Obviously these depths are expected to change dramatically over the next few days. The table also shows that with another few inches, this could be the biggest snow season since the 1940s! The East Ridge Trail (from near Miller Peak to San Jacinto Peak) has a handful of tracks through the continuous snow, though none (including mine) accurately follow the trail route. My pre-dawn hike up Devils Slide Trail on 11th January was delightful, primarily because there was the noise of running water almost everywhere. This may continue for several weeks, or could change given further fresh snowfall forecast. The second week of January is expected to be relatively warm and sunny, so extensive melting will start, especially at mid elevations. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, mixed with slushy and icy patches. Altitudes are approximate. Two and three-tenths miles further is High Creek Camp (water available - 9,200'). Please allow at least 72 hours for processing of permits. The best times to visit this trail are May through November. 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. As described above, crampons with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain are currently very useful everywhere above about 9000 ft. Please check this page for periodic updates throughout the storm (the most recent is at the top). "It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over, that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed." A fourth and final minor system is expected on 28th February-1st March. New phone # 909-382-2882If you want a permit for Vivian for a dayhike on the weekend in the summertime, you must get it 3-4 weeks in advance. New treefall hazards on major trails have been reported to relevant agencies, and those on Spitler Peak Trail have already been cleared by the Trail Report. San Gorgonio Wilderness Association; Google Search for 'San Gorgonio Wilderness' Lots of useful links. 2; 2; 1 month, 1 week ago. 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. The freeze level is currently at about 7500 ft and it has been periodically snowing gently above that elevation, with Long Valley (8600 ft) having added a few inches overnight, for a current total depth of about 24 inches. 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. 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 both days I was able to ascend barebooting to about 8800 ft on 30th and to 9200 ft on 1st, before putting on crampons. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 19th December (east side) or 15th December (west side) 2022 are as follows. A strong and bitterly cold NNE wind made conditions interesting, with large parts of the broken tracks filling in overnight with spindrift (and wind blown ice blocks), so I found myself breaking lengthy sections of trail yet again. This storm is expected to have two periods of precipitation, one each on 11th and 12th. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. The Vivian Creek Trail is an out-and-back trail. Snowshoes are not required anywhere on the established trail system, where snow is now too shallow, icy and compacted. Spikes tend to be most valuable for descending even when not needed for ascending. ( A short video giving a feel for current snow conditions at San Jacinto Peak is available here on YouTube. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow. The primary purpose of this update is an advisory of imminent major snow accumulation forecast due to a triple storm sequence. Snowfall in Long Valley (8600 ft) has been steady until largely stopping by 1600, with close to 10 inches added since yesterday for a total accumulation there of nearly three feet. Although not essential in the moderate depth powder, spikes are strongly recommended and many hikers will find them useful especially for descending. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. The system was cooler in the early hours of Friday morning, with a dusting of snow to 6000 ft and a covering of icy sleet below that in Idyllwild. 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. Conditions prior to this storm had been unsettled for several days, with a minor storm overnight on 27th-28th December. Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek - SoCal Hiker At the Peak on Wednesday 18th January 2023 at 1115 the air temperature was 16.8F (-8C), with a windchill temperature of -3.6F (-20C), 27% relative humidity, and a frigid NNW wind sustained at 10 mph gusting to 25.8 mph. 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. These concerns may steadily increase over the next few weeks with (eventually) temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing, seasonally stronger insolation, and highly variable snowmelt. View 41082 Cheyenne Trl, Beaumont, CA 92223 property records for FREE including property ownership, deeds, mortgages, titles & sales history, current & historic tax assessments, legal, parcel & structure description, land use, zoning & more. Note however that snow depth is rarely indicative of the ease (or otherwise) of hiking a given trail. 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. While snowfall accompanying the first of those storms may be light, perhaps 2-4 inches in Idyllwild and 4-6 inches in the high country, strong winds at the highest peaks are tentatively forecast to produce extremely cold windchill conditions, similar to 15th February (see below). 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. (one-way mileages to the top of San G) 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. --Meursault in 'The Stranger', Routes (6), Images Although the high country currently has its deepest snow accumulation since March 2019, this winter nevertheless remains well below the average for snowfall in the San Jacinto mountains to date. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. Add : Sale Price: $8.88 . 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. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous and have been an area of multiple hiker fatalities in winter conditions in recent decades. Early on Wednesday 18th January I barebooted up Devils Slide Trail (which I had broken to Saddle the previous morning). SNOW DEPTHS measured on 18th January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) are as follows. Summer months are the most popular for hikers. This is followed by steady moderate to heavy snowfall starting in the afternoon of Wednesday 22nd and continuing into the early hours of Sunday 26th February. That said, it has just started gently snowing in both locations, so storm totals may increase slightly over the next couple of hours. Note that tracks are being obscured very quickly by drifting of snow from strong winds, sometimes in hours or even minutes (see photo below). For water information, please visit the PCT Water Report. 2-3 inches on 9th), Saddle Junction/approx. 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. Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' 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). http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sbnf/news-events/?cid=STELPRD3846020. 41900 Falls Rd. The Trail Report has adopted Seven Pines Trail as a priority for maintenance work as the trail has had a disproportionate number of lost hiker rescues in the past decade. Every year seems to have unique challenges and 2023 is already proving to be no exception. He said Kumm had hiked to 6,500 feet a week earlier with his girlfriend. FOR SALE $699900 1629 Sams Cy Beaumont, CA 92223 - MLS #EV23032625 | 2 BedsTotal 3.00 Baths! Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Bear in mind that half the winter total, 26 inches, have fallen in the past five days! Above Little Round Valley there are at least half-a-dozen tracks ascending toward San Jacinto Peak, none of which entirely accurately follow the established trail route. However the snow conditions may not be suitable for snowshoeing on certain slopes, depending on the ice conditions below the surface due to multiple freezing rain incidents this winter. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway/Long Valley remain open. The forecasts are very unsettled for the next week, but significant snowfall arrives on Saturday 31st (12+ inches expected in the high country) and may continue on/off until Friday 6th January 2023, potentially totaling 2-3 feet above 10,000 ft elevation. San Gorgonio, located in the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area. Currently trails above about 7500 ft (lower in places) are largely obscured by moderate to deep snow. Currently the USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 45-48 inches (includes about 24 inches snow in latest storms), heavily drifted to 60 inches in places, especially on the East Ridge. By late afternoon, with the sun sinking, the search was suspended for another long, cold night. Be aware of your surroundings trails look different in the snow and are sometimes are hard to find. For closure information, please visit . 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). This started as low as Devils Slide Trail and continued all morning. Most of the upper half of the trail had 3-4 inches of lovely fluffy powder. Overnight in Idyllwild we had three inches of snow, the first notable snowfall of this latest storm series, but temperatures actually warmed during the night (presumably with the arrival of the latest atmospheric river) and before dawn it was raining on top of the snow. However excellent well-traveled and compacted tracks are now in place for almost all major trails (details below). Snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. 2 night trip - SB Peak Trail to Limber Pine, Trail Fork Springs and back. The hike back down through Dollar Saddle also had some portions of snow - most notably just before Dry Lake View and directly after Dollar Saddle. When you are 3.3 miles into the trail, stay left and turn towards High Creek. Many thanks to Kyle Eubanks who I chatted with at the Peak this afternoon. Below is an excellent videograb of an avalanche in the Snow Creek drainage on the north face of San Jacinto Peak that was witnessed by friend of the Trail Report Catherine Peterson yesterday morning at about 0840. However the route is now largely well-traveled and compacted. This is the flattest portion of the PCT in the San Jacinto mountains, and snow depth currently averages about 13 inches. Here's the closure order: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/4302/25275/ These impacts are especially striking in Southern California mountains, where the sun is relatively potent even in midwinter and where even on the coldest days temperatures at mid elevations may fluctuate either side of freezing. I've backcountry skied in Northern Arizona, Utah, and Southern Colorado. Forecasts are increasingly confident of a moderate storm on Sunday 11th, with up to 1.5 inch of rain at the elevation of Idyllwild, turning into 1-3 inches of light snow on Sunday night, while 8-14 inches of snow are forecast for the high country. Yesterday afternoon we checked Devils Slide trailhead at Humber Park, and measured an average snow depth of 26 inches. When Anabel and I waded out for a modest walk, the snowplows seemed to be struggling to keep up on the streets, but we know they will catch up in due course. The second system may be more substantial, with precipitation expected most of the day and night of Saturday 31st December into Sunday 1st January. PCT Mile 181.8 (9070 ft): 5.5 inches (storm total 5 inches), Marion Mountain Trail at junction with PCT (8700 ft): 6 inches (storm total 5 inches), Long Valley (8600 ft): 5-6 inches (storm total 5 inches) [thanks to Kyle Eubanks for this measurement], Strawberry Junction (8100 ft): 3-4 inches (storm total 3-4 inches), Saddle Junction/approx. Temperatures may be mild enough to produce rain at mid elevations, for example totaling less than 0.25 inch in Idyllwild, while snow accumulation above 10,000 ft elevation is currently forecast to be a dusting, perhaps few inches at most. A key feature of this sequence of storms will be the relative warmth of the air masses which will lead to high freeze levels. I hope to provide more information on the high country situation on Sunday 26th, depending on conditions/weather. 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. Combined with a weak sun at this time of year, snow melt will generally be very slow at upper elevations, and conditions will be ideal for freeze/thaw cycles and hence icy trails. Snowfall in the high country has been somewhat below expectations, with nine inches at San Jacinto Peak (for a current total depth of about 16-18 inches), and 5-6 inches in Long Valley (8600ft, total c.6 inches). 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. Hikers going above the snow line should carry ice axes and boot spikes and know how to use them. 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 . With another storm imminent tomorrow, I do not plan a thorough update until Wednesday 15th. The Trail Report has adopted Seven Pines Trail as a priority for maintenance work as the trail has had a disproportionate number of lost hiker rescues in the past decade. This will likely continue to be the case for several weeks, given fresh snowfall expected. The icy conditions are the third deadly threat in the mountains, which were ravaged first by fires, then flash floods late last year. Weather conditions for different elevations in the San Gorgonio Wilderness are at: www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/San-Gorgonio/forecasts/3505. On Fuller Ridge Trail there are five major treefall hazards obstructing the trail in the 1.5 mile section nearest to the campground (PCT Miles 189-190.5). The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. . Teen hikers lost on Pacific Crest Trail for several days after Perhaps more significantly, we have received the most snow in a winter since 1963/64, a span of 59 years. 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. There were no visible hiker tracks on Marion Mountain, Seven Pines, or Fuller Ridge trails, as of 15th February. By the afternoon of 15th, melting was already underway below 7000 ft. Even when the gate is closed there are nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (near the upper Ernie Maxwell trailhead). "Especially on the north-facing slopes, it has remained extremely cold up there," he said. Locations in Pine Cove up to 6500 ft were reporting 3.1 to 3.8 inches of rain by 0500 today. There is a very well-traveled track from Saddle Junction to Tahquitz Peak (multiple photos below). At 11,499 feet, San Gorgonio Mountain is the highest peak in California south of the Sierra. San Gorgonio Peak via Vivian Creek Trail Directions: Conversely in some places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. An official website of the Chung Hun "Charles" Koh, 53, of Buena Park left home New Year's Day to hike on Mt. Altitudes are approximate. San Gorgonio Mountain (5.8km) Lake Peak (6.7km) Jepson Peak (7.3km) Charlton Peak (7.3km) . 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. My Actual Distance: 18.4 miles. As discussed above, multiple additional snowfalls forecast for 14th-18th January will further complicate the trail conditions. The freeze level has remained around 7500 ft for most of today, but is forecast to drop overnight closer to 6000 ft. Hiking Mount San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek Trail is quite the challenge. Current forecasts for precipitation suggest as much as three inches of rain around the elevation of Idyllwild (5000-6000 ft) between the evening of Tuesday 27th December 2022 and Friday 6th January 2023. All in all, I found the Fish Creek Trail to be a great way to go. Altitudes are approximate. Take warm clothing and equipment so you can stay overnight should you have to. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. 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. Members | Girl Scouts The powder was lovely and soft, and overlying a firm icy layer (from all the freezing rain). whitebark 300 Hiked May 4, 2008. Two moderate snow storms in the next ten days or so are expected to have a major combined impact on the San Jacinto mountains. Crampons are recommended for the traversing slopes. "Usually, at this time of year, snowfall would keep people out," Weston said. no traction device) to the Peak on a generally well-traveled and compacted track through light icy snow. 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 PCT throughout the San Jacinto mountains (roughly Miles 207-151) has a clear track to follow, including Fuller Ridge Trail, which has been traversed by a handful of sobo PCT hikers. Mu Zhi Mountain gives great scenery over Taipei and the surrounding area, including Taiwan's tallest building, Taipei. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and it is already clear that 2023 will be no exception. Eventually with compaction of the trails caused by increasing hiker traffic and freeze/thaw cycles snowshoes may steadily become less useful, however they will certainly remain valuable for off-trail travel in the high country well into February at least. After an interesting month of weather, the remainder of January into February is forecast to be somewhat more settled. Cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. All have been reported to US Forest Service. The snow quickly turned into semi-melted slush. I put on my Kahtoola microspikes to descend from the Peak, ultimately leaving them on most of the way down Devils Slide Trail. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches. The track on Deer Springs Trail largely follows the existing trail route up to Little Round Valley. San Bernardino 9 Peaks Traverse | Map, Guide - California | AllTrails As always after storms in the San Jacinto range be aware of considerable ice fall from overhead trees. The forecast for the last ten days of December differs radically from what was predicted just a week ago, and a major warming trend is expected rather than another cold Pacific storm.