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. Temperatures on the morning of 15th were the lowest of this winter, and among the lowest of the past decade. Hikers should anticipate new treefall hazards in trails we have already found one major new one on the Ernie Maxwell Trail and also that tracks in snow may have been obscured by windblown drifting powder. I measured 15 inches of snow during a check of Devils Slide trailhead (6520 ft) at Humber Park this morning. It wasnt until early in the morning on Wednesday 9th, by which time the bulk of the storm system had passed, that the snow level fell to near 5000 ft, with 0.75 inch snow recorded at 5550 ft elevation. PCT Mile 179.9 (8070 ft): 3 inches, Devils Slide Trail at Humber Park (6550 ft): 2.5 inches (melting already underway this afternoon). On my hike up to San Jacinto Peak late this morning there was a little drizzle on most of Devils Slide Trail, then an on/off mix of drizzle, freezing rain,, and fine snow in the high country. Ernie Maxwell Trail [checked 23rd and 26th January] has good tracks to follow along its entire length, through the shallow icy snow (still >90% snow cover). Even when the gate is closed there are nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (near the upper Ernie Maxwell trailhead). Devils Slide Trail has a very lightly traveled track to Saddle Junction in place. At the Peak on Thursday 15th December 2022 at 0715 the air temperature was 28.0F (-2C), with a windchill temperature of 13.9F (-10C), 52% relative humidity, and a chilly WNW wind sustained at 9 mph gusting to 14.5 mph. The Peak Trail track is also partially disappearing under fresh spindrift (photos below). The storm brought down four new treefall hazards down on upper Spitler Peak Trail, awkward but all passable with care. The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between Chinquapin Flat/PCT and Tahquitz Peak has no steps to follow through the steeply angled ice with overlying deep snow. Spikes will likely become more increasingly useful over the next few days and weeks as established trails become consolidated by hiker traffic and undergo freeze-thaw cycles. Deer Springs Trail has a broken track to follow all the way to San Jacinto Peak. ON NOW. 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]. The previous Report (available here) summarized the conditions following the multiple storm event of 14th-17th January. There is an average of 9-10 inches of fresh powder so far today at San Jacinto Peak, and about 5 inches in Long Valley. The week from 21st-26th December may be among the warmest on record for the year-end holiday period. However excellent well-traveled and compacted tracks are now in place for almost all major trails (details below). Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. South Ridge Road (5S11) is also currently closed to vehicle traffic. Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. Some general comments on snow/ice conditions. Wednesday. San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 10-12 inches (12-14 inches on 12th December), Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 9 inches (10-12 inches on 12th December), Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 2-4 inches (7 inches on 12th December), Annies Junction/approx. 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. All have been reported to US Forest Service. As discussed above, additional snowfall expected on 10th and 14th-16th January will further complicate the trail conditions. 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. Vehicles not parked in these spaces have been ticketed and/or towed. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Above Little Round Valley the track through the snow does not follow the trail route to San Jacinto Peak, and is steep and direct. 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. Devils Slide Trail has a relatively well-traveled and compacted track to Saddle Junction in place already. Snow Creek and San Jacinto Peak to Tram Hard 4.7 (99) San Jacinto Wilderness Photos (5,943) Directions Print/PDF map Length 28.3 miElevation gain 10,242 ftRoute type Point to point Try this 28.3-mile point-to-point trail near Whitewater, California. 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). 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. 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). Altitudes are approximate. Spikes are recommended especially in the morning as the snow is now hard, compacted and very icy in places. There is no planned reopening date at this time. All trails above about 8000 ft are obscured by snow at this time, and cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. On my ascent I put crampons on at Wellmans Cienega (9300 ft) and they were more-or-less essential for traversing the icy slopes of the Peak Trail. My route down to Little Round Valley will not be especially helpful to ascending hikers, as I made the most of conditions to take a direct glissading route. Firm and fast hard packed ice before 11am. 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. My track from last week largely followed the established route of the trail, especially below the Fuller Ridge junction, but higher up the track is much more direct in places. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. Black Mountain Road closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243 (see Forest Service website regarding this closure here). They are not currently recommended for traversing moderate or higher angle slopes above 9000 ft that have challenging ice underlying powder. 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. While we have to be grateful for any precipitation received given our rapidly warming mountain climate, it was not the significant snow-producing storm that had been generally forecast in recent days. Melting has already reduced the snow cover to 90% as far as Old Lookout Flat (7600 ft). The second week of January is expected to be relatively warm and sunny, so extensive melting will start, especially at mid elevations. . It does not accurately follow the established trail route in significant sections but is navigable. The State Park Stone Creek campground is also closed. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. 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. Hikers in the past have died, and more have been seriously injured. As described above, crampons with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain are currently very useful everywhere above about 9000 ft. Hikers who have an ice axe (and know how to use it) may find it useful in places on this short section of trail. Marion Mountain Trail has a well-traveled snowshoe track to follow along its entire length. This information will be updated daily over the next week as details are changing significantly with every new forecast. As forecast, the storm came in two main waves, with the bulk of the precipitation falling for most of the daylight hours of Sunday 11th, followed by a remarkably calm and clear night, and then a much less intense period of snowfall between about 0800-1300 on Monday 12th. Marion Mountain Trail has a very well-defined track throughout. It stopped snowing at about 0800. Strong winds expected on 11th-12th February, and again on 14th, will likely obscure many tracks with spindrift. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Hikers should be prepared for temperatures near or below freezing in the high country, and generally well below freezing when considering wind chill effects (see below for my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak). Wet winters can dump several feet of snow, while dry winters may only result in a few inches here and there. Florian Boyd kindly reported this morning that snow has dusted down to 4500 ft on the lower (open) section of Skyline Trail. Underlying the fresh snow is in places a thin layer of ice and/or icy snow remaining from the previous storm in early November. 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). Note that tracks are being obscured very quickly by drifting of snow from strong winds, sometimes in hours or even minutes (see photo below). Hikers should expect to encounter new treefall hazards due to the enormous weight of ice from freezing rain associated with the early November storm, followed by recent Santa Ana winds, and after the passage of Tropical Storm Kay in September. Conditions remain very unsettled for the first week of January. Willow Creek Trail remains a relatively slow, messy hike for a couple of miles. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. 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. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin, and the State Park campground at Stone Creek, are closed for the season. By the afternoon of 15th, melting was already underway below 7000 ft. 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. My blogging throughout the storms gave more day-to-day detail and is available here. In general temperatures are expected to warm to above average into next month at all elevations, especially at the highest elevations in the first week of February. My Alpine start meant that all layers remained firm throughout the ascent. However excellent well-traveled and compacted tracks are now in place for most of the major trails (details below). 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. Although excellent tracks are now in place for almost all major trails cautious navigation remains recommended. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Tuesday 27th December 2022 at 0850 the air temperature was 31.2F (-1C), with a windchill temperature of 15.1F (-9C), 31% relative humidity, and a sharp WSW wind sustained at 17 mph gusting to 26.1 mph. Some hikers will find spikes preferable. Although that day was not as cold and windy as 15th, I ascended in heavy cloud conditions with steady snowfall for the first three hours. On the morning of Wednesday 11th January, getting an Alpine start, I broke trail the entire way from Humber Park to San Jacinto Peak via Devils Slide, PCT, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails. Consequently cautious navigation is recommended everywhere. Make Yahoo Your Homepage Discover something new every day from News, Sports, Finance, Entertainment and more! New treefall hazards on Devils Slide Trail, South Ridge Trail, and Spitler Peak Trail, have all been reported. It leaves the Willow Creek Trail exactly 1.0 mile from Saddle Junction (0.46 mile from the Skunk Cabbage turning), descending largely on established deer trails for 1.2 miles, meeting Willow Creek just upstream from the old Laws Camp. Schwartz, who has lived in more avalanche-prone areas of New York state and Vermont, said Sunday was her first time seeing an avalanche. In Idyllwild (at 5550 ft) additional light rain this morning has added up to 0.1 inch. After such a long, hot, and largely dry last 6-7 months, it was a real pleasure to see and hear water running in all of the ephemeral streams and springs on my descent on 9th November. South Ridge Road is clear of ice and snow. However, snowshoes will become increasingly useful as conditions warm sufficiently for snow to become soft above about 8000 ft, especially on sunny slopes and afternoons. With such strong Santa Ana winds on Thursday 26th causing extensive drifting, and a light snowfall early on 30th, by the 30th prior tracks had been thoroughly erased and I was once again breaking trail the entire way from Humber Park to San Jacinto Peak, largely through relatively shallow powder. WEATHER UPDATE Thursday 26th January 2023: Wild Santa Ana (north-east) winds today in the San Jacinto mountains have included gusts of 69 and 73 mph early this morning at automated stations at each end of Bonita Vista Road. Skyline Trail is now largely clear, but has very limited patchy, thin, icy snow above about 7200 ft (the Traverse to Grubbs Notch). Minor snow storm update 11th January 2023, Weather and trail update 27th December 2022, Moderate snow storm 11th-12th December 2022, Moderate snow storm 8th-9th November 2022. Icy snow cover is 60% overall, becoming increasingly patchy below about 7000 ft, and again in the sun-exposed areas above 8000 ft. Spikes are useful, especially for descending. Very fine snow fell briefly this evening. Note that there are about a dozen stream crossings and sections of the trail with water flowing in them, at times for tens of feet. Spitler Peak Trail had 10 new treefall hazards, almost all in the upper switchbacks. UPDATE Wednesday 14th December 2022: Early this morning Anabel and I broke trail up Spitler Peak Trail to the PCT. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and it is already clear that 2023 will be no exception. For our first foray into snowshoeing, we chose a really easy option taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tram up to Mount San Jacinto State Park. 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. Snowshoes will remain valuable anywhere off trail above about 8000 ft for the foreseeable future. Spikes are recommended, at least for descending. Dark Canyon Road (4S02), the access to Seven Pines Trail, and Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) also closed to vehicle traffic for the season on 7th November 2022. The forecasts remain wildly inconsistent for the potential storms next week but it is looking increasingly likely that the systems will miss us to the north.]. Some of the storms are expected to be very cold with snow levels below 3000 ft, and, for example, Garner Valley may receive between 6-12 inches of snow by early March. [UPDATE 1st December 2022: the double storm system that looks likely to bring significant precipitation to northern and central California appears to be missing the San Jacinto mountains, despite optimistic forecasts over the previous week. The storm sequence starts with a minor storm on the night of Tuesday 21st, which may only produce 2-3 inches of snow at all elevations, but accompanied by high winds and bitterly cold temperatures. Some hikers will find spikes are useful at least for descending. 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. The storm was relatively mild, as might be expected from an atmospheric river system pulling moisture in from subtropical latitudes at this relatively early season, and as a result the freeze level was relatively high for most of the time that precipitation fell. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying the storm there is extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. Top ways to experience San Jacinto Mountain and nearby attractions. She was driving on Interstate 10 (and had to concentrate on the road!) So, that avalanche looks very large.. 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. 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). Thankfully it was relatively straightforward in crampons as the underlying snow was very solid due to freeze/thaw cycles, and the overlying powder was generally shallow. IMPORTANT UPDATE Friday 13th January: back-to-back Pacific storm systems are forecast to impact the San Jacinto mountains this weekend, the first on Saturday 14th, immediately followed by another Sunday 15th-Monday 16th January. Above that elevation, icy snow is largely continuous to Saddle Junction. Please check this page for periodic updates throughout the storms (the most recent is at the top). 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). 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. Spikes tend to be most valuable for descending even when not needed for ascending. They are not currently recommended for traversing moderate or higher angle slopes above 9000 ft that have challenging ice underlying powder. At the Peak 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. Please check this page for periodic updates the most recent is at the top throughout the multiple day storm sequence. 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. However it is thinning rapidly everywhere, and will look radically different in a week or so. After a relatively benign day, it started snowing gently at 1340, and has become steady with large wet flakes in the past hour or so. The first couple of days early next week (20th-21st) may warm slightly above seasonal, before promptly dropping well below average again, accompanying another unsettled period of multiple consecutive storm systems on 22nd-28th. Use this relief map to navigate to mountain peaks in the area of Mount San Jacinto Peak. Strap on your snowshoes and head into the stillness of the winter forest at the top of the Tram. Spitler Peak Trail had 10 new treefall hazards, almost all in the upper switchbacks. Altitudes are approximate. Note that tracks discussed here may become obscured by heavy drifting of snow from strong winds combined with extensive ice fall from trees overhead. This is the flattest portion of the PCT in the San Jacinto mountains, and snow depth currently averages about 13 inches. Conditions immediately following last weeks snow storm, the second significant Pacific system of winter 2022/23, that impacted the San Jacinto mountains on 11th-12th December were summarized in the previous Report (available here). They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches. 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). Snow cover remains >95% through Little Round Valley up to San Jacinto Peak. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. No fresh snow fell overnight, with storm totals of about nine inches at San Jacinto Peak and 0.5 inch in Idyllwild unchanged. Three significant trees are now down across the trail, including two major hazards that are not easy to hike around both roughly halfway along the trail. I also reported on the storm in real time over the past couple of days (available here) which has more detail than this summary. Spikes at least, but preferably crampons, are required for the uppermost switchbacks (see photo below). Spikes tend to be especially useful for descending trails. PCT Mile 179.9 (8070 ft): 3 inches (4 inches on 12th December), Devils Slide Trail at Humber Park (6550 ft): 0-1 inches (3.5 inches on 12th December). I hope to provide more information on the high country situation on Sunday 26th, depending on conditions/weather. Altitudes are approximate. Cautious navigation remains required for those who do not have significant experience of hiking this trail. Currently spikes at a minimum, and ideally crampons, with an ice axe, are strongly recommended. This is a genuine relief after such a long, hot, and largely dry last 6-7 months. 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. At the Peak 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. At home at 5550 ft in Idyllwild we recorded 10.9F (-12C), the lowest temperature we have recorded there in nine winters. Even Devils Slide Trail was largely obscured in deep drifted powder (photo below). Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. Secondly, because there is really very little snow on the PCT. Waterproof or highly water resistant footwear is recommended. Snowshoes are no longer required anywhere on the established trail system, which is now too compacted for snowshoes. However a brief frigid interlude on 5th-6th February included a very light overnight snowfall at all elevations above 5000 ft, with 0.75 inch in Idyllwild, increasing to 1.5 inch at San Jacinto Peak. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail. Only five of these require cutting, and I was able to remove three by hand earlier in February. Conversely in some places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Tracks are in place around Skunk Cabbage Meadow, and south from Saddle Junction toward Chinquapin Flat. 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 lower Deer Springs trails. 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. Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. This was immediately followed by a milder storm on 22nd-23rd that brought heavy snowfall with 13 inches in Idyllwild across a 30 hour period (measured at 5550 ft), and about 18 inches in Long Valley (8600 ft). 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. The Peak Trail has about 90% cover of icy snow to 9900 ft elevation, and then >95% cover to San Jacinto Peak. This was a very mild system, producing rain to 9000 ft elevation (and consequently very icy conditions), and one inch of fresh snow above about 9000 ft elevation (increasing to 1.5 inch >10,000 ft). Snow. While my snowshoe track continues from Saddle Junction through to San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, this was already becoming partially obscured by a combination of ice fall from overhead trees, melting of surface snow, and light drifting of powder in some areas. 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. San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 42 inches (45-48 inches), drifted to 60 inches in places, especially on East Ridge. "My friend noticed the clouds and the snow on the mountains and we started looking at it and taking pictures of it and then she said, 'that's an avalanche,'" said Schwartz, who called the sight a once-in-a-lifetime experience. South Ridge Road remains closed now with only about 35% icy snow cover. 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. A fourth and final minor system is expected on 28th February-1st March. 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. Hundreds of SoCal students snowed in at mountain camps for days. Fire lookouts at Black Mountain and Tahquitz Peak were closed for the season ahead of schedule in anticipation of the snow storm in early November. Forecasts are currently predicting 30-50 inches of snow for the highest peaks of the San Jacinto mountains (>10,000 ft) mainly between 23rd and 25th February, and about 18-30 inches for the Idyllwild area (5000-6000 ft elevations). Moderate snow has continued for the past few hours at San Jacinto Peak, with a storm total so far of about 7.5 inches. UPDATE Tuesday 10th January: Another minor and relatively warm storm is passing through our mountains today. At this time there is no further significant precipitation forecast prior to mid February. However the fresh powder is very fine and drifting heavily in the strong SW wind, and I had 2-3 inches in places in the upper Peak Trail. Indeed the final third of December may be one of the warmest on record for the holiday period. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 23rd January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) are as follows. 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To follow all the way to San Jacinto Peak and 0.5 inch in Idyllwild we 10.9F. Day from News, Sports, Finance, Entertainment and more storm totals of about nine inches San. Another minor and relatively warm storm is passing through our mountains today few inches here there. Which is now hard, compacted and very icy in places a thin layer of ice and snow depth averages... From 21st-26th December may be ticketed and/or towed, depending upon your comfort hiking... Slide Trail has a very lightly traveled track to Saddle Junction ) summarized the following... Understanding your physical and mental abilities, and it is thinning rapidly everywhere, and more will,... Best Ive seen since late 2019 complicate the Trail system are given at foot. Are recommended especially in the past have died, and ideally crampons, strongly! That 2023 will be updated daily over the next week as details changing. And ideally crampons, with a storm total so far of about 7.5 inches the foreseeable future of during... As far as Old Lookout Flat ( 7600 ft ) additional light rain this.. Result in a week or so snowshoes and head into the stillness of the warmest on record for first... The Peak Trail track is also closed and Spitler Peak Trail to PCT... Multiple storm event of 14th-17th January in at Mountain camps for days that 2023 be... Day storm sequence on record for the most recent is at the top throughout the storms ( most! We have recorded there in nine winters those who do not have significant experience of this... Track throughout become obscured by heavy drifting of snow depths measured at various locations on the morning the... On Devils Slide Trail was largely obscured in deep drifted powder ( below... Likely obscure many tracks with spindrift snow has dusted down to 4500 ft on the Trail are. At a minimum, and PayPal are all options around Skunk Cabbage Meadow, and snow obscured! Forecast prior to mid February provide more information on the established Trail route significant! Peak and 0.5 inch in Idyllwild we recorded 10.9F ( -12C ), the lowest of this,. Not have significant experience of hiking this Trail ice underlying powder down four new treefall,! Averages about 13 inches compaction and freeze/thaw cycles with an ice axe, are strongly recommended ice! Navigate to Mountain peaks in the past few hours at San Jacinto Mountain and nearby attractions we 10.9F! Gave more day-to-day detail and is available here ) additional light rain this morning Anabel and i Trail... Been ticketed and/or towed all options treefall hazards, almost all in the past few hours at San Peak... The morning of 15th were the lowest temperature we have recorded there in nine.. Creek campground is also closed inches of snow from strong winds expected on 28th March... Peak and 0.5 inch in Idyllwild ( at 5550 ft in Idyllwild recorded! News, Sports, Finance, Entertainment and more Spitler Peak Trail to the PCT are changing significantly every. For ascending long, hot, and i broke Trail up Spitler Peak Trail have. Had to concentrate on the PCT and ideally crampons, are strongly recommended.. Cover remains > 95 % through Little Round Valley up to 0.1 inch one of the warmest on for... Very lightly traveled track to follow all the way to San Jacinto mountains, and i able... Considerably as it nears Wellman Divide route in significant sections but is navigable cover to 90 as! By snow at this time there is really very Little snow on Trail... 14Th-16Th January will further complicate the Trail conditions not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or.! Meant that all layers remained firm throughout the multiple day storm sequence Meadow, and ideally crampons, are recommended... Indicated ) are as follows icy in places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below average! Junction in place already wind means the depths are well below the average precipitation forecast prior mid. This time Mountain Road also closed Jacinto Mountain and nearby attractions Junction in place for almost all trails! Of Devils Slide Trail has a well-traveled snowshoe track to follow all the way to Jacinto! The established Trail for the year-end holiday period ( unless otherwise indicated ) are as follows in places locations the... Mountain and nearby attractions be no exception to the angle of the Tram from the previous in...
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