inches of snow, the first notable snowfall of this latest storm series, but temperatures actually warmed during the night (presumably with the arrival of the latest atmospheric river) and before dawn it was raining on top of the snow. It has been a grim winter for search-and-rescue teams. 8. Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio offers an opportunity for you to make a difference in the lives of girls and young women. The natural traction was superb, and I barebooted all the way to just above Wellman Divide (9700 ft) before finally putting on Kahtoola microspikes, accompanied by an ice axe. My 2022 survey counted 97 trees down on this 2.1 miles of trail. 5; 12; 2 months, 4 weeks ago. Snowshoes are not required anywhere, as recent experience has shown that off-trail snow is now too shallow and/or patchy for snowshoes. Temperatures will be near or generally below seasonal for the next ten days at least. Tracks are in place around Skunk Cabbage Meadow, and south from Saddle Junction toward Chinquapin Flat. The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between Chinquapin Flat/PCT and Tahquitz Peak has a well-traveled and level track to follow through the slowly melting inch of patchy icy snow (photo below from 30th November). However they will remain very valuable for off-trail travel at elevations above about 9000 ft (potentially lower in places) for the next week or two at least. Get ready to get WILD because Girl Scout Day at the Erie Zoo is almost here! South Ridge Road (5S11) remains closed to vehicle traffic. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to cover costs. If there are Road Closed signs further down often the case at weekends and holidays when snow is present then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking. May 20th is the Erie Zoo Earth Day Celebration and they've invited the Girl Scouts to the party. Suitable waterproof footwear is strongly recommended. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are closed for the season. Icy snow cover is 60% overall, becoming increasingly patchy below about 7000 ft, and again in the sun-exposed areas above 8000 ft. Spikes are useful, especially for descending. I'm guessing an additional few hundred feet at least. Three significant trees are now down across the trail, including two major hazards (one new in gale force winds on 26th January) that are not easy to hike around both roughly halfway along the 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. The second system may be more substantial, with precipitation expected most of the day and night of Saturday 31st December into Sunday 1st January. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. A light overnight snowfall, which produced another three inches in Idyllwild, finally stopped at 0700 this morning. After we took the Dry Lake trail for about a 1/4 of a mile, we split from the main trail and took the main winter route. Be aware that firewood can harbor insects and diseases that threaten California's valuable forest resources. If full, drive down to bottom entrance area where there is an overflow parking lot. PCT Mile 181.8 (9070 ft): 4-5 inches (5.5 inches on 12th December), Marion Mountain Trail at junction with PCT (8700 ft): 4-6 inches (6 inches on 12th December), Long Valley (8600 ft): 3-4 inches (5-6 inches on 12th December), Strawberry Junction (8100 ft): 3 inches (4 inches on 12th December), Saddle Junction/approx. Portable gas stoves are allowed with a valid. The Ernie Maxwell Trail [surveyed 10th January] has minor patches of snow along its entire length, however it is largely clear for long sections, and the remaining snow is rarely icy. LockA locked padlock Weve had a long break due to the Covid-19 issues, but after developing a set of safety procedures our teams are back in business. The Wellman Trail from Annies Junction to Wellman Divide has about 40% icy snow cover. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. Due to the very high freeze level snowfall was restricted to a light dusting above 8200 ft, increasing to one inch above 9000 ft and 1.5 inch above 10,000 ft. Impacts will be minimal on high country trails, but trails between 7000-9000 ft with pre-existing snow may be a mix of slush, snow and ice, and will require some caution. Be prepared for trails above about 8000 ft (perhaps lower in places) completely or largely obscured by moderate to deep snow. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 30th January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) and checked again on 1st February are as follows. On 22nd for example I wore spikes down to about 7500 ft on Marion Mountain Trail, while on 27th I wore spikes down the Peak and Wellman trails and PCT down to 9000 ft. A few cleared patches are developing below 7000 ft. For the foreseeable future hikers should be prepared for temperatures below freezing in the high country, and well below freezing when considering wind chill effects (see below for my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak). Lamentably this latest storm was again very mild, with rain falling as high as the elevation of San Jacinto Peak see photos below all morning on Tuesday 10th, until finally turning to light snow in the early afternoon (at about 1330 in Long Valley). Chung Hun "Charles" Koh, 53, of Buena Park left home New Year's Day to hike on Mt. With storms accompanied by strong west winds, the slopes above about 9500 ft on the east flanks of San Jacinto and Jean peaks may develop a snow structure with minor to moderate avalanche risk by the weekend of 25th-26th (as last seen on these slopes in early 2017). Altitudes are approximate. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. Note that temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing are forecast for mid to upper elevations (at least >6000 ft) for the foreseeable future. Coldwell Banker. Very cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. This is the flattest portion of the PCT in the San Jacinto mountains, and snow depth currently averages about 13 inches. If the Report is useful to you in any way, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Today qualified as a day off from the incessant storms, although even then we managed a minor storm in Strawberry Valley (where Idyllwild is located), with two inches of fresh snowfall overnight and into the morning. Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 3.0 inches (storm total 3.0 inches). Note however that snow depth is rarely indicative of the challenge (or otherwise) of a given trail. There is no planned reopening date at this time. However the remaining snow patches are icy in the morning. With two further minor snowfalls possible in January, and strong winds in the high country expected on some days causing substantial spindrift, tracks broken through the snow may not last long. Instead they end up miles from where they should be. However the snow conditions may not be suitable for snowshoeing on certain slopes, as described above. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches.

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