Data are provisional and require verification. A few minor patches exist close to the top. Snow depths are currently suitable for snowshoeing everywhere above about 8000 ft, potentially lower in places. 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). website belongs to an official government organization in the Note that averages are given; due to strong winds and considerable powder there is extreme drifting. At Day Camp, girls sing songs, try their hand at science experiments, learn knot-tying skills, make arts and crafts and enjoy water activities during these fun themed weeks. 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. . 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). San Bernardino Nat. 0:57. With such mild storms this winter, it is interesting to speculate how much snow would currently be around the high peaks if air temperatures had been just a couple of degrees cooler. A San Bernardino County Superior Court jury has found two brothers guilty of killing a man at his 2019 wedding reception in Chino.. Joe Melgoza's widow said she wants justice for her husband's . Camping on the mountain or anywhere within the San Gorgonio Wilderness requires a permit that can be obtained from the San Gorgonio Ranger District at 34701 Mill Creek Road in Mentone, CA. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths can be well below the average. Thank you so much for your support. May 20th is the Erie Zoo Earth Day Celebration and they've invited the Girl Scouts to the party. Forecasts suggest a further 2-3 inches are possible tonight. Sky High Trail (5km) Raywood Flat Trail (5.1km) North Fork Meadows Trail (5.4km) Days change quickly from pleasant to snow and ice. Basically, now would be a nice time to go to the beach." 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! I descended via Deer Springs Trail, breaking trail through virgin powder all the way down to the Suicide Rock Trail junction. Fresh snowfall in Long Valley is now at about four inches. The Wellman Trail from Annies Junction to Wellman Divide has about 40% icy snow cover. There may be patches, but nothing you can't get around or easily through without special gear. Thereafter a cooling trend will take temperatures well below seasonal again including the possibility of minor precipitation on 11th-15th February. Snow covered Mt. 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. Hikers should be prepared for temperatures generally 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). He had taken ice climbing equipment he'd been given for Christmas, but had never used it before, authorities said. He didn't know the area, and he was in ice with [boot spikes] he just got at Christmas," Goodman said. However, snowshoes will become increasingly useful as conditions warm sufficiently for snow to become soft above about 8000 ft, especially on sunny slopes and afternoons. San Bernardino, CA 92408 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). Sold - 40789 Oregon Trail, Cherry Valley, CA - $1,695. Lightly cloudy conditions made for a delightful hike on the evening of Monday 21st ascending San Jacinto Peak via Marion Mountain and Deer Spring trails, descending the east side (Devils Slide, Wellman, and Peak trails). Following an unusually warm weekend, multiple atmospheric river storms will bring cold, cloudy weather with variable precipitation from Tuesday 27th December well into the first week of January. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 22nd-27th December 2022 are as follows. Spikes are not essential but will be useful for most hikers, especially for descending. Cloud cover started to envelop the mountains early this morning. The trail was also very clean which was great. Currently, and increasingly as snow conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 7000 ft, lower in places. Skyline Trail has a good track to follow through very thin icy snow above 7000 ft (the Traverse to Grubbs Notch). Spitler Peak Trail had 10 new treefall hazards, almost all in the upper switchbacks. It leaves the Willow Creek Trail exactly 1.0 mile from Saddle Junction (0.46 mile from the Skunk Cabbage turning), descending largely on established deer trails for 1.2 miles, meeting Willow Creek just upstream from the old Laws Camp. 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. In Idyllwild (at 5550 ft) it started raining at 1100, where it has been relatively slow to accumulate so far, with 0.4 inch by 1500. The summit of San Gorgonio (11,499') is 3 miles beyond High Creek. This is a summary of conditions following the second significant Pacific storm of winter 2022/23 to impact the San Jacinto mountains. 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. Read About these trails in our Hiking Guide . It is possible they may deteriorate even further with some warming from direct sunlight. South Ridge Road (5S11) is also currently closed to vehicle traffic. Crunchy layers as high as 9800 ft elevation told me it had rained that high at the start of the storm yesterday, but conversely there was very light snow (<1 inch) down to 5500 ft in Idyllwild. Potentially dangerous cold is currently forecast for the highest peaks for 14th-23rd January at least. For example, the Underlying that powder are layers of ice (largely from freezing rain storms) which are much more perilous. Trails above about 7500 ft currently remain lightly covered with patchy icy snow (more continuous above about 9000 ft). 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. I had the pleasure of hiking the Fish Creek Trail on June 22nd. Alternatively snowshoes could have been used, depending on personal preference and time of day. SGWA lists the elevation gain from momyer creek trailhead to SG summit as 6,062'. The Ernie Maxwell Trail is clear of snow. 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. Very cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. 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. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to cover costs. on official, secure websites. While my snowshoe track continues from Saddle Junction through to San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, this was already becoming partially obscured by a combination of ice fall from overhead trees, melting of surface snow, and light drifting of powder in some areas. IMPORTANT UPDATE Thursday 26th January 2023: The State Park has announced that Skyline Trail is closed with immediate effect due to hazardous conditions above the State Park boundary (5800 ft elevation). Fire lookouts at Black Mountain and Tahquitz Peak were closed for the season ahead of schedule in anticipation of the snow storm in early November. 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. 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, mixed with slushy and icy patches. From the large paved parking area, the trail starts on the opposite side of the road across from the vault toilet. Effective 26th January 2023 the State Park closed the section of Skyline Trail that falls within its jurisdiction, above 5800 ft elevation, until further notice due to dangerous weather conditions. Consequently cautious navigation is recommended everywhere. Avalanche risk in the high country is currently minimal due to snow depths and conditions, with the exception of the traditionally unstable north face of San Jacinto Peak which avalanches to some extent every winter. While the shallow icy snow should melt steadily over the next few days, 4WD/AWD vehicles are recommended. San Gorgonio trail and issued strong warnings to those who choose to hike the region's rugged mountains in treacherous conditions. Two moderate snow storms in the next ten days or so are expected to have a major combined impact on the San Jacinto mountains. Chung Hun "Charles" Koh, 53, of Buena Park left home New Year's Day to hike on Mt. 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. San Bernardino National Forest including the San Jacinto Ranger District is closed until at least 16 March 2023. It's a beautiful hike through pines, cedars . Marion Mountain Trail [updated 15th] has a mix of snowshoe and posthole tracks all the way up to its junction with Deer Springs Trail. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. RESCUES IN THE WILDERNESS CAN BE AVOIDED. For water information, please visit the PCT Water Report. Snow cover remains virtually continuous, but a few small patches are clearing below 7000 ft. Spikes are strongly recommended, at least for descending. 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. South Ridge Road remains closed now with only about 35% icy snow cover. Note however that snow depth is rarely indicative of the challenge (or otherwise) of a given trail. Spikes will not be required by most hikers, depending upon comfort level hiking on patchy angled icy snow. 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. While searchers said three of the men who died were experienced hikers, Kumm is better described as an outdoors enthusiast, said Cpl. 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. Snow depths are currently suitable for snowshoeing everywhere above about 8000 ft, possibly lower in places. Every year seems to have its unique challenges and 2022 has been no exception. With two further snowfalls expected in the next ten days, and moderate to strong winds in the high country expected for most of those days causing some daily drifting of snow, much of the trail system may remain completely or somewhat obscured by moderate snow at least into the third week of January. On Monday 13th I also postholed the entire hike, as I was able to ascend barebooting to about 9200 ft before putting on crampons. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. I was very happy to find no new treefall hazards down on Spitler Peak Trail. I measured 1.5 inches of fresh snow at Saddle Junction early this morning, with about one inch at Humber Park, and 0.8 inch of snow (following 0.7 inch of rain) at 5550 ft in Idyllwild. Further strong winds and blowing powder had eliminated much of these tracks again by Wednesday, and I again largely re-broke trail that day too. 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. Print. Snow on this east slope is drifted, and remains 3-8 inches deep in places. On the morning of Wednesday 11th 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. Currently the snow is relatively powdery and benign; this will steadily change over the next few days and weeks. These storms are currently forecast to each produce at least ten inches of snow at the highest elevations and an inch or more of rain at mid elevations (e.g., in Idyllwild). The second significant Pacific storm of winter 2022/23 is currently impacting the San Jacinto mountains. This will make trail conditions more complicated, and if in any doubt whatsoever carry and use traction devices accordingly (see discussion in introduction above). 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. Although snow depths are not generally sufficient to obscure the routes of the major trails, cautious navigation is recommended everywhere for the next few days in particular until tracks through the snow are in place. Currently there is less than three feet of snow at San Jacinto Peak; I suspect it would be 5-8 feet had we had fractionally cooler conditions in the past month. As discussed above, multiple additional snowfalls forecast for 14th-18th January will further complicate the trail conditions. 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. I put together this table from a spreadsheet I maintain of publicly available National Weather Service meteorological data. San Gorgonio is the tallest mountain in Southern California, and a rite of passage for serious hikers in the area. We hiked to top of San Gorgonio yesterday (8/23/09) via the Vivian Creek trail. There is precipitation forecast from Wednesday 28th into the first week of 2023. With the light fresh powder the previous evening, accompanied by very strong winds causing extensive drifting, prior tracks, including my own from 13th, had been totally erased everywhere so I was again breaking trail the entire way. 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). The traversing slopes above Wellmans Divide were very firm and relatively tricky in snowshoes, and some hikers may prefer to use spikes (or probably crampons) plus an ice axe above about 9800 ft. As I descended past Saddle Junction I was surprised not to see any other tracks as of early afternoon on Friday 6th, which I mention only because of the lack of broken trails this indicates. Day hiked on 12/22/22 - Very nice snow and weather conditions with little wind. "Usually, at this time of year, snowfall would keep people out," Weston said. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. There is a well-traveled track on the lowest section of Deer Springs Trail continuing out to Suicide Rock. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. 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. Per "Tarol" 6-21-2011The Vivian Creek route is the most popular, South Fork is #2If you want a permit for Vivian for a dayhike on the weekend in the summertime, you must get it 3-4 weeks in advance. United States. Despite the relatively weak sun at this time of year, such warm temperatures mean that snow melt may be unusually rapid (for December) at all elevations, snow conditions will generally be poor for hiking (soft, slippery, and even slushy), while in many areas conditions will be ideal for freeze/thaw cycles and hence icy trails in the early mornings above about 7000 ft. (909) 382-2682 (Voice) Please feel free to add this route to the mountain page. While all time and effort is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report requests small private donations to cover costs. Avalanche risk is currently minimal and is rarely a factor in the San Jacinto mountains with the exception of a couple of traditional locations (notably the north face of San Jacinto Peak). The strange rollercoaster ride that has been winter 2022/23 so far will continue for the foreseeable future. Just wanted to note your elevation source for 11,490' lists the elevation @ 11,499'. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 6th February 2023 are as follows. 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. 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. Altitudes are approximate. 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. Tracks of myself and a couple of others from recent days were largely visible up Devils Slide Trail, and I barebooted to Saddle Junction through thin powder overlying ice. As of the afternoon of Sunday 1st, the only tracks that I saw and that are known to be in place are my snowshoe track between Humber Park and San Jacinto Peak (using Devils Slide, Wellman, and Peak trails). The best times to visit this trail are May through November. The San Bernardino Mountains are unique in that they have an eastwest orientation, making them transverse to the general northsouth orientation of most of California's coastal mountains. However the combined effect of the two minor storms, in combination with wild gusty winds pushing spindrift snow all over the high country, had completely erased the few tracks that were in place by the morning of Wednesday 15th. "The vegetation is not strong in burned areas; more rocks are falling than ever before in those areas. Both Mt. Get ready to get WILD because Girl Scout Day at the Erie Zoo is almost here! Conversely in some places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Note that there are about a dozen stream crossings and sections of the trail with water flowing in them, at times for tens of feet. "Sunshine lulls people into a false sense of security. Were so happy to be back! Comments Off on Updated El Dorado closure area. Also, Mill Creek RS phone number is now 909-382-2882 and they are closed Tues/Wed. 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. 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). I put in a posthole track the entire way up, but crampons (with an ice axe) were necessary on the upper switchbacks above about 8300 ft due to the usual steeply angled ice obscured underneath 6-12 inches of powder. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, mixed with slushy and icy patches. Conditions are currently excellent for avalanches on specific terrain in the San Jacinto high country, as proven below. Temperatures will be near or generally below seasonal for the next ten days at least. Pack your camera and your taste buds for this delicious adventure to see the sights and explore the food of Southern Italy! 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 will remain valuable anywhere off trail above about 8000 ft for the foreseeable future. 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. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. He said Kumm had hiked to 6,500 feet a week earlier with his girlfriend. Devils Slide Trail is functionally clear of icy snow to Saddle Junction. 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. This was a very mild system, producing 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 >10,000 ft). At the Peak on Thursday 8th December 2022 at 0900 the air temperature was 28.4F (-2C), with a windchill temperature of 12.7F (-11C), 11% relative humidity, and a fresh SW wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 9.3 mph. Dan Hendley, a colleague of Kumm's at Kiewit Industries in Long Beach, said he was surprised to learn that his friend had taken on the 11,500-foot-high mountain by himself. All trails above about 6500 ft remain lightly (or above 9000 ft, moderately) snow-covered. but ideal for snowshoes, which I used from Saddle to San Jacinto Peak and back. The first number is the current average total snow depth at that location followed in parentheses by the maximum depth where known so far this winter, generally immediately following the major storm sequence on 14th-17th January 2023. You will enter San Gorgonio Wilderness as the trail begins to gentle down. Across the three storm days, locations above about 9000 ft all generally added at least two feet of snow (admixed with layers of freezing rain in areas up to 10,000 ft). Many hikers may find spikes are already useful, and will become increasingly so during and after this weekend with melting and compaction. The intensity of snowfall at San Jacinto Peak this afternoon is the best Ive seen since late 2019. A few cleared patches are developing below 7000 ft. Spitler Peak Trail is now functionally clear of snow. 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. Of course, this February was notable in that roughly 80% of the total fell all in the last week of the month, with no respite for significant melting. PCT Mile 181.8 (9070 ft): 0-1 inch (was 6 inches on 9th November), Deer Springs Trail at top of Marion Mountain Trail (8700 ft): 0-1 inch, Tahquitz Peak (north side trail, 8700 ft): 0-1 inch, Tahquitz Peak (south side trail, 8500-8700 ft): 0 inch, Long Valley (8600 ft): 0-1 inch (was 2-3 inches on 9th November), Strawberry Junction (8100 ft): 0 inch (was approx. Hopefully someone will update the trail description with respect to the total miles. Spikes are especially valuable for descending even when they are no necessarily needed for ascending. The high-pressure, bright, sunny weather system in recent weeks has created icy conditions with no snow covering it." Locations in Pine Cove up to 6500 ft were reporting 3.1 to 3.8 inches of rain by 0500 today. Average snow cover is 60%, but is nearly continuous near Humber Park. At the Peak on Monday 23rd January 2023 at 1010 the air temperature was 11.1F (-11C), with a windchill temperature of -16.2F (-26C), 47% relative humidity, and a bitter NNE wind sustained at 20 mph gusting to 27.7 mph. Multiple mild storm systems are forecast to bring extremely unsettled weather to the San Jacinto mountains starting Tuesday 27th December, lasting well into the first week of January. Conversely in some places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. "He usually goes with his girlfriend or a buddy," said Hendley, who lives across the street from Kumm. Leave your itinerary Make sure you tell someone where you are planning to go and when youll be back. Snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. The storm started relatively mild, as might be expected from an atmospheric river system pulling moisture in from warmer latitudes, and as a result the freeze level was above 6500 ft for most of the storm, with rain as high as 9000 ft, before finally falling to about 5000 ft on the afternoon of Sunday 1st. 2,345 Sq. 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. 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). 8. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): storm total 12 inches (total depth 17-20 inches), Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 8 inches (total 9 inches), Annies Junction/approx. Measurements taken on Monday 30th were unchanged by Wednesday 1st. Moderate snow has continued for the past few hours at San Jacinto Peak, with a storm total so far of about 7.5 inches. Spikes are not required. Authorities urged all hikers to travel with a companion, tell a friend or family member of their exact hiking path, stick to it if at all possible, know the weather forecast, dress warmly and understand that there are many mountainous pockets where cellphones don't work. Long Valley (8600 ft) has received about 1.0 inch fresh snow this morning. On the north side, a location just south-east of Banning in San Gorgonio Pass recorded a gust of 92 mph. Although the snow is not currently particularly deep (10-12 inches) it is heavily drifted and has at least one ice layer underneath the fresh powder. We estimate that 3407 Calle Sin Rival would rent between $7,377 / mo. We had a Garmin GPS with us and it showed the total round trip mileage from the parking lot where you first start walking, to the top and back, as being a little over 18 miles round trip! TAKE A MAP. UPDATE Friday 20th January: Overnight Idyllwild had a very light dusting (<0.25 inch) of snow, but the high country was above the cloud so existing tracks should be unaffected. 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. South Fork Trail is a popular 5.94-mile hike in the San Gorgonio Wilderness that gains around 4,600 feet of elevation.

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