Snow cover is essentially continuous from Strawberry Junction to San Jacinto Peak, although patches are starting to clear below 8500 ft (south of the top of the Marion Mountain Trail). BEST SELLER. No, it wasn't snowfall in the Santa Cruz Mountains or at Mt. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there has been extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. Both trails were virtually completely clear of snow. Even if the gate is closed there are nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (near the upper Ernie Maxwell trailhead). A light overnight snowfall, which produced another three inches in Idyllwild, finally stopped at 0700 this morning. Recently I have mentioned the challenges of hard, icy snow underfoot and the value of using spikes (and/or crampons) especially for descending and traversing. We have had an excellent start to 2023 regarding the water and snow situations in the San Jacinto mountains. Combined with a weakening sun at this time of year, snow melt will generally be slow at upper elevations, and conditions will be ideal for freeze/thaw cycles and hence icy trails. Some north aspects are holding slick ice all day. I put on my Kahtoola microspikes to descend from the Peak, ultimately leaving them on most of the way down Devils Slide Trail. If you don't have previous steep snow experience, please seriously consider whether it's a good idea for you to hike where snow is on the ground. Long Valley added about 4-6 inches of snow overnight, and a little less than that during the day today. Snow cover is shallow up to about 7000 ft, but relatively heavy above 8000 ft. Melting on sun-exposed slopes is already well underway, e.g., on lower Devils Slide Trail, South Ridge and Deer Springs trails. Traction devices like microspikes or crampons are highly recommended if you plan to hike into the wilderness. 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 is a well-traveled track from Saddle Junction to Tahquitz Peak. A second forecast storm system may bring some light precipitation to the San Jacinto mountains on 2nd December, and possibly again on 4th-5th. 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. 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. Spikes are recommended at least for descending, and will become increasingly important with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. Seven Pines Trail has one set of hiker tracks through the snow since the storm in early November 2022. February is forecast to be somewhat more settled than the very eventful January. From near Miller Peak I put in a track up the East Ridge, rather than continuing on the Peak Trail round to Summit Junction. Some hikers may continue to find spikes useful for some of the minor icy patches but they are no longer required. 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. There is a well-traveled track on light icy snow from Long Valley/Tram to Wellman Divide. Early morning hikes to San Jacinto Peak have generally had icy snow underfoot with sufficient bite for grippy boots, allowing me to bareboot all the way to San Jacinto Peak. Tap on a box to see the date. Spikes are recommended. 43 minutes ago Distance: 8km. SNOW DEPTHS measured (largely) on 21st November 2022 are as follows, with depths from 9th November 2022 in parentheses where known. The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between Chinquapin Flat/PCT and Tahquitz Peak has a well-traveled and level track photo below to follow through the light 3-4 inches of powder (drifted to six inches in places). If there are Road Closed signs further down at the junction with Forest Drive sometimes the case at weekends and holidays when snow is present then those nine spaces are also theoretically unavailable for legal parking. 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. Snow on this east slope is drifted, and remains 3-8 inches deep in places. Potentially dangerous cold is currently forecast for the highest peaks for 14th-23rd January at least. They tend to be especially useful for descending trails. Stone Creek campground had also closed, but I saw that it had apparently reopened for Thanksgiving weekend. They may become increasingly useful if conditions warm sufficiently for snow to become soft above about 9000 ft, especially on sunny slopes and afternoons. Although not essential in the moderate depth powder, spikes are strongly recommended and many hikers will find them useful especially for descending. Precipitation is predicted to start falling by 6 p.m. Monday with lows in the mountains of 28 to 36 degrees and gusts up to 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service in San Diego. Current snow depth at Devils Slide trailhead at Humber Park is 4-5 inches on top of 1-2 inches of ice/icy snow from recent freezing rain. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail. Provisional forecasts suggest the later storm systems, around 25th-27th February, could produce much more significant snowfall, potentially 10-12 inches in Idyllwild and 24+ inches at the highest elevations. NA. Lightly-traveled snowshoe and/or posthole tracks radiate away from Saddle Junction around the meadow trail and south toward Chinquapin Flat, but I have not checked how accurately they follow established trail routes or how far they continue. There was a further 0.5 inch dusting of snow above 8000 ft on Thursday 29th (as I describe in this video). Snow expected in the high country in the early hours of Wednesday 28th is not expected to be sufficient to obscure some of the higher elevation trails and complicate navigation. I have kept crampons on for most of the descent, removing them most of the way down Devils Slide Trail. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 19th-20th February (east and south side locations) and 15th February 2023 (west side) are as follows. The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between Chinquapin Flat/PCT and Tahquitz Peak [checked 20th January] has no steps to follow through the steeply angled ice with overlying deep snow. There had been an additional six inches of snow (plus an unknown amount of rain) since my measurement two days earlier, for a current total snow depth of about 21 inches at Saddle Junction. Currently few major trail routes have been traveled and even those may become partially obscured by drifted snow and fresh icefall. Areas here at 6500-7000 ft had had much less snow than a few miles further north, only 0.5-1.0 inch depth. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are closed for the season. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 22nd-27th December 2022 are as follows. 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. Vehicles not parked in these spaces have been ticketed and/or towed. All trails above about 6000 ft are currently lightly (or above 9000 ft, moderately) snow-covered. This will change later this week. However excellent well-traveled and compacted tracks are now in place for almost all major trails (details below). San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 25-27 inches (includes 2.5 inches snow added on 10th January) but very heavily drifted, Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 24 inches (2 inches on 10th January), Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 16 inches (1.5 inches snow plus unknown quantity of rain on 10th), Annies Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 16 inches (1.5 inches snow plus unknown quantity of rain on 10th), Seven Pines Trail junction with Deer Springs Trail/PCT Mile 184.9 (8700 ft): 13 inches (1 inch snow on 10th), Long Valley (8600 ft): 8 inches (1 inch snow plus 1.5 inches rain on 10th), Strawberry Junction/PCT Mile 183.3 (8100 ft): 6 inches (1 inch snow plus unknown quantity of rain on 10th), Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 8 inches (1 inch snow plus unknown quantity of rain on 10th), Deer Springs Trail at Suicide Rock Trail junction (6950 ft): 0-1 inch (0.5 inch snow plus >1.0 inch rain on 10th), Devils Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 0.5 inch (0.5 inch snow plus >1.0 inch rain on 10th). Between November 2021 and May 2022, 61 downed trees were removed and almost the entire trail thoroughly trimmed and cleared. On 14th, about 2.0 inches fell in Idyllwild, with an inch all the way down to 3500 ft (and a dusting even lower), but upper elevations received a similar amount, with 2.5 inches in Long Valley (8600 ft) and at Wellman Divide (9700 ft), and no more than three inches at San Jacinto Peak. 10 inches on 9th November), Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 0-1 inch (was 4 inches on 9th November), Annies Junction/approx. Strap on your snowshoes and head into the stillness of the winter forest at the top of the Tram. This will continue to be the case for at least a week, given fresh snowfall expected. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. Altitudes are approximate. Mountain High. 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). From near Miller Peak, I did not continue to break trail on the Peak Trail, but instead turned up the East Ridge, breaking a track roughly along the route of the old East Ridge Trail. However excellent well-traveled and compacted tracks are now in place for most of the major trails (details below). Devils Slide Trail has a traveled and largely compacted track to Saddle Junction in place already. The highest probability of precipitation is early morning on Friday 2nd. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Monday 28th November 2022 at 0855 the air temperature was 26.2F (-3C), with a windchill temperature of 8.8F (-13C), 11% relative humidity, and a sharp due West wind sustained at 17 mph gusting to 24.6 mph. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow. These storms are each expected to produce a further 4-6 inches of snow. Strong winds expected on 11th-12th February, and again on 14th, will likely obscure many tracks with spindrift. As always after storms in the San Jacinto range be aware of considerable ice fall from overhead trees. Spikes are generally not required. 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. I descended via Deer Springs Trail, breaking trail snowshoeing through virgin powder all the way down to the Suicide Rock Trail junction. Skyline Trail has a good track to follow through light icy snow above about 7200 ft (the Traverse to Grubbs Notch). Locations in between, especially those on the western and southern slopes, added more with up to five inches at Saddle Junction (8100 ft). 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. All trails above about 6500 ft are currently lightly, or above 7500 ft moderately, snow-covered. Consequently cautious navigation is recommended everywhere. 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. Winter Hiking: Dangerous conditions exist when snow and ice conditions are present. They tend to be especially useful for descending. Thank you so much for your support. This may mean rain and/or freezing rain as high as 10,000 ft, and challenging layers of icy or mixed snow/ice conditions at all elevations, including the possible melting of some or most preexisting snow below about 8000 ft due to rainfall. New treefall hazards on several major trails have been reported, and those on Spitler Peak Trail have already been cleared by the Trail Report. This trail has had limited hiker traffic since November 2018, largely because Dark Canyon Road has only been open for a few months since the Great Valentines Day flood of 2019. 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. Thursday 5th January saw the fifth storm in the past ten days in the San Jacinto mountains. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying the storm there is extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. 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. Spikes tend to be especially useful for descending trails. Very cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. 2-3 inches on 9th), Saddle Junction/approx. However it is thinning rapidly everywhere, and will look radically different in a week or so. Altitudes are approximate. Devils Slide Trail is functionally clear of snow below 7600 ft, about two miles up, and then snow cover is about 60% up to Saddle Junction but becoming almost continuous within 0.2 mile of the junction. Storm systems forecast for 21st-24th and 28th February are all predicted to include severe windchill temperatures near or below -20F (-29C). Eli Lilly cuts insulin prices up to 70% amid federal pressure to lower costs of life-saving medication, 60 million under winter weather alerts as massive storms roll across US; New York finally gets snow: Live updates, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Spitler Peak Trail is functionally clear of snow, but see photo below regarding patches of ice fallen from trees. Marion Mountain Trail has a lightly-traveled posthole track to follow, that does not follow the trail route in places. Snowshoes are currently not required on the established trail system, which is now too heavily traveled and compacted for snowshoes. Precipitation on Sunday 4th into the early hours of Monday 5th is significantly less likely in the latest models. Altitudes are approximate. Those systems are summarized here: Conditions will remain very unsettled throughout the second and third weeks of January. The snow quickly turned into semi-melted slush. South Ridge Road (5S11) is currently closed to vehicle traffic but is rapidly clearing [checked Saturday 17th] of snow. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths can be well below the average. 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). There is an excellent snowshoe track to follow on the Wellman Trail and the Peak Trail up to San Jacinto Peak. A classic La Nina pattern cool but relatively dry is in place for the third winter in a row. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. 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. UPDATE Sunday 12th February: back-to-back minor snow storms are forecast for this evening and all day Tuesday 14th. Most notable for our region is the remaining uncertainty within the meteorological models, which could result in us receiving half (or double!) Webcams. However the route is largely well-traveled and compacted. Many locations below 9000 ft had actually experienced a net loss of snow depth, as the (relatively) warm rain had melted and compacted the pre-existing snow, and so little new snow fell subsequently. If there are Road Closed signs further down as was often the case last winter especially at weekends and holiday periods then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking. Spikes will likely become more increasingly useful over the next few days as established trails become consolidated by hiker traffic and undergo freeze-thaw cycles. 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. 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. Report flooding to the . Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular track or trail. In fact on my hike to San Jacinto Peak on Monday 13th through steady morning snow I could barely tell the difference in snow depths from the previous week, as the few inches of fresh snow had almost exactly replaced the few inches of depth that had melted over the previous week. However, Holden said that the one place where avalanches can sometimes happen is that north face. 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. The second week of January is expected to be relatively warm and sunny, so extensive melting will start, especially at mid elevations. Light or moderate rain is currently forecast daily at mid elevations (possibly totaling one inch in Idyllwild), with an uncertain possibility of light snow in the high country (<3 inches above 10,000 ft elevation). Waterproof or highly water resistant footwear is recommended. The primary purpose of this update is an advisory of imminent major snow accumulation forecast due to a triple storm sequence. 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. All trails above about 5000 ft are currently lightly (or above 8000 ft, moderately) snow-covered. Above Little Round Valley the track is somewhat less clear and does not entirely accurately follow the establishes trail route. Altitudes are approximate. 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. 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. Some hikers will find spikes are useful at least for descending. In Idyllwild both overnight low and daytime high temperatures will be more typical of late March or even April than of late December. If there are Road Closed signs further down as was often the case last winter especially at weekends and holiday periods after fresh snowfall then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking. Spikes could potentially be used to ascend to the highest peaks at this time, although crampons are certainly safer for traversing. I snowshoed the rest of the way to San Jacinto Peak through lovely light 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. Even around the 10,000 ft peaks temperatures are expected to fluctuate either side of freezing for at least the first half of February, which will lead to freeze/thaw cycles and likely icy conditions in the mornings followed by soft, challenging snow in the afternoons. Potentially stormy weather forecast for four periods in the past ten days all failed to significantly impact the San Jacinto mountains. South Ridge Trail [updated 24th December] has about 30% icy snow cover from the top of South Ridge Road to Old Lookout Flat (7600 ft). At the Peak on Wednesday 15th February 2023 at 1030 the air temperature was 4.9F (-15C), with a windchill temperature of -26.3F (-32C), 65% relative humidity, and a bitter due North wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 27.7 mph. Humidity: 80% . At the on Monday 13th February 2023 at 1010 the air temperature was 16.8F (-10C), with a windchill temperature of -1.3F (-19C), 95% relative humidity, and a wintry NNW wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 13.2 mph. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. 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. From the top of Marion Mountain Trail icy snow cover is about 90% to Little Round Valley, although there are a few lengthy clear areas on sun-exposed sections. 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