Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin, and the State Park campground at Stone Creek, are closed for the season. Thank you so much for your support. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting, often accumulating in the trails. My blogging throughout the storms gave more day-to-day detail and is available here. As always after storms in the San Jacinto range be aware of considerable ice fall from overhead trees. Days change quickly from pleasant to snow and ice. 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). The Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail is largely clear of icy snow, with a few patches remaining, mostly close to Humber Park. San Gorgonio Mountain - Social Hiker Fish Creek 10.1 miles 3,342' gain Perhaps more significantly, we have received the most snow in a winter since 1963/64, a span of 59 years. 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. There are no significant changes to snow/ice conditions, and advice below basically spikes recommended throughout the high country remains valid. Long Valley (8600 ft) has received about 1.0 inch fresh snow this morning. 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. Snow cover is only 50% below 6700 ft, about 95% up to 7200 ft, and continuous thereafter. 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. 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. Be prepared for ice and deep snow, bring crampons and /or snow shoes and above all do not hike past your limits. Trails above about 8500 ft currently remain lightly covered with patchy icy snow (more continuous above about 9000 ft on the west side, 9900 ft on the east). On 2nd, 5th, and 6th we barebooted to San Jacinto Peak on well-traveled and compacted tracks through increasingly patchy light icy snow. Group size limited to 12 people and 8 pack/riding animals per group. Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' I agree. Early on Wednesday 18th January I barebooted up Devils Slide Trail (which I had broken to Saddle the previous morning). The fresh snow overnight could have covered any tracks or other signs of a campsite, but "if he's still moving, we'd be able to see his footprints clearly," Amrhein said. Check out pictures on SGWA member John Flippins website, High Lake Photography. 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 this side of the locked gate (near the upper Ernie Maxwell trailhead; these nine space still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent). Current Trail Conditions. Note that generally the maximum depths so far this winter were immediately following the major storm sequence on 14th-17th January 2023 (details of those depths available here). 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. Ernie Maxwell Trail [checked 2nd February] has a heavily traveled track to follow along its entire length, through the increasingly patchy icy snow. Given the importance of this trail for the safety of northbound PCT hikers in particular, it is one of several trails adopted by the Trail Report. 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. An excellent track is easy to follow to Little Round Valley. 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. San Gorgonio Peak Hiking Trail Guide - The Simple Hiker Snowshoes are not currently advisable on these slopes due to the angle of the underlying ice. 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. The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. So we recommend getting your permit in advance! There I generally put on Kahtoola microspikes for the descent. Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. Schedule a showing for 251 Broadriver Trail in Beaumont, CA. Palm Springs Desert Sun. My blogging throughout the storms gave more day-to-day detail and is available here. A storm currently predicted for Wednesday 22nd February is tentatively forecast to have near record low (i.e. Kenneth Smith, 66, of Yucaipa died Jan. 5 while ice climbing in the Forest Falls area, not far from where Barbour is missing now. They will be especially valuable on well-consolidated tracks over the coming days and weeks before they clear of snow (e.g., Devils Slide, Ernie Maxwell, Deer Springs trails, at least), on colder mornings when conditions are icy, and for descending. 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. Winter conditions exist in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Wore pants and gators expecting brush and my usual snake friends but both were absent. Best, RESCUES IN THE WILDERNESS CAN BE AVOIDED. Alternatively snowshoes could have been used, depending on personal preference and time of day. Hikers going above the snow line should carry ice axes and boot spikes and know how to use them. Note however that snow depth is rarely indicative of the ease (or otherwise) of hiking a given trail. Spikes not required to that elevation. We talk about his top SoCal mountains, tips & advice for long day hikes and newbie hikers, salsa dancing up Half Dome, redemption on San Gorgonio, disappearing on Ontario Peak, completing the Six Pack of Peaks challenge in one month, Cactus to Clouds vs Iron Mountain, summit cypher, dance origins, and the one hike he would re-live all over again. Again the freeze levels may be relatively high, with little more than an inch or two of snow likely below 6000 ft, a forecast 2-6 inches of fresh snowfall in the high country scattered across two or more days, and roughly 0.5-1.0 inch of rain (perhaps mainly freezing rain) throughout the mid elevations. At the Peak on Sunday 1st January 2023 at 0830 the air temperature was 17.9F (-8C), with a windchill temperature of -2.3F (-19C), 100% relative humidity, and a sharp WSW wind sustained at 11 mph gusting to 21.1 mph. 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. There are layers of hard ice and firm icy snow beneath the fresh powder, and crampons are ideal at present everywhere above 9000 ft, lower in places. The South Fork Trail is over 10 miles one-way. Minimum Impact Ethics; Wilderness Regulations; Forum; Trails. I postholed barebooting to 8900 ft before putting on crampons. By dusk today it had rained 0.68 inch in Idyllwild, and Long Valley had 1.5 inches of fresh snowfall. Sadly this phenomenon has become much more of a factor in the past 5-10 years with freezing rainfall (rather than snow) occurring at higher elevations at higher frequency with much warmer weather systems. On my hike up to San Jacinto Peak it started snowing gently at 1025 in the high country. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. 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. This Residential listing has 2 Beds, 2 Full Baths. 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. [UPDATE 1st December 2022: the double storm system that looks likely to bring significant precipitation to northern and central California appears to be missing the San Jacinto mountains, despite optimistic forecasts over the previous week. Long Valley (8600 ft) looks to have added about 12 inches since last night. Melting has already reduced the snow cover to 90% as far as Old Lookout Flat (7600 ft). 41900 Falls Rd. 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). Immediately north of Saddle Junction, snow cover is starting to become somewhat patchy on the sun exposed slope (Angels Glide) but icy snow cover is continuous through the Wellman and Peak trails to San Jacinto Peak. Forest Closure | San Gorgonio Wilderness Association - sgwa.org This storm is expected to have two periods of precipitation, one each on 11th and 12th. Transporting firewood can move these pests to new locations. 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. --Meursault in 'The Stranger', Routes When the gate is closed there are still nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (which still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent to be displayed). Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying the storm there is extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. South Ridge Road (5S11), Dark Canyon Road (4S02, the access to Seven Pines Trail), and Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) are currently closed to vehicle traffic, as is Black Mountain Road at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. Basically, now would be a nice time to go to the beach." Altitudes are approximate. San G. North Face Chute Climb - Social Hiker On the plus side, as I had hoped, the cold meant that the exposed snow slopes from 9200 ft and above were largely firm and icy (example photo below). South Ridge Road (5S11) is also currently closed to vehicle traffic. 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. Following the twelfth storm system of this winter on 29th-30th January, temperatures have largely swung to well above seasonal, with melting underway at all elevations, but especially below 8000 ft. In the high country temperatures will be 10-20F above seasonal and, more significantly regarding snow/ice conditions, well above freezing for at least a week. I was pleased to see that over the weekend some posthole tracks were added on top of my snowshoe track from last week all the way up Deer Springs Trail to San Jacinto Peak. My tracks from today (Friday 6th January) from Humber Park to San Jacinto Peak and back will be largely visible but will be somewhat obscured in places. 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. 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. Thereafter a cooling trend will take temperatures well below seasonal again including the possibility of minor precipitation on 11th-15th February. In addition to snowshoes, and as conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 6000ft. Thank you so much for your support. 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. Additional moderate snowfall is tentatively forecast for 28th February-1st March. 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. South Ridge Trail has been broken from the top of South Ridge Road to Tahquitz Peak with a simple posthole track. Darren Goodman of the sheriff's search-and-rescue team. South Fork Trail is a popular 5.94-mile hike in the San Gorgonio Wilderness that gains around 4,600 feet of elevation. San Bernardino Trail and Forsee Creek trails, along with the campsites near those trails, are still closed. From there the Peak Trail was easy going, having been well-traveled by hikers coming up the Tram. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to cover costs. WEATHER UPDATE Thursday 26th January 2023: Wild Santa Ana (north-east) winds today in the San Jacinto mountains have included gusts of 69 and 73 mph early this morning at automated stations at each end of Bonita Vista Road. This started as low as Devils Slide Trail and continued all morning. 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. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. Went out on South Fork/Dry Lake Trails with micro spikes to Dry Lake via winter route. There is a section of the PCT that is also locally known as the camp Cajon Kauder more Join us in thanking these generous businesses for their support of the Pacific Crest Trail. Thank you so much for your support. Report An Accident; Traffic Cameras >> Interstate 10 >> California >> North Palm Springs >> News Reports. Willow Creek Trail remains a relatively slow, messy hike for a couple of miles. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 23rd January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) are as follows. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Underlying that powder are layers of ice (largely from freezing rain storms) which are much more perilous. Some hikers may continue to find spikes useful for some of the minor icy patches but they are no longer required. I snowshoed down from San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, Saddle Junction, and Devils Slide Trail. MikeH. Spikes are recommended especially in the morning as the snow is now hard, compacted and very icy in places. When the gate is closed there are still nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (which still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent to be displayed). February is forecast to be somewhat more settled than the very eventful January. Back-to-back Pacific storm systems already the tenth and eleventh storms of this winter are forecast for Saturday 14th and then from late Sunday 15th January to the early hours of Tuesday 17th January. It remains well above freezing there, currently at 41F. The Vivian Creek Trail is definitely more than 7.8mi. Snowshoes are no longer required anywhere on the established trail system, where snow is now too shallow, icy and compacted. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and it is already clear that 2023 will be no exception. A few cleared patches are developing below 7000 ft. Both storms were relatively cold, the second in particular dusting snow below 3500 ft elevation. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Hiking Trails. Yesterday afternoon we checked Devils Slide trailhead at Humber Park, and measured an average snow depth of 26 inches. This was tricky for postholing which went through the ice layer. Hiking San Gorgonio Peak - Vivian Creek Route - christopherkhoitran The first number is the current total snow depth, followed in parentheses by the greatest depth of the winter to date following the latest storm on 11th-12th December. Snowshoes are not required anywhere on the established trail system, where snow is now too shallow, icy and compacted. 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. The lower half of the trail in particular is very icy. It is a difficult hike, to say the least, and is recommended only for hikers who have adequate experience. no traction device) to 9000 ft on a lightly traveled and lumpy posthole track through thin icy snow. 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. 10 inches on 9th), Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 0-1 inch (was 4 inches on 9th), Annies Junction/approx. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and clearly 2023 will be no exception. High freeze levels may mean rain and/or freezing rain at the highest peaks at times, and icy or mixed snow/ice conditions at all elevations. 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. Spikes are expected to remain extremely useful over the next few weeks given the unpredictable weather. In general most hikers will likely prefer to use spikes at least for descending down to about 10,000 ft (or lower). shawnsisler. 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. It may be in the 60s and 70s in the valleys, but it's not warm in the mountains. I measured 15 inches of snow during a check of Devils Slide trailhead (6520 ft) at Humber Park this morning. 2-3 inches on 9th), Saddle Junction/approx. Thank you so much for your support. She was driving on Interstate 10 (and had to concentrate on the road!) Print/PDF map. Drive northeast for about 14 miles to the intersection with Valley of the Falls Road. The Ernie Maxwell Trail [surveyed 5th January] has patchy snow along its entire length, however it is largely clear for long sections, and the remaining snow is soft. 71729 San Gorgonio Road, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 is a single family listed active at $939,000. Once we reached the point where the Mineshaft trail beings it's long series of switchbacks (around 10,500' ) the trail was completely covered, forcing us to go direct - straight up the snow + a bit of rock scrambling up a large scree rock slid.. Snow depths are currently suitable for snowshoeing everywhere above about 8000 ft, possibly lower in places. Altitudes are approximate. 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. While these are expected to bring significant precipitation throughout the state, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding timing and precipitation amounts for Southern California. Sites that are currently available: (2) Palm Innovation Academy - 2:05 PM-5:35 PM (2) Three Rings Ranch Elementary - 3:00 PM-6:30 PM (1) Sundance Elementary 2:20 PM- 5:50 PM (2) Summerwind Trails- 2:20 PM-5:50 PM (2) San Gorgonio Middle School- 2:45 PM-6:15 PM (1) Mountain View Middle School- 2:30 PM-6:00 PM Incomplete applications and . The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between Chinquapin Flat/PCT and Tahquitz Peak has no steps to follow through the steeply angled icy snow. In several places the trail itself was buried by up to 5 feet of snow making it very slow-going. Altitudes are approximate. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and thorough knowledge of how to use this equipment, are essential. As evident in the video, spikes are currently needed at least, and snowshoes would be ideal especially for sections that have not yet been traveled. 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. Time of day, temperature, and sun exposure all have significant impacts on the nature of the snow, in turn changing the conditions underfoot, and hence both the hiking difficulty and the preferred traction device (if any). SNOW DEPTHS measured on 19th December (east side) or 15th December (west side) 2022 are as follows. Spikes are recommended. Latest details are given in the introduction above. Those systems are summarized here: Conditions will remain very unsettled throughout the second and third weeks of January. Current air temperature at San Jacinto Peak is 17.8F (-8C) with a windchill of -5.6F (-21C) and a steady SW wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 30.2 mph. Spikes are not required. Although the snow is not particularly deep (10-12 inches) it is heavily drifted and steeply angled, and has at least one ice layer underneath the fresh powder. The significant Pacific storm of the winter that had been forecast over an extended period between about 16th-21st December is no longer thought likely to impact the San Jacinto mountains, although considerable uncertainty persists in the weather models for that period. 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). 1629 Sams Cyn , Beaumont, CA 92223-7572 is a single-family home listed for-sale at $699,900. The remainder of February is currently forecast to continue the cold temperatures of recent days, generally at or below seasonal at all mountain elevations, and to be increasingly unsettled. 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. Snow cover remains virtually continuous, but a few small patches are clearing below 7000 ft. Spikes are strongly recommended, at least for descending. Vivian Creek 9.3 miles 5,422' gain 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. [Checked 18th January by Anne and Anabel. Special District Detail - publicpay.ca.gov The source is here. 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). 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). For day use a permit is required on any of the trails in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Snowshoes will remain valuable anywhere off trail above about 8000 ft for the foreseeable future. At least two further minor storm systems are forecast, overnight on Monday 2nd into Tuesday 3rd, and then again all day on Thursday 5th. 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. Snow at all elevations will become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places, and I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. Started by: MikeH. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Devils Slide Trail has a relatively well-traveled and compacted track to Saddle Junction in place already. It is especially obscure 0.1-0.3 mile east of the Willow Creek crossing, becoming more obvious near Caramba. There was a dusting of snow in Garner Valley (4300 ft). Many thanks to Kyle Eubanks who I chatted with at the Peak this afternoon. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds there has been extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths can be well below the average. 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. UPDATE Tuesday 10th January: Another minor and relatively warm storm is passing through our mountains today.