February has been more settled than the very eventful January, but temperatures remain on something of a rollercoaster ride. The wilderness encompasses an incredible transition between desert, and mountain environments, including an enormous variety of thriving plant and animal species, in addition to bear, deer, mountain lion and bighorn sheep. We surveyed the PCT where it crosses Highway 74 (approx. Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 45 inches (30 inches snow in latest storms) but heavily drifted here, Annies Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 45-48 inches (about 30-32 inches snow in latest storms), Long Valley (8600 ft): 24 inches (16 inches in latest storms), Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 21 inches (13 inches snow in latest storms), Devils Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 5-6 inches (all from latest storms, four inches of snow on top of ice). Forest Headquarters 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 (photo below). The Ernie Maxwell Trail is functionally clear of icy snow, although a few minor patches remain, especially close to Humber Park. At the Peak on Sunday 15th January 2023 at 0750 the air temperature was 17.8F (-8C), with a windchill temperature of -5.6F (-21C), 100% relative humidity, and a wild SW wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 30.2 mph. Easily the most popular San Gorgonio hike route, the Vivian Creek Trail is an iconic adventure up to the highest point in SoCal, at 11,503 feet. Days are short and nights are very cold. Mu Zhi Mountain gives great scenery over Taipei and the surrounding area, including Taiwan's tallest building, Taipei. Hikers should be prepared for temperatures below freezing in the high country, and far below freezing when considering wind chill effects (see below for my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak). This is also the parking area for the Big Falls Trailhead. On 15th I barebooted (i.e. Even when the gate is closed there are nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (near the upper Ernie Maxwell trailhead). 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. In addition, there is the possibility of minor snow storms on Thursday 19th and around Sunday 29th January. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to cover costs. Fresh snow at San Jacinto Peak now measures 3-4 inches, snow in Long Valley (8600 ft) at three inches, and rainfall in Idyllwild since 0700 this morning at 0.6 inch. Nevertheless Seven Pines remains a genuine wilderness trail unlike the relatively wide, bare, and obvious routes of, for example, Devils Slide or Marion Mountain trails. It is clear, based on information on the PCTA website closures page (linked here), that these closures will dramatically and negatively impact early season PCT hikers. The San Gorgonio Campground provides access to a variety of recreational opportunities, as well as a beautiful location in which to enjoy nature. Consequently the trail conditions and snow depths reported herein will change dramatically over the next few days. This table gives the weather forecast for San Gorgonio at the specific elevation of 3505 m. Our advanced weather models allow us to provide distinct weather . Yesterday afternoon we checked Devils Slide trailhead at Humber Park, and measured an average snow depth of 26 inches. Ali Aminian, 51, of Newbury Park was an experienced Sierra Club member who went hiking alone in the same area Jan. 11, while Koh was still missing. At the Peak on Friday 6th January 2023 at 0930 the air temperature was 25.7F (-4C), with a windchill temperature of 14.7F (-10C), 44% relative humidity, and a chilly NNW breeze sustained at 5 mph gusting to 10.6 mph. Icy snow cover is 80% overall, becoming increasingly patchy below about 7000 ft, and again in the sun-exposed areas above 8000 ft. Spikes are recommended, at least for descending. Drive northeast for about 14 miles to the intersection with Valley of the Falls Road. Snow cover is shallow up to about 7000 ft, but relatively heavy above 8000 ft. Melting on sun-exposed slopes is already well underway, e.g., on lower Devils Slide Trail, South Ridge and Deer Springs trails. Seven Pines Trail has not been traveled since last weeks storm, at least not in its uppermost section, and there is no track to follow through the snow. 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 currently recommended throughout the trail system above about 7500 ft. Spikes are recommended at least for descending upper Deer Springs Trail. At the Peak on Friday 2nd December 2022 at 1620 the air temperature was 26.2F (-3C), with a windchill temperature of 11.8F (-11C), 55% relative humidity, and a fresh WSW wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 15.4 mph. If you want to hike during the week, you have a better chance of getting a permit. That fair weather in the valleys has fooled too many hikers, Weston said. If this lower lot is full or you do not have your Forest Adventure Pass with you, park in the smaller gravel lot to the left. Early on Wednesday 18th January I barebooted up Devils Slide Trail (which I had broken to Saddle the previous morning). Winter conditions exist in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. There is evidence of a relatively well-traveled track south from Saddle Junction on the PCT, but as of the morning of Saturday 17th this track did not make it through to Chinquapin Flat. Group size limited to 12 people and 8 pack/riding animals per group. It turned to occasional light snow at about 1500, but less than 0.5 inch has accumulated so far (at 5550 ft). San Bernardino Trail and Forsee Creek trails, along with the campsites near those trails, are still closed. Roads 1n02 / 1n05 that go into Aspen Grove and Fish Creek are closed for the winter. But I'm worried about him." This is a popular trail for backpacking, hiking, and running, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. There is disagreement between the forecast models where the freeze level will be for most of Sunday 11th which may alter the potential snowfall amounts (versus rainfall) at mid elevations. "It's just a sheet of ice up there," said John Amrhein, emergency services coordinator for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The snow quickly turned into semi-melted slush. Section E. Hwy-14/Agua Dulce to Hwy-58/Mojave-Tehachapi . All trails above about 8000 ft are obscured by snow at this time, and cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. Reports are that the Vivian Creek Trail to San Gorgonio is basically clear of snow. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Sunday 19th February 2023 at 1015 the air temperature was 19.6F (-7C), with a windchill temperature of 4.1F (-16C), 44% relative humidity, and a moderate SSE wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 14 mph. Another tree came down near the start of this trail close to Saddle Junction in Tropical Storm Kay. "He's a pretty smart dude and a great physical man at 6-2, 240 pounds. 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). On my hike up to San Jacinto Peak it started snowing gently at 1025 in the high country. the snowfall predicted in some forecasts. This latest storm was again very mild, as expected from an atmospheric river system pulling moisture in from warmer latitudes. Hikers should be prepared for temperatures near or below freezing in the high country, and generally well below freezing when considering wind chill effects (see below for my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak). Such unseasonably warm temperatures mean that snow melt will be rapid everywhere while in many areas freeze/thaw cycles will result in icy trails in the early mornings above about 7000 ft. By late morning snow conditions will become poor for hiking (soft, slippery, and even slushy) especially in sun-exposed areas. Further light snow is expected starting this evening, followed by much heavier snow overnight on 28th February-1st March. The freeze level was above 7000 ft for most of the storm, with freezing rain plastering the vegetation as high as 10,000 ft. By the afternoon of 15th, melting was already underway below 7000 ft. 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. On 24th and 28th we barebooted to the Peak on well-traveled and compacted tracks through light icy snow. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. 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). At least two further minor storm systems are forecast, overnight into Tuesday 3rd January, and then again all day on Thursday 5th January, as described in more detail in the Weather section below. The storm forecast for 29th-30th January looks less dramatic than previously predicted, with the high country largely above the storm (only an inch of snow forecast), and only 2-4 inches now expected at the elevation of Idyllwild. My Actual Distance: 18.4 miles. Get involved with local programs, from participating in the Cookie Sale and attending Girl Scout camp to registering for in-person and virtual programming on digital storytelling, aviation, and more! Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. Unlike the other destinations from LA on this . In Idyllwild both overnight low and daytime high temperatures will be more typical of late March or even April than of late December. Were so happy to be back! There is a well-traveled track on light icy snow from Long Valley/Tram to Wellman Divide. I have kept crampons on for most of the descent, removing them most of the way down Devils Slide Trail. Obviously these depths are expected to change dramatically over the next few days. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. 2 night trip - SB Peak Trail to Limber Pine, Trail Fork Springs and back. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Spikes are recommended especially in the morning as the snow is now hard, compacted and very icy in places. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting, often accumulating in the trails. He has just reported storm snow totals of 5-6 inches at Wellman Divide (9700 ft) and four inches in both Round and Long valleys from his descending hike. Snowshoes are no longer required on the established trail system, which is now too compacted for snowshoes. Basically, now would be a nice time to go to the beach." This makes for less than perfect snowshoeing conditions, but still preferable to postholing. Spikes at least, but preferably crampons, are required for the uppermost switchbacks (see photo below). When plowed Humber will remain very icy for the next few days at least. Every year seems to have unique challenges and 2023 is already proving to be no exception. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail. Map Information. These conditions are expected to change significantly over the next ten days due to the highly unsettled weather forecast into early January. Spikes are recommended especially in the morning as the snow is now hard, compacted and very icy in places. All trails above about 5500 ft are largely snow-covered (wholly snow-covered above about 7000 ft). Although not required, some hikers will find spikes useful especially for descending. 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. The week from 21st-26th December may be among the warmest on record for the year-end holiday period. The traversing slopes above Wellmans Divide (roughly 9800-10,500 ft) were extremely firm early in the morning and potentially treacherous. Snow cover is about 80% from Strawberry Junction north for about 1.0 mile (roughly 8500 ft), and thereafter essentially continuous to San Jacinto Peak. Temperatures are expected to remain below average for January for the remainder of the month in Strawberry Valley (Idyllwild area), but are forecast to swing well above average (above freezing) for the highest elevations on 21st-26th January. Although I made a concerted effort to put in a track as faithful to the trail routes as conditions permitted, wild winds and spindrift powder on all the exposed slopes rendered that fairly pointless. Snowshoes are useful in low to moderate angle terrain with adequate snow depth above about 8000 ft, for example the Tahquitz area meadows near Saddle Junction, sections of Deer Springs Trail, and Long Valley/Round Valley. 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). My track largely follows the established trail routes, with some modifications for the conditions. San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 2-4 inches (was 12 inches on 9th November), Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 2-4 inches (was approx. Please check this page for periodic updates (the most recent is at the top). South Ridge Road (5S11) remains closed to vehicle traffic. Nearby homes similar to 641 Avenida Vaquero have recently sold between $2,480K to $2,480K at an average of $1,060 per square foot. A few cleared patches are developing below 7000 ft. Weather conditions for different elevations in the San Gorgonio Wilderness are at: www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/San-Gorgonio/forecasts/3505. Cautious navigation remains required for those who do not have significant experience of hiking this trail. Snow cover is a patchy 20% from Strawberry Junction north for about 1.5 mile (roughly 8600 ft). 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. A very mild system with rain to 9000 ft elevation (and consequently very icy conditions), and one inch of fresh snow above about 9000 ft elevation, increasing to 1.5 inch above 10,000 ft. Spikes tend to be especially useful for descending trails. That said, it has just started gently snowing in both locations, so storm totals may increase slightly over the next couple of hours. Must have crampons/and Alpine boots, trails are iced and very dangerous. 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. 2 night trip SB Peak Trail to Limber Pine, Trail Fork Springs and back. This storm is expected to have two periods of precipitation, one each on 11th and 12th. San Bernardino County authorities have rescued at least six other hikers since Jan. 1. Currently only one major trail route has been traveled and even that is partially obscured by icefall, melting and drifted snow. On the mountaintop, the ice continues to stay, and if hikers continue going up there, we're going to continue to have problems." San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 6 inches (was 12 inches on 9th), Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 5-6 inches (was approx. San Gorgonio Mountain (5.8km) Lake Peak (6.7km) Jepson Peak (7.3km) Charlton Peak (7.3km) . It may be in the 60s and 70s in the valleys, but it's not warm in the mountains. I was surprised to find that no one had made it through on the Wellman Trail over the weekend, so I postholed somewhat over my snowshoe tracks from 15th until Wellman Divide. Altitudes are approximate. Ironically the closure is due to unprecedented snow fall, although such snow fall was average prior to this century, and would have even been below average in the 1970s. Perfect weather, great trail conditions. Spitler Peak Trail is now functionally clear of snow. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Instead they end up miles from where they should be. However, snowshoes will become increasingly useful as conditions warm sufficiently for snow to become soft above about 9000 ft, especially on sunny slopes and afternoons. From near Miller Peak I put in a track up the East Ridge, rather than continuing on the Peak Trail round to Summit Junction, but this track was being partially erased by spindrift within minutes. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are closed for the season. "The vegetation is not strong in burned areas; more rocks are falling than ever before in those areas. The snow pack was hard enough to walk on top in some places but we did experience many holes. Girl Scout Daisies will earn the Between Earth and Sky Journey. Be aware of your surroundings trails look different in the snow and are sometimes are hard to find. On 2nd, 5th, and 6th we barebooted to San Jacinto Peak on well-traveled and compacted tracks through increasingly patchy light icy snow. Both of these storms are expected to be relatively mild at first with rain a possibility up to 9000 ft before freeze levels drop down to 6000 ft. South Ridge Trail [updated 24th December] has about 30% icy snow cover from the top of South Ridge Road to Old Lookout Flat (7600 ft). The trail descriptions list this route as being 16 miles round trip. For day use a permit is required on any of the trails in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting. Altitudes are approximate. This may change after the weekend. The total snow accumulation was ultimately somewhat below prior forecasts, with San Jacinto Peak receiving about 9-10 inches overnight (rather than the 12-16 anticipated). I hope to provide more information on the high country situation on Sunday 26th, depending on conditions/weather. There was thin patchy snow at the trailhead (4900 ft) and then it was largely continuous above 5800 ft. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. Later that morning at San Jacinto Peak, I measured a windchill temperature of -26.3F (-32C), the fourth lowest temperature I have ever recorded there. Snow from the moderate storm on 8th-9th November (summarized here) has been melting steadily at mid elevations but more slowly in the high country given the relative weakness of the sun at this time of year. The system was generally very mild, with the freeze level near 8000 ft, but this is expected to drop overnight, by which time the precipitation will have largely passed. Current trail conditions are oddly reminiscent of spring, with snow distribution and iciness feeling more typical for April or May than late November. Alternatively snowshoes could have been used for much of the hike. The average snow depth in this area is only about five inches, but on this slope it is heavily drifted in places at 10-12 inches. However excellent well-traveled and compacted tracks are now in place for almost all major trails (details below). Comments Off on Vivian Creek Trail Maintenance, STAY SAFE! Spikes are recommended but not strictly essential depending upon your comfort level hiking on angled icy snow. On 19th the cold icy early morning snow had good bite for grippy boots and I barebooted all the way to San Jacinto Peak. 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. The Vivian Creek route is the most popular, South Fork is #2 All trails above about 6500 ft are currently lightly, or above 7500 ft moderately, snow-covered. It has stopped snowing both in Idyllwild (current storm total 0.75 inch snow plus 1.14 inches of rain) and at San Jacinto Peak (9 inches snow). The number given is the current average total snow depth. The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail. LockA locked padlock Coldwell Banker. Chung Hun "Charles" Koh, 53, of Buena Park left home New Year's Day to hike on Mt. While all time and effort is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report requests small private donations to cover costs. This may continue for several weeks, or could change given further fresh snowfall forecast. For those that are unclear, the Skyline Trail is the first segment of the C2C (Cactus to clouds) from Palm Springs up to Grubbs Notch (Long Valley). The avalanche was an unusual occurrence on Mount San Jacinto, RMRU President Eric Holden said. This rain produces huge masses of ice in the trees, including chunks I have estimated as weighing 40-100 lb this winter, which can dislodge dramatically once direct sunlight warms the trees. Spikes are recommended especially in the morning as the snow is now hard, compacted and very icy in places. 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. From the top of Marion, the route is well-traveled but pretty uneven, up into Little Round Valley. 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. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches, and on the quality of your footwear (tread grip, in particular). momyer-open-map. Estimated Distance: 17 miles. Generally considered a challenging route. Started by: jack. Forsee via Jackstraw 15.18 miles, 4,702' gain. As last week, I was able to ascend barebooting to about 9200 ft before putting on crampons. All have been reported to US Forest Service. They are not currently recommended for traversing moderate or higher angle slopes above 9000 ft that have challenging ice underlying powder. See their announcement here. We hiked to top of San Gorgonio yesterday (8/23/09) via the Vivian Creek trail. Thank you for taking the time to read this. San Gorgonio Peak via Vivian Creek Trail Directions: Ernie Maxwell Trail [checked 2nd February] has a heavily traveled track to follow along its entire length, through the increasingly patchy icy snow. Elevation Gain: 5,449 feet. Even experienced hikers should understand that winter ice hiking requires Alpine mountaineering equipment and skills, authorities said. It's remote trailhead is probibly the only reason it's not as popular as the other routes. Caming is allowed. All trails above about 5000 ft are currently snow-covered. Note that data for the high country are dramatically different from those for Idyllwild, and generally sadly lacking, other than meteorological records for Long Valley (8600 ft elevation) since the 1960s. Most of the upper half of the trail had 3-4 inches of lovely fluffy powder. Be trail aware Watch your surroundings, the trail looks different when you are coming back down. Cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. An additional six inches of accumulation today brings the total in Idyllwild since 21st February to 20.5 inches. A key feature of this sequence of storms will be the relative warmth of the air masses which will lead to high freeze levels. By 1st February there was a somewhat meandering snowshoe track from Round Valley (and presumably Long Valley) up to San Jacinto Peak, ultimately using the East Ridge route from near Miller Peak, that generally followed lower angle terrain and avoided the traversing slopes of the Peak Trail. Precipitation at the elevation of Idyllwild fell largely as rain (1.79 inches) before turning to thunder snow starting at 1235 on Sunday afternoon (currently accumulated to 1.5 inch but still snowing as I write this). Every year seems to have unique challenges and 2022 has been no exception. 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. Apartments with air conditioning for rent in San Clemente. There is a relatively well-traveled track on the Round Valley Trail from Long Valley through to Wellman Divide. Ernie Maxwell Trail has good tracks to follow along its entire length, through the continuous snow cover a few inches deep. The Fish Creek trail is probably the least used and is aprox. As described above, crampons (always in conjunction with an ice axe) are currently recommended on certain moderate and higher angle slopes, at a minimum on the Peak Trail above Wellman Divide, and uppermost South Ridge Trail, especially on the north face of Tahquitz Peak. Sold - 40789 Oregon Trail, Cherry Valley, CA - $1,695. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Monday 19th December 2022 at 0920 the air temperature was 31.3F (0C), with a windchill temperature of 20.7F (-6C), 9% relative humidity, and a light WNW wind sustained at 5 mph gusting to 9.9 mph. However, snowshoes will become increasingly useful as snow depths increase over the coming days; they may initially be useful as low as 4000 ft, steadily rising to 5000-6000 ft next week. 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. After an interesting month of weather, the remainder of January into February is forecast to be somewhat more settled. Most major trails now have a track through the snow to follow, details have been updated below. Spikes are not required. Storm systems forecast for 21st-24th and 28th February are all predicted to include severe windchill temperatures near or below -20F (-29C). The first number is the current average total snow depth at that location, followed in parentheses by the approximate depth of fresh snow added by the latest storm sequence on 14th-17th January. Got up early and made our way up the Mineshaft trail. 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.