Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. The Wellman Trail from Annies Junction to Wellman Divide has about 40% icy snow cover. Once you reach the snow tongue of Snow Creek you will need crampons and ice axe. 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). Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Altitudes are approximate. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. 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. Hikers who have an ice axe (and know how to use it) may find it useful in places on this short section of trail. Precipitation turned to occasional light snow in Long Valley at about 1330, with an accumulation by 1550 of just 0.5 inch. As mentioned above, crampons (always in conjunction with an ice axe) are currently recommended on certain moderate and higher angle slopes, notably the Peak Trail above Wellman Divide, and uppermost South Ridge Trail, especially on the north face of Tahquitz Peak. Snowshoes are no longer required on the established trail system, which is now too compacted for snowshoes. Very light precipitation well before first light this morning included a dusting of snow above 6000 ft, <0.25 inch below 8000 ft and about 0.25 inch above that elevation, plus 0.03 inch of drizzle in Idyllwild. It finally stopped snowing at about 0700, and some blue sky has resulted in spectacular vistas. Only five of these require cutting, and I was able to remove three by hand last week. Todays rainfall total has passed an inch in Idyllwild, and various locations in Pine Cove (5800-6500 ft) were reporting 1.1 to 1.3 inches two hours ago. 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. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. On the mornings of both Wednesday 1st February and Monday 30th January I ascended San Jacinto Peak via the east side (Devils Slide, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails), descending the same way. Marion Mountain Trail has a very well-defined track to follow. Check out the Mount San Jacinto State Park, CA WinterCast. Ernie Maxwell Trail has a well traveled track to follow along its entire length, through the increasingly patchy icy snow. I descended via Deer Springs Trail, breaking trail through virgin powder all the way down to the Suicide Rock Trail junction. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Hike to Mt San Jacinto is a great way to bag Southern California's second highest peak without putting in a huge effort. 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. 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, the access point to Long Valley. Snow depths are currently suitable for snowshoeing above about 9000 ft, potentially lower in places. Devils Slide Trail is largely clear of icy snow to about 7400 ft (Middle Spring) although some extended patches remain below that. South Ridge Trail from the top of South Ridge Road to Tahquitz Peak has a relatively well-traveled track to follow through the very light and patchy 1-3 inches of icy snow. Spikes are recommended. All trails above about 7500 ft are currently remain lightly (or above 9000 ft, moderately) snow-covered. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow. Even when the gate is closed there are nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (near the upper Ernie Maxwell trailhead; these nine space still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent). The open section of trail below 5800 ft is clear of snow. Ernie Maxwell Trail has a well traveled track to follow along its entire length, through the increasingly patchy icy snow. A light snowfall on the evening of Tuesday 21st will be accompanied by very strong winds, and is expected to largely or completely eliminate all tracks above about 7000 ft. On 13th, Idyllwild received 2.75 inches, and I measured five inches at San Jacinto Peak, with 3-4 inches at locations in between. She used her cellphone to grab the picture, and assumes not many people around her noticed it as traffic did not slow at all from drivers taking a look. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 6th February 2023 are as follows. South Ridge Road remains closed now with only about 35% icy snow cover. UPDATE Tuesday 3rd January 2023: Following another minor overnight snow storm our fourth in the past week Anabel and I briskly broke trail up Devils Slide to Saddle Junction early this morning. Current expectations are only for 1-2 inches of snow at mid elevations (e.g., Idyllwild) and not much more at higher elevations, perhaps 2-3 inches with each storm. 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). 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. At the Peak 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. Altitudes are approximate. The Get it Done app can help you report blocked storm drains, potholes, and broken streetlights. Altitudes are approximate. Since the depths given in the previous Report, there has been some melting at higher elevations which have been above the cloud at times, and below 7000 ft where temperatures have remained above freezing for several days. Snowfall at the elevation of Long Valley (8600 ft) has been similarly steady, and 3-4 inches of fresh powder there takes the total depth close to one foot. UPDATE Sunday 1st January 2023: A moderate overnight storm produced 1.53 inches of rain in Idyllwild (at 5550ft). This was immediately followed by a milder storm on 22nd-23rd that brought heavy snowfall with 13 inches in Idyllwild across a 30 hour period (measured at 5550 ft), and about 18 inches in Long Valley (8600 ft). All have been reported to US Forest Service. In Idyllwild at 5550 ft, rainfall storm total today is 1.14 inches. 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. 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. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. An excellent track is easy to follow to Little Round Valley. Mt. 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. Relatively little snow is therefore expected throughout the mid elevations including Idyllwild. 32mi . Devils Slide Trail is almost clear of icy snow to about 7700 ft although some extended dirty icy patches remain below that. The Peak Trail track is also partially disappearing under fresh spindrift (photos below). no traction device) to the Peak on a generally well-traveled and compacted track through light icy snow. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are now closed for the season. . 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. It does not accurately follow the established trail route in significant sections but is navigable. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail. Storm total at San Jacinto Peak is about 14 inches for a current total depth of 36+ inches (but very heavily drifted). Seven Pines Trail has not been traveled since the storm in mid December, at least not in its uppermost section, and there is no track to follow through the snow. Tracks are in place around Skunk Cabbage Meadow, and south from Saddle Junction toward Chinquapin Flat. Above seasonal temperatures will continue until Sunday 27th November. It made for one of the easiest trips to . 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. The previous Report (available here) summarized the conditions following the multiple storm event of 14th-17th January. All trails above about 5500 ft are currently snow-covered. Deer Springs Trail is clear from the Highway 243 trailhead to the Suicide Rock trail junction at 7000 ft, and functionally clear from there to Strawberry Junction (8100 ft), with a few icy snow patches increasing in length and frequency as you ascend. 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. South Ridge Trail (surveyed 19th November) is largely clear of snow from the top of South Ridge Road to Old Lookout Flat at about 7600 ft, with just 5% cover of icy snow. The traverse from Old Lookout Flat to the bottom of the switchbacks has about 40% icy snow cover. Above Little Round Valley there are at least half-a-dozen tracks ascending toward San Jacinto Peak, none of which accurately follow the established trail route. Long Valley added about 4-6 inches of snow overnight, and a little less than that during the day today. Above Little Round Valley in particular my track down from the Peak is very direct, steep, and would be a challenging ascent. Mountain High. 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. February has been more settled than the very eventful January, but temperatures remain on something of a rollercoaster ride. 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. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Early on Monday 23rd January I ascended San Jacinto Peak via the east side (Devils Slide, Wellman, and Peak trails) that I had broken last Wednesday 18th, and descended the west side via (more-or-less) Deer Springs Trail. Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0.75 inches (melting rapidly this afternoon). 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. While these are expected to bring significant precipitation throughout the state, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding timing and precipitation amounts for Southern California. Indeed the final third of December may be one of the warmest on record for the holiday period. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. A photo of an avalanche taken by Joyce Schwartz Sunday and later shared by the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit showed snow cascading down the north face of the mountains, sending multiple plumes into the air. Snow from the moderate storm on 8th-9th November (summarized in a prior Report) has been melting steadily as temperatures in the past week have been above seasonal. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Between November 2021 and May 2022, 61 downed trees were removed and almost the entire trail thoroughly trimmed and cleared. While the snow quantities are forecast to be 1-2 inches at most, they may be much colder systems than have been typical so far this winter, with freeze levels below 5000 ft. 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. Precipitation has been steady at mid and upper elevations for the past few hours. San Jacinto hike from the tram was such an epic way to hike this mountain in the snow! However they are not required, depending on your comfort level with postholing in drifted snow of moderate depth. Prior to that Idyllwild (at 5550 ft) had received 1.04 inches of rain, with a little hail and sleet mixed in. Spikes are not required for ascending, but some hikers will find them useful for descending. A classic La Nina pattern cool but relatively dry is in place for the third winter in a row. There is currently no further precipitation in the forecasts. Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. Mid and upper elevations for the season only about 35 % icy snow to 7700. State, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding timing and precipitation amounts for Southern California now too compacted snowshoes. Challenging ascent Idyllwild at 5550 ft ): 0.75 inches ( but heavily. 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