San Gorgonio trail conditions - SoCal Hiker Basically, now would be a nice time to go to the beach." Spikes will not be required by most hikers, depending upon comfort level hiking on patchy angled icy snow. 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). March 11 - San Gorgonio via Jepson Bowl and return same route. Two ascents of San Jacinto Peak in three days had challenging snow and weather, but both were hugely enjoyable. San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 42 inches (45-48 inches), drifted to 60 inches in places, especially on East Ridge. All have been reported to US Forest Service. For day use a permit is required on any of the trails in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. A few cleared patches are developing below 7000 ft. However I was surprised to find almost all of this had melted by the time I hiked to San Jacinto Peak on 31st December. 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. An informal use trail to Laws is much more direct and avoids all of the very challenging bushwhacking of the former trails (local hikers Charles Phelan and Mark Gumprecht kindly nicknamed it the King Trail when I established the route in 2019). The Weather section below is updated. Hopefully someone will update the trail description with respect to the total miles. It warmed last night to just above freezing below 6000 ft, with a mixture of rain and sleet falling on top of the prior snow, turning it increasingly to wet slush at mid elevations (we measured about 0.25 inch rain in Idyllwild). The freeze level again started very high at >9000 ft, with light rain falling in Long Valley (8600 ft) all morning. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous and have been an area of multiple hiker fatalities in winter conditions in recent decades. 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). 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. If there are Road Closed signs further down as was often the case last winter at weekends and holidays then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking. Forecast models have a higher degree of confidence for the Tuesday storm than the storm next weekend. My track largely follows the established trail routes, with some modifications for the conditions. San G. North Face Chute Climb - Social Hiker Altitudes are approximate. Four Hikers On The Summit Of San Gorgonio Mountain 1900-1915 Cali - Old The Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail has a well-traveled track to follow throughout its length, snow cover is about 80%. but her friend Joyce Schwartz took some short videos from which this still image is taken. There are several campgrounds in and around the area and at several of the trailheads. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Although good tracks are now in place for most major trails (details below), cautious navigation is recommended everywhere. This is expected to be a seasonal closure until next year. By late afternoon, with the sun sinking, the search was suspended for another long, cold night. As always after storms in the San Jacinto range be aware of considerable ice fall from overhead trees. Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0 inch (3.0 inches on 12th December). Altitudes are approximate. SOLD JUN 7, 2022. All trails above about 7500 ft remain lightly snow-covered. Every year seems to have its challenges and 2022 has been no exception. June 20, 2017 at 7:59 pm #387136. Altitudes are approximate. Their arrival followed a period of several days of temperatures well above seasonal the previous week which had produced some significant melting. South Ridge Trail has been broken from the top of South Ridge Road to Tahquitz Peak with a simple posthole track. Erie Zoo Girl Scout Day 05-20-23 - gswpa.org The system averaged colder than the November storm, with more snow at lower elevations, although it was still notable that it initially rained as high as 9500 ft on the morning of Sunday 11th. UPDATE Wednesday 14th December 2022: Early this morning Anabel and I broke trail up Spitler Peak Trail to the PCT. 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. 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. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, mixed with slushy and icy patches. Once it stopped snowing, the mountain was shrouded in thick foggy cloud, such that visibility was as low as 100 feet on the exposed slopes of the Peak Trail. Obviously these depths are expected to change dramatically over the next few days. As described above, crampons (always in conjunction with an ice axe) are currently recommended everywhere above about 8500 ft, and 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, on both flanks but especially on the north face of Tahquitz Peak. San Gorgonio, San Bernardino National Forest - Recreation.gov Be prepared for trails above about 8000 ft (perhaps lower in places) completely or largely obscured by moderate to deep snow; very cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. By dusk today it had rained 0.68 inch in Idyllwild, and Long Valley had 1.5 inches of fresh snowfall. Thank you so much for your support. As mentioned above, the focus is on heavy snowfall expected over the next 5-6 days (and potentially again on 28th February-1st March). It remains well above freezing there, currently at 41F. The areas reopened include all campgrounds in the Barton Flats and Heartbar areas, including Jenks Lake picnic area. San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 2-4 inches (was 12 inches on 9th November), Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 2-4 inches (was approx. The high winds forecast did not materialize, although gusts up to 35 mph have been enough to cause very heavy drifting. Be trail aware Watch your surroundings, the trail looks different when you are coming back down. 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. All seasonal and ephemeral streams were running strongly, and the current water conditions are the best for four years, since the great Valentines Day flood event of 2019. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying the storm there is extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. no traction device) to the Peak on a generally well-traveled and compacted track through light icy snow. momyer-open-map. 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. Often spikes are especially valuable for descending even when they are no necessarily needed for ascending. "Sunshine lulls people into a false sense of security. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 18th January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) are as follows. The next comprehensive update of the Report will likely be in the evening of Wednesday 11th. Trail crews are back in the wilderness! From the large paved parking area, the trail starts on the opposite side of the road across from the vault toilet. The permits can be obtained at the Ranger Station in Mentone, 34701 Mill Creek Rd. Long Valley added about 4-6 inches of snow overnight, and a little less than that during the day today. 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. Hard 4.7 (4326) San Gorgonio Wilderness. Does anybody have accurate GPS or other reading of the actual total elevation gain? Crampons are recommended for the traversing slopes. Both days I put spikes on at the Peak for the descent, on 24th keeping them on until about 8000 ft on Marion Mountain Trail, and on 28th until about 9900 ft on the Peak Trail, roughly one mile north of Wellman Divide. Trail Conditions Map; Wilderness Trip Planner . The peak is one of eleven peaks that are over 10,000 feet in elevation in the southeast portion of the San Bernardino Mountains. Amrhein spoke at the command post at the closed Vivian Creek hiking trailhead, where weary search-and-rescue teams fanned out on a foot of fresh snow atop sheer ice, looking for Eugene Kumm, 25, of Seal Beach, missing since he set out alone for San Gorgonio peak Saturday. (800) 735-2922 (TDD/TTY), Offices may be closed on select federal holidays, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sbnf/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=74247&actid=51. Spikes not required to that elevation. These mileages were all recently revised by the USFS and SGWA: These are free and self-issued. South Ridge Trail (surveyed 26th and 30th November) is now functionally clear of snow to Tahquitz Peak with only 1-2% icy snow cover overall. Trip Report By. 6. The high country may be above the cloud for some of that storm, as only 2-3 inches are forecast for the high country. As discussed above, multiple additional snowfalls forecast for 14th-18th January will further complicate the trail conditions. My 2022 survey counted 97 trees down on this 2.1 miles of trail. Spikes are useful but not strictly required for ascending, but most hikers will continue to find them very useful for descending. Ernie Maxwell Trail has a well traveled track to follow along its entire length, through the increasingly patchy icy snow. 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. There was no evidence of hiker tracks on Fuller Ridge Trail or Seven Pines Trail as of Monday 23rd January. Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. Snowshoes are very strongly recommended for any trails in, or leading to, the high country. Temperatures during and after both storms are forecast to be below seasonal for late November, colder than the storm system in early November, and windy and hence especially cold in the high country. San Bernardino Nat. Forest, San Gorgonio Wilderness, San Jacinto Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 19th-20th February (east and south side locations) and 15th February 2023 (west side) 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. The Peak Trail has about 90% cover of icy snow to 9900 ft elevation, and then >95% cover to San Jacinto Peak. The Vivian Creek route is the most popular, South Fork is #2 Looking for partner (s) for these tentative scheduled hikes - see my Meetup SoCal Mountain Running & Mountaineering or DM me for more info. The traversing slopes above Wellmans Divide (roughly 9800-10,500 ft) were extremely firm early in the morning and potentially treacherous. 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. If camping overnite anywhere within the San Gorgonio Wilderness a permit is required. "He usually goes with his girlfriend or a buddy," said Hendley, who lives across the street from Kumm. This is the third time this century that Idyllwild has surpassed 60 inches of snow in a winter (62.8 inches in 2000/01, and 62.4 inches in 2010/11), so 60+ inch winters might be considered to occur roughly once every decade. On June 22, 16 SGWA Trail Crew members headed for the Vivian Creek trail. Add : Our Price: $15.95 . An excellent track is easy to follow to Little Round Valley. 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). The route is blessed with views first of Fish Creek Meadows, then the Ten Thousand Foot Ridge and Grinnell Mountain, and then Dry Lake while traversing Lake Peak. On the morning of Wednesday 15th February I ascended via the east side (Devils Slide, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge routes), descending the western side via roughly Deer Springs Trail. Currently crampons, with an ice axe (and knowledge of how to use both), are strongly recommended. Some general comments on snow/ice conditions. It climbs just fast enough to avoid being frustrating on the ascent, but is gentle enough so as to not be pounding on the descent. 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. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 15th February 2023 are as follows. About six inches of snow fell at San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft) decreasing to 0.5 inch in upper Fern Valley (at c.6000 ft). Schedule a showing for 251 Broadriver Trail in Beaumont, CA. 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. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail. Chung Hun "Charles" Koh, 53, of Buena Park left home New Year's Day to hike on Mt. All trails above about 5000 ft are currently lightly (or above 8000 ft, moderately) snow-covered. Bring extra food, flashlight, and warm clothes. Snow from the moderate storm on 8th-9th November (summarized here) has been melting steadily at mid elevations but more slowly in the high country given the relative weakness of the sun at this time of year. single family is a 3 bed, 2.0 bath unit. South Ridge Road (5S11) remains closed to vehicle traffic. It turned to occasional light snow at about 1500, but less than 0.5 inch has accumulated so far (at 5550 ft). The Caramba Trail from near Reeds Meadow through Laws Camp and on to Caramba, and the Cedar Trail from Willow Creek Trail to Laws, are described by the Forest Service as not maintained. External Links. 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). 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. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and advanced knowledge of how to use this equipment, are required. It was closed Wednesday both because of hazardous conditions and because rescuers did not want hikers disturbing any footprints or other clues that might have been left by Kumm. Skyline Trail is now largely clear, but has very limited patchy, thin, icy snow above about 7200 ft (the Traverse to Grubbs Notch). 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. Photos (5,382) Directions. A remarkable further 9.5 inches of snow fell in Idyllwild today, bringing the storm total to 19.5 inches, before largely stopping and the cloud cover partly clearing out near dusk. With compaction of the trails over the next few days, snowshoes will become less useful on-trail, however they will remain valuable for off-trail travel at the highest elevations for the foreseeable future. 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 (Long Valley). The Vivian Creek Trail is the shortest and the steepest route to the summit of Mt. Of those, 27 are in the 0.6 mile section between Willow Creek crossing and the State Park boundary. Sadly weight of snow has caused the roof of one shop in town to collapse, and I saw one collapsed car port (with cars inside) under the dramatic volume of snow. Generally the San Jacinto mountains have just caught the southern edge of these systems, with nothing like the dramatic precipitation being reported from further north. At the Peak on Wednesday 1st February 2023 at 0935 the air temperature was 16.6F (-8C), with a windchill temperature of -8.0F (-22C), 13% relative humidity, and a wild NNE wind sustained at 21 mph gusting to 35.2 mph. Your Girl Scout Experience and the College Search: Seniors Workshop There is considerable uncertainty regarding timing and precipitation amounts for Southern California. In the meantime, a lengthy video discussion of the current situation recorded at the Peak is available here, and a brief panorama video from the Peak proper is available here. Emergency-Closure-Forest-Order-No.-05-12-00-23-02-SIGNED-1. The upper end of this trail offers outstanding views of Yucaipa Ridge and Galena Peak, as well as sweeping panoramic views from the top of Mt. A weather system, possibly in two waves across a broad time window between 2nd and 5th December, is currently forecast to produce light precipitation at all elevations, including a possible dusting of snow in the high country [update 1st December: no precipitation is now expected from these storms passing to the north of us]. Be prepared for trails above about 8000 ft (perhaps lower in places) completely or largely obscured by moderate to deep snow. Spikes are recommended at least for descending, and will become increasingly important with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. connected to the .gov website. Additional moderate snowfall is tentatively forecast for 28th February-1st March. Despite warmer temperatures on some days, hikers should be prepared for temperatures near freezing in the high country, and generally below freezing when considering wind chill effects (see below for my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak). San Gorgonio is the tallest mountain in Southern California, and a rite of passage for serious hikers in the area. It has been a grim winter for search-and-rescue teams. 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. Given cold temperatures for the foreseeable future, melting is expected to slow (or largely stop in the high country). Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular route. Best, (16), Additions & Corrections Some hikers will find spikes preferable. Altitudes are approximate. LockA locked padlock San Bernardino Peak : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost Spikes at least, but preferably crampons, are required for the uppermost switchbacks (see photo below). All have been reported to US Forest Service. 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. The Vivian Creek Trail is an out-and-back trail. but probably light rain and/or about an inch of snow at the elevation of Idyllwild. Spikes are strongly recommended as the snow is now hard, compacted and very icy in places. Both of these storms are expected to be relatively mild at first with rain a possibility up to 9000 ft before freeze levels drop down to 6000 ft. Spikes tend to be especially useful for descending trails. UPDATE Sunday 12th February: back-to-back minor snow storms are forecast for this evening and all day Tuesday 14th. At the Peak on Thursday 17th November 2022 at 0825 the air temperature was 36.3F (2C), with a windchill temperature of 29.5F (-1C), 10% relative humidity, and a cool NW breeze sustained at 3 mph gusting to 6.3 mph. Precipitation turned to occasional light snow in Long Valley at about 1330, with an accumulation by 1550 of just 0.5 inch. 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. The twelfth storm system of winter 2022/23 impacted the San Jacinto mountains with a minor snow storm on 29th-30th January. We removed nine treefall hazards on 18th November and the trail is now completely clear again, bringing to 56 the number of trees we have removed from this trail since mid 2021. Rainfall may continue at mid elevations potentially for several consecutive days, and the relative warmth of the air masses may produce rain and/or freezing rain as high as San Jacinto Peak, challenging layers of icy or mixed snow/ice conditions at all elevations, and perhaps melting of much preexisting snow below about 8000 ft. Current forecasts for precipitation suggest as much as three inches of rain around the elevation of Idyllwild (5000-6000 ft) between the afternoon of Tuesday 27th December 2022 and Wednesday 4th January 2023. I recorded a short video discussion there (available here on YouTube) which gives a feel for current conditions. There is a well-traveled track to follow through the very light and patchy 1-3 inches of icy snow. At home at 5550 ft in Idyllwild we recorded 10.9F (-12C), the lowest temperature we have recorded there in nine winters. 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). Many hikers may find spikes are already useful, and will become increasingly so during and after this weekend with melting and compaction. Also, Mill Creek RS phone number is now 909-382-2882 and they are closed Tues/Wed. Spikes are recommended at least for descending upper Deer Springs Trail. I snowshoed down from San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, Saddle Junction, and Devils Slide Trail. Personally I would not currently venture above 9000 ft elevation without crampons (always with an ice axe) and snowshoes, due to the current complexity and challenges of the icy snow slopes above that elevation. The Wellman Trail from Annies Junction to Wellman Divide has about 40% icy snow cover. Go Hiking Trip Reports San Gorgonio Wilderness-California. Drive northeast for about 14 miles to the intersection with Valley of the Falls Road. Very cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. "He was alone and had no map. Relatively little snow is therefore expected throughout the mid elevations including Idyllwild. Hiking Trails. STAY SAFE!RESCUES IN THE WILDERNESS CAN BE AVOIDED.FOLLOW A FEW SIMPLE RULES, Be prepared Carry Flashlight, Map, Food, Water and Clothing. With at least two further snowfalls expected in the next few days, and strong winds in the high country expected for the next week causing substantial daily drifting of snow, much of the trail system will remain largely obscured by light to moderate snow until the second week of January. It stopped snowing at about 0800. There were posthole tracks heading south from Saddle Junction toward Chinquapin Flat. Spitler Peak Trail (surveyed 18th November) is clear of snow. (21 ), Google Search for 'San Gorgonio Wilderness', http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/ap/, Bear Flat, C2C, Vivian Creek: SoCal Triple Crown, The Hard Way, A Sleepless Winter Night On Top San Gorgonio, Southern California County Highpoints Tour, Cactus to Clouds, 9 Peak Traverse, and Baldy for the SoCal Triple Crown, Ascent of San Gorgonio - snowboarding down, My Personal "San Bernardino Mtns Trail Marathon", Spring Ascent of San Gorgonio's North Face. Weve had a long break due to the Covid-19 issues, but after developing a set of safety procedures our teams are back in business. 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. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Friday 6th January 2023 at 0930 the air temperature was 25.7F (-4C), with a windchill temperature of 14.7F (-10C), 44% relative humidity, and a chilly NNW breeze sustained at 5 mph gusting to 10.6 mph. 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. UPDATE Wednesday 22nd: the first of four storms expected over the next eight days, the sixteenth storm of this winter, produced a very light snowfall but bitterly cold conditions in the San Jacinto mountains overnight. Indeed a wild wind in the high country that day was erasing tracks within hours or even minutes (see photos below). Report An Accident; Traffic Cameras >> Interstate 10 >> California >> North Palm Springs >> News Reports. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting, often accumulating in the trails. on official, secure websites. Section E. Hwy-14/Agua Dulce to Hwy-58/Mojave-Tehachapi . Potentially dangerous cold is currently forecast for the highest peaks for 14th-23rd January at least. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Park here above the picnic area where there are a handful of parking spots. Snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. 3407 Calle Sin Rival, San Clemente, CA 92673 | Redfin 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. The freeze level will initially be above 10,000 ft, ultimately only falling to about 9000 ft, so many of the main access trails to the high country may get no new snowfall. Snow accumulation was initially slow but has been an inch per hour recently, with 2.5 inch added at San Jacinto Peak since late this morning (on top of about 24 inches remaining from prior storms). While many hundreds of hours of time and effort are volunteered every year, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover modest operating costs. The flow of atmospheric river storm systems continues unabated across California. This may change after the weekend. The high country was above the weather most of the night, and added an inch of fresh snow at most, however there were 2.25 inches in Idyllwild, and also roughly the same fresh snow depth at Humber Park and Saddle Junction.
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