I snowshoed down from San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, Saddle Junction, and Devils Slide Trail. Prior to that Idyllwild (at 5550 ft) had received 1.04 inches of rain, with a little hail and sleet mixed in. Snowshoes are likely to become useful (even essential in early January), at least above about 9000 ft, if there is significant snowfall during the coming week or so as forecast. Although my original track accurately followed the trail above Little Round Valley, there are now a fair number of alternate shortcut tracks across this slope, so cautious navigation is advised. Spitler Peak Trail (surveyed 18th November) is clear of snow. Reserve and check availability on the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association website: Group size limited to 12 people and 8 pack/riding animals per group. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. Be prepared for ice and deep snow, bring crampons and /or snow shoes and above all do not hike past your limits. Seven Pines Trail has no sign of any hiker traffic since the snow on 12th. Another tree came down near the start of this trail close to Saddle Junction in Tropical Storm Kay. 5; 12; 2 months, 4 weeks ago. Rain started overnight in Idyllwild, and by late this afternoon (at 1550) totals 1.22 inch. All trails above about 5500 ft are currently snow-covered. 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 lower Deer Springs trails. However it is thinning rapidly everywhere, and will look radically different in a week or so. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are now closed for the season. "He's a pretty smart dude and a great physical man at 6-2, 240 pounds. United States. Forecast precipitation is currently only a dusting of 1-2 inches of snow at upper elevations, but combined with strong winds this will be sufficient to complicate route-finding. PCT Mile 151) this morning, and recorded a short video available here on YouTube. . Group size limited to 12 people and 8 pack/riding animals per group. At the Peak 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 gentle WNW wind sustained at 5 mph gusting to 9.9 mph. TAKE A MAP. "Everything he has done indicates he was not an experienced hiker. He had taken ice climbing equipment he'd been given for Christmas, but had never used it before, authorities said. 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. From the top of Marion, the route is well-traveled but pretty uneven, up into Little Round Valley. This western side of the mountain was better protected from winds and drifting snow, and this track should largely survive until the weekend. 805-579-1116 evolverealtyca@gmail.com. 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. Although I made a concerted effort to put in a track as faithful to the trail routes as conditions permitted, further strong winds and blowing powder in the high country were erasing tracks within hours or even minutes. but ideal for snowshoes, which I used from Saddle to San Jacinto Peak and back. However they are not required, depending on your comfort level with postholing in drifted snow of moderate depth. Ft. 3919 Calle Andalucia, San Clemente, CA 92673. San Gorgonio' taken from Hwy 62 in 29 Palms on March 2, 2023. UPDATE Thursday 23rd: Idyllwild woke up to about four inches of fresh snow overnight, and it snowed fairly consistently today (averaging 0.75 inch/hour), adding six more inches by late afternoon. 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. A major warming trend will significantly change conditions on the trail system in the next week or two. Three numbers are given: the first number is the current average total snow depth at that location, followed in brackets by the new snow accumulation from the storm on 29th-30th January, and finally in parentheses by the maximum depth where known so far this winter, generally on 18th January following the major storm sequence on 14th-17th January 2023. This is also the parking area for the Big Falls Trailhead. 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. I put in a posthole track the entire way up, but crampons (with an ice axe) were essential at that time on the upper switchbacks above about 8300 ft due to the typical steeply angled ice obscured underneath 6-12 inches of powder (photos below). Be aware that firewood can harbor insects and diseases that threaten California's valuable forest resources. With such strong Santa Ana winds on Thursday 26th causing extensive drifting, and a light snowfall early on 30th, by the 30th prior tracks had been thoroughly erased and I was once again breaking trail the entire way from Humber Park to San Jacinto Peak, largely through relatively shallow powder. Please check this page for periodic updates (the most recent is at the top). By comparison, approximately 42 inches were recorded in February 2023 (provisional data). Forest, San Gorgonio Wilderness, San Jacinto Wilderness and State Park. The first number is the current average total snow depth at that location, followed in parentheses where known by the maximum depth so far this winter immediately following the latest storm sequence on 14th-17th January 2023. Very cautious navigation is advised throughout the area. 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. Although not essential in the moderate depth powder, spikes are strongly recommended and many hikers will find them useful especially for descending. Only five of these require cutting, and I was able to remove three by hand last week. There is a very well-traveled track on the lowest section of Deer Springs Trail continuing out to Suicide Rock. 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. Reliable tracks are currently only known to be my posthole tracks from 15th for Devils Slide Trail through to San Jacinto Peak via the Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails, and then descending Deer Springs Trail. Above that elevation, icy snow is largely continuous to Saddle Junction. Two 17-year-old hikers were rescued on Friday after getting lost on the Pacific Crest Trail, near the San Gorgonio Mountain, during a winter storm earlier in . This trail will become significantly more treacherous as it undergoes freeze/thaw cycles and compaction over the next week or two. 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). Although not essential in the moderate depth powder, spikes are strongly recommended and many hikers will find them useful especially for descending. After some early sleety drizzle it has been snowing in Long Valley (8600 ft) since late morning with 0.75 inch accumulating so far. A minor storm on the night of Tuesday 21st will include severe cold and severe winds, followed by milder, moderate storm on 22nd-23rd, and then an unusual atmospheric river combined with very cold air again producing heavy snowfall for 23rd-25th February. Snowshoes are useful in lower 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. Conversely in some places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. My track largely followed the established route of the trail, especially below the Fuller Ridge junction, but higher up the track is much more direct in places. Mountain Conditions. If there are Road Closed signs further down at the junction with Forest Drive sometimes the case at weekends and holidays when snow is present then those nine spaces are also theoretically unavailable for legal parking. A short video summary of what we found is available here. These mileages were all recently revised by the USFS and SGWA(one-way mileages to the top of San G)Vivian Creek 9.3 miles 5,422' gainSouth Fork via Dollar Lake 9.8 miles 4,622' gainFish Creek 10.1 miles 3,342' gainSouth Fork via Dry Lake 11.34 miles, 4,622' gainAspen Grove 12.75 miles, 4,092' gainLost Creek Trail via Dry Lake 12.9 miles, 5,182' gainMomyer 13.2 miles, 6,062' gainForsee via Jackstraw 15.18 miles, 4,702' gain. 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. "The vegetation is not strong in burned areas; more rocks are falling than ever before in those areas. The map below shows the new updated El Dorado fire closure area. Most of this snow had melted prior to my hike to San Jacinto Peak on 31st December. Temperatures are forecast to remain near or below seasonal averages for at least the next week, with freezing conditions every night above about 4000 ft elevation. You don't hike alone. Taking the Pacific Coast Highway is one of the best road trips from Los Angeles and the best choice when taking a road trip to mountainous Big Sur. 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. San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 4-5 inches (was 12 inches on 9th), Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 4 inches on 24th (was approx. 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. The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. 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.

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