Effective 26th January 2023 the State Park closed the section of Skyline Trail that falls within its jurisdiction, above 5800 ft elevation, until further notice due to dangerous weather conditions. Average snow cover is 40%, but is nearly continuous near Humber Park. Rain had started overnight in Idyllwild, ending in late afternoon at a total of 1.26 inches. They tend to be especially valuable for descending trails. Firstly because it is really unsafe, that is a busy and winding mountain road, not remotely a route designed for pedestrians. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. 13:00. 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. Suitable waterproof footwear is strongly recommended. Ernie Maxwell Trail has a well traveled track to follow along its entire length, through the increasingly patchy icy snow. Marion Mountain Trail [updated 15th] has a mix of snowshoe and posthole tracks all the way up to its junction with Deer Springs Trail. Every year seems to have its challenges and it is clear already that 2023 will be no exception. 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. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) 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. The Ernie Maxwell Trail is functionally clear of icy snow, although a few minor patches remain, especially close to Humber Park. Reliable tracks are currently only known to be my posthole tracks from 15th for Devils Slide Trail through to San Jacinto Peak via the Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails, and then descending Deer Springs Trail. Discover this 5.6-mile out-and-back trail near Palm Springs, California. 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. 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. Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. 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. Mountain Sunrise Hike and Meditation in Palm Springs. San Jacinto State Park locations where self-issued permits are available 24/7: Idyllwild Ranger Station, 25905 Highway 243, Idyllwild, CA 92549 (located on a permit desk in front of office) . Potentially dangerous cold is currently forecast for the highest peaks for 14th-23rd January at least. Spikes tend to be especially useful for descending trails. Precipitation has been steady at mid and upper elevations for the past few hours. The steep escarpment of its north face, above Snow Creek, climbs over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in 7 miles (11 km). Conditions immediately following the second Pacific storm, and the first significant snowfall, of winter 2022/23 that impacted the San Jacinto mountains on 8th-9th November were summarized in the previous Report. 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. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 22nd-27th December 2022 are as follows. 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. The Thursday system will be significantly warmer, with a freeze level not dropping below about 7000 ft. Precipitation at the elevation of Idyllwild should therefore be rain (0.5-0.7 inch currently forecast), which may therefore largely melt and remove the snow that had fallen earlier in the week at that elevation. As described above, crampons (always in conjunction with an ice axe) are currently recommended on certain moderate and higher angle slopes, at a minimum on the Peak Trail above Wellman Divide, the Wellman Trail, and uppermost South Ridge Trail, on both flanks but especially on the north face of Tahquitz Peak. In the week since the last storm we have surveyed trails around Tahquitz Peak twice, plus South Ridge, Spitler Peak, and Marion Mountain trails, among others. This trail is great for hiking and snowshoeing, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Note that tracks discussed here may become obscured by heavy drifting of snow from strong winds combined with extensive ice fall from trees overhead. 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. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. Many thanks to Florian Boyd for bringing this to my attention. The other bonus was an immaculate set of fresh Mountain Lion tracks in the trail (photos below), with sign that the lion had crossed back-and-forth across Devils Slide in multiple locations further up also. Note that tracks are being obscured very quickly by drifting of snow from strong winds, sometimes in hours or even minutes (see photo below). Current forecasts suggest that the moderate storm on 14th-15th January may be cooler than the Tuesday storm, with somewhat more snow at lower elevations. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 6th January 2023 are as follows. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow. 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. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail. At the Peak on Thursday 8th December 2022 at 0900 the air temperature was 28.4F (-2C), with a windchill temperature of 12.7F (-11C), 11% relative humidity, and a fresh SW wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 9.3 mph. Conversely on the afternoon of Tuesday 6th the ice was distinctly more watery, and I wore spikes from San Jacinto Peak down to Wellman Divide (9700 ft). Early on Monday 23rd January I ascended San Jacinto Peak via the east side (Devils Slide, Wellman, and Peak trails) that I had broken last Wednesday 18th, and descended the west side via (more-or-less) Deer Springs Trail. Waterproof or highly water resistant footwear is recommended. Snow from the moderate storm on 8th-9th November (summarized in a prior Report) has been melting steadily as temperatures in the past week have been above seasonal. Above Little Round Valley in particular my track down from the Peak is very direct, steep, and would be a challenging ascent. With another storm imminent tomorrow, I do not plan a thorough update until Wednesday 15th. Spikes are recommended but not strictly essential depending upon your comfort level hiking on angled icy snow. Indeed there were no other tracks anywhere above Humber Park, not even on lower Devils Slide Trail. 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. The main track is clearest just above LRV and again close to the Peak junction. per adult. I barebooted to Saddle, and then snowshoed back down to help consolidate the track. Above Little Round Valley there are at least half-a-dozen tracks ascending toward San Jacinto Peak, none of which accurately follow the established trail route. That said, temperatures in the high country are much more typical of December than April! The snow quickly turned into semi-melted slush. UPDATE 17th November 2022: as predicted, and even as melting proceeds steadily, trails are getting increasing icy due to daily freeze/thaw cycles, and spikes are recommended throughout the trail system above about 7000 ft. On my hike to San Jacinto Peak this morning, again I did not need spikes to ascend, but they were invaluable for descending all the way down to upper Devils Slide Trail. PCT Mile 181.8 (9070 ft): 0-1 inch (was 6 inches on 9th November), Deer Springs Trail at top of Marion Mountain Trail (8700 ft): 0-1 inch, Tahquitz Peak (north side trail, 8700 ft): 0-1 inch, Tahquitz Peak (south side trail, 8500-8700 ft): 0 inch, Long Valley (8600 ft): 0-1 inch (was 2-3 inches on 9th November), Strawberry Junction (8100 ft): 0 inch (was approx. While the snow quantities are forecast to be 1-2 inches at most, they may be much colder systems than have been typical so far this winter, with freeze levels below 5000 ft. The trail is largely clear of snow from Highway 243 to Strawberry Junction, and with about 60% snow cover from there up to 8600 ft. Marion Mountain Trail [updated 22nd December] has a well-defined but lumpy posthole track throughout. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 6th February 2023 are as follows. The intensity of snowfall at San Jacinto Peak this afternoon is the best Ive seen since late 2019. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail. The cloud largely dissipated on my descent, affording some spectacular vistas. On 21st I again barebooted (i.e. She was driving on Interstate 10 (and had to concentrate on the road!) SNOW DEPTHS measured on or around 28th November 2022 are as follows, with depths after the last significant storm (on 9th November) for comparison in parentheses where known. PCTA is aware of the situation, and is hoping to start addressing it soon (weather permitting). There is the possibility that this will end abruptly with a minor storm on Monday 28th November, with 1-3 inches of snow possible above 10,000 ft. Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 3 inches (all from latest storms, admixed with 5.06 inches rain on 14th-16th) already melting steadily on 18th. 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. I measured 1.5 inches of fresh snow at Saddle Junction early this morning, with about one inch at Humber Park, and 0.8 inch of snow (following 0.7 inch of rain) at 5550 ft in Idyllwild. 4 Forecast Elevations: Peak: 10804 ft 8203 ft 4922 ft Base: 1641 ft This table gives the weather forecast for Mount San Jacinto Peak at the specific elevation of 3293 m. Our advanced weather models allow us to provide distinct weather forecasts for several elevations of Mount San Jacinto Peak. Currently, and increasingly as snow conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 7000 ft, lower in places. 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. Big Bear Mountain Resort. While these are expected to bring significant precipitation throughout the state, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding timing and precipitation amounts for Southern California. We have had an excellent start to 2023 regarding the water and snow situations in the San Jacinto mountains. Marion Mountain Trail has a well-traveled snowshoe track to follow along its entire length. Even Devils Slide Trail was largely obscured in deep drifted powder (photo below). However it is thinning rapidly everywhere, and will look radically different in a week or so. UPDATE Tuesday 13th December 2022: This morning Anabel and I broke trail up South Ridge Road and South Ridge Trail to Old Lookout Flat (7600 ft). From there the Peak Trail was easy going, having been well-traveled by hikers coming up the Tram. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and/or icy patches (depending upon time of day). 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). The station is at an elevation of 2,600 feet in the San Jacinto Mountains. Be prepared for trails above about 7500 ft (lower in places) obscured by moderate to deep snow, and even fresh tracks being erased by spindrift snow in places. Spikes could potentially be used to ascend to the highest peaks at this time, although crampons are certainly safer for traversing. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. 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. Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 4 inches snow with 1-2 inches of ice underneath, Round Valley (9100 ft): 4 inches [special thanks to Kyle Eubanks for this measurement], Annies Junction/approx. PCT Mile 179.9 (8070 ft): 0-1 inch (was 3 inches on 9th). The track on Deer Springs Trail largely follows the existing trail route up to Little Round Valley. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. 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. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, mixed with slushy and icy patches. 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. No, it wasn't snowfall in the Santa Cruz Mountains or at Mt. Although excellent tracks are now in place for some major trails (as outlined below), cautious navigation is recommended everywhere for the next few days in particular. Currently few major trail routes have been traveled and even those may become partially obscured by drifted snow and fresh icefall. Spikes are not required for ascending, but some hikers will find them useful for descending. 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. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 15th February 2023 are as follows. Altitudes are approximate. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. 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. 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 main track is clearest just above LRV and again close to the Peak junction. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting. This is a genuine relief after such a long, hot, and largely dry last 6-7 months. As discussed above, multiple additional snowfalls forecast for 14th-18th January will further complicate the trail conditions. 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. However excellent well-traveled and compacted tracks are now in place for almost all major trails (details below). At the Peak on Monday 21st November 2022 at 1610 the air temperature was 36.5F (3C), with a windchill temperature of 28.0F (-2C), 9% relative humidity, and a steady WSW breeze sustained at 6 mph gusting to 9.2 mph. Trails above about 7500 ft currently remain lightly covered with patchy icy snow (more continuous above about 9000 ft). The high country remained above the cloud for this one, with no fresh snowfall above about 8000 ft. There is a very well-traveled track on the lowest section of Deer Springs Trail continuing out to Suicide Rock. New treefall hazards on several major trails have been reported, and those on Spitler Peak Trail have already been cleared by the Trail Report. 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). Fresh snowfall, melting, and freeze/thaw cycles will all combine to change trail conditions and potentially the preferred equipment for the terrain over the next week or two. 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. Hikers should expect to encounter new treefall hazards due to the enormous weight of ice from freezing rain currently in the trees and the high winds associated with the storm. Such unseasonably warm temperatures mean that snow melt will be rapid everywhere while in many areas freeze/thaw cycles will result in icy trails in the early mornings above about 7000 ft. By late morning snow conditions will become poor for hiking (soft, slippery, and even slushy) especially in sun-exposed areas. Underlying the fresh snow is in places a thin layer of ice and/or icy snow remaining from the previous storm in early November. Snow is constant on north aspects to 6700', and patchy on South aspects above 9000'. Azalea Drive, the access road to Marion Mountain trailhead, has not been fully plowed (surveyed Tuesday 14th). With storms accompanied by strong west winds, the slopes above about 9500 ft on the east flanks of San Jacinto and Jean peaks may develop a snow structure with minor to moderate avalanche risk by the weekend of 25th-26th (as last seen on these slopes in early 2017). Avalanche risk is currently minimal and is rarely a factor in the San Jacinto mountains with the exception of a couple of traditional locations (notably the north face of San Jacinto Peak). Rapid melting of snow on sun-exposed slopes and freeze-thaw cycles will combine to change trail conditions and potentially the preferred equipment for the terrain. Skyline Trail has a good track to follow through light icy snow above about 7200 ft (the Traverse to Grubbs Notch). When plowed Humber will remain very icy for the next few days at least. By the afternoon of 15th, melting was already underway below 7000 ft. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. 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. The chart s below show s past snowfall recorded this year near San Jacinto, CA for the last few years. WEATHER UPDATE 23rd December: forecasts have been shifting dramatically in recent days. 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. 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. Be prepared for trails above about 8000 ft (possibly lower in places) obscured by moderate snow, and even fresh tracks being erased by spindrift snow in places. As of the afternoon of Sunday 1st, the only tracks that I saw and that are known to be in place are my snowshoe track between Humber Park and San Jacinto Peak (using Devils Slide, Wellman, and Peak trails). These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. "Here's the thing, who would realize it was an avalanche?" Stone Creek campground had also closed, but I saw that it had apparently reopened for Thanksgiving weekend. Locations in between, especially those on the western and southern slopes, added more with up to five inches at Saddle Junction (8100 ft). Live US weather updates:60 million under winter weather alerts as massive storms roll across US; New York finally gets snow: Live updates. Devils Slide Trail has a traveled and largely compacted track to Saddle Junction in place already. Devils Slide Trail has a well traveled and compacted track to Saddle Junction in place already. Forecasts indicate we will get a few more inches of snow overnight on 2nd-3rd January, and again on Thursday 5th January. Spikes are recommended at least for descending upper Deer Springs Trail. PCT Mile 181.8 (9070 ft): 6 inches, Long Valley (8600 ft): 2-3 inches [special thanks to Kyle Eubanks for this measurement], Saddle Junction/approx. Snowshoes can be rented at our Adventure Center. The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. At the Peak on Monday 7th November 2022 at 1715 the air temperature was 28.4F (-2C), with a windchill temperature of 12.7F (-11C), 93% relative humidity, and a fresh WSW wind sustained at 10 mph gusting to 22.0 mph. With some melting already underway and compaction caused by freeze-thaw cycles and hiker traffic, conditions will deteriorate for snowshoeing over the next few days, especially on more heavily traveled trails below 9000ft. Super Rare Avalanche on North Face of San Jacinto. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to cover costs. Spikes are not generally required for ascending, but most hikers will find them useful for descending. Crampons (or perhaps spikes or snowshoes on some days) are recommended. Storm total at San Jacinto Peak is about 14 inches for a current total depth of 36+ inches (but very heavily drifted). Trails down to 5000 ft elevation currently have patchy shallow snow cover. Average snow depth around the peak was 24-25 inches, but heavily drifted. All have been reported to US Forest Service. Marion Mountain Trail (surveyed at least weekly in past month) now has only about 20% icy snow cover, largely in the central section between about 7400-8200 ft elevation which is less sun-exposed. Three significant trees are now down across the trail, including two major hazards (one new in gale force winds on 26th) that are not easy to hike around both roughly halfway along the trail. However excellent well-traveled and compacted tracks are now in place for almost all major trails (details below). As described above, crampons with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain are currently very useful everywhere above about 9000 ft. However the combined effect of the two minor storms, in combination with wild gusty winds pushing spindrift snow all over the high country, had completely erased the few tracks that were in place by the morning of Wednesday 15th. Spikes are not essential but will be useful for most hikers, especially for descending. Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. 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). The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway cuts about 6,000 feet of climbing off the hike . 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. Crampons are recommended for the traversing slopes. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow. This rain produces huge masses of ice in the trees, including many chunks I have estimated as weighing 40-100 lb this winter, which can dislodge dramatically once direct sunlight warms the trees. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. The switchbacks up to Tahquitz Peak average only 20% icy snow cover, but the frequency and length of ice patches increases on the uppermost switchbacks. Snow cover is about 60% from Strawberry Junction north for about 1.0 mile (roughly 8500 ft), and thereafter >90% to San Jacinto Peak. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Hike to Mt San Jacinto is a great way to bag Southern California's second highest peak without putting in a huge effort. Initially a cold system that brought 2-3 inches of snow to elevations between 4500 ft and 9000 ft. A short video summary of what we found when we broke trail up Devils Slide that morning. Deer Springs Trail is largely clear from the Highway 243 trailhead to the Suicide Rock trail junction at 7000 ft. From there to Strawberry Junction (8100 ft) snow cover averages 50% with patches increasing in length and frequency as you ascend. Spikes are not required. The Weather section below is updated. Some winters are better than others, with wet years producing several feet of snow in the high country, while dry years producing a dusting or two. Spikes are recommended at least for descending upper Deer Springs Trail. On Thursday 15th I ascended San Jacinto Peak via the east side (Devils Slide, Wellman, and Peak trails) and descended the west side via Deer Springs Trail, while on Monday 19th we hiked to the Peak up and down the east side trails. Upon your comfort level hiking on angled icy snow ( more continuous above about 7200 ft ( Traverse! Aspects above 9000 & # x27 ; t snowfall in the Santa Cruz Mountains at. Since late 2019 Southern California is functionally clear of icy snow consolidate the track Deer... Angled icy snow above about 8000 ft late afternoon at a total 1.26... Be no exception along its entire length the upper Trail be especially valuable for descending Springs Trail continuing out Suicide... 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