As mentioned above, the focus is on heavy snowfall expected over the next 5-6 days (and potentially again on 28th February-1st March). 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. 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. In Idyllwild for several days both overnight low and daytime high temperatures will be more typical of March or even April than of late December. 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. This was tricky for postholing which went through the ice layer. UPDATE Thursday 5th January 2023: We are just catching the southern edge of the highly-publicized storm currently passing through central California. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 19th December (east side) or 15th December (west side) 2022 are as follows. However, snowshoes will become increasingly useful as conditions warm sufficiently for snow to become soft above about 9000 ft, especially on sunny slopes and afternoons. All trails above about 5500 ft are currently snow-covered. I snowshoed the rest of the way to San Jacinto Peak through lovely light powder. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 23rd January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) are as follows. Steady melting is expected with warming temperatures this week, especially at mid elevations and on sun-exposed slopes. Discover this 5.6-mile out-and-back trail near Palm Springs, California. Snow depths are currently excellent for snowshoeing above about 7000 ft, where trails havent been too heavily traveled and compacted. They tend to be especially valuable for descending trails. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying the storm there is extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches. I stubbornly kept on my snowshoes to 10,100 ft elevation on the Peak Trail, despite some lateral slipping as I traversed the icy snow slopes. Sadly at first light the precipitation turned to drizzle at all elevations on the western slope between (at least) Idyllwild and 8100 ft at Saddle Junction, and consequently the snow quality was deteriorating fast at mid elevations this morning. 16 F. PCT Mile 181.8 (9070 ft): 4-5 inches (5.5 inches on 12th December), Marion Mountain Trail at junction with PCT (8700 ft): 4-6 inches (6 inches on 12th December), Long Valley (8600 ft): 3-4 inches (5-6 inches on 12th December), Strawberry Junction (8100 ft): 3 inches (4 inches on 12th December), Saddle Junction/approx. Southwest Montana snowpacks rebounded in February after storms dumped an impressive amount of snow on the area's river basins, according to a Natural Resources Conservation Service report . Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 45 inches, heavily drifted, Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 40 inches (45 inches), Annies Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 44 inches (45-48 inches), Tahquitz Peak (8836 ft): 25 inches, heavily drifted to 40 inches in places (measured 20th January), Seven Pines Trail junction with Deer Springs Trail (8700 ft): 36 inches, Strawberry Junction/PCT Mile 183 (8100 ft): 15 inches, Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 19 inches (21 inches), Suicide Rock Trail junction with Deer Springs Trail (6950 ft): 1-3 inches, Devils Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 2-4 inches (5-6 inches), Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0-2 inches (3 inches). 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. 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. The trail is clearest above immediately above LRV and again close to the Peak junction. There was no evidence of hiker tracks on Fuller Ridge Trail or Seven Pines Trail as of Monday 23rd January. Please check this page for periodic updates the most recent is at the top throughout the multiple day storm sequence. A rapidly warming montane climate, with changes especially striking at high elevation, is exacerbating all of these issues. Above seasonal temperatures will continue until Sunday 27th November. Temperatures will be below seasonal for December for at least the next week, with many days cloudy or at least partly cloudy. Strong winds expected on 11th-12th, and again on 14th, will likely obscure many tracks. This trail will become significantly more treacherous as it undergoes freeze/thaw cycles and compaction over the next week or two. 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. Spikes are not required, but some hikers may find them useful depending on their comfort level hiking on thin icy snow. 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. Spikes are not required for ascending, but some hikers will find them useful for descending. Snowshoes are useful in low to moderate angle terrain with adequate snow depth above about 8000 ft, for example the Tahquitz area meadows near Saddle Junction, sections of Deer Springs Trail, and Long Valley/Round Valley. As described above, crampons with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain are currently very useful everywhere above about 9000 ft. That said, it has just started gently snowing in both locations, so storm totals may increase slightly over the next couple of hours. PALM SPRINGS, Calif. As if Southern California blizzard warnings and snow-dusted yuccas werent already surreal enough, some eagle-eyed interstate travelers saw another rare sight Sunday that mightve left them wondering if theyd made a wrong turn into the Rockies. The Ernie Maxwell Trail is clear of snow. 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. Underlying the fresh snow is in places a thin layer of ice and/or icy snow remaining from the previous storm in early November. Precipitation at the elevation of Idyllwild fell largely as rain (1.79 inches) before turning to thunder snow starting at 1235 on Sunday afternoon (currently accumulated to 1.5 inch but still snowing as I write this). The first number is the current total snow depth, followed in parentheses by the storm total for this latest storm 11th-12th December. These concerns may steadily increase over the next few weeks with rising then falling temperatures, seasonally stronger insolation, and highly variable snowmelt. SNOW DEPTHS measured (largely) on 21st November 2022 are as follows, with depths from 9th November 2022 in parentheses where known. 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. Willow Creek Trail remains a relatively slow, messy hike for a couple of miles. By 1st February there was a somewhat meandering snowshoe track from Round Valley (and presumably Long Valley) up to San Jacinto Peak, ultimately using the East Ridge route from near Miller Peak, that generally followed lower angle terrain and avoided the traversing slopes of the Peak Trail. Skyline Trail has a good track to follow through increasingly patchy, very thin, icy snow above about 7000 ft (the Traverse to Grubbs Notch). The steep escarpment of its north face, above Snow Creek, climbs over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in 7 miles (11 km). 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. In Idyllwild both overnight low and daytime high temperatures will be more typical of late March or even April than of late December. 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. Spikes could potentially be used to ascend to the highest peaks at this time, although crampons are certainly safer for traversing. Snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Even if there is no precipitation, there will be temperatures well below seasonal on those days. 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. An excellent track is easy to follow to Little Round Valley. At the Peak on Monday 30th January 2023 at 1110 the air temperature was 15.5F (-9C), with a windchill temperature of -0.4F (-18C), 98% relative humidity, and a light SSE wind sustained at 3 mph gusting to 8.4 mph. My blogging throughout the storms gave more day-to-day detail and is available here. Although not essential, spikes are recommended and many hikers will find them useful especially for descending. Steady melting is expected with warming temperatures this week, especially at mid elevations and on sun-exposed slopes. Spitler Peak Trail has a very visible boot track through light snow to the PCT. Note that tracks are being obscured very quickly by drifting of snow from strong winds, sometimes in hours or even minutes (see photo below). Spikes can be useful for descending in particular. San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 36-40 inches (winter max depth 45-48 inches), drifted >50 inches in places, Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 38 inches (45 inches), Annies Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 44 inches (48 inches), Long Valley (8600 ft): 20 inches (24 inches), Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 18 inches (22 inches), Devils Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 0-3 inches, partly melted by afternoon of 6th (6 inches), Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): <1.0 inch, largely melted by afternoon of 6th (4 inches). This trail will become significantly more treacherous as it is expected to add freezing rain and/or layers of snow and ice over the next ten days. There is a very visible boot track through light snow in places in its upper switchbacks to the PCT. Spikes are recommended at least for descending, and will become increasingly important with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. All trails above about 7500 ft remain lightly snow-covered. Snow depths are currently suitable for snowshoeing above about 9000 ft, potentially lower in places. 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. 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. Semi trucks parked at the Golden Acorn Casino & Travel Center in Boulevard are shown on Feb. 24, 2023. 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). While the snow was not especially deep, it still took about double the time of a completely dry ascent. Mount San Jacinto State Park. Temperatures are forecast to remain at or even slightly below seasonal averages into the second half of November, with freezing conditions every night above about 5500 ft elevation. A classic La Nina pattern cool but relatively dry is in place for the third winter in a row. That said, the cumulative effect of multiple systems is helpful to our moisture situation, and Tuesday 10th January saw the sixth storm in just over two weeks in the San Jacinto mountains (a timeline of the recent sequence of storms is available here in the previous Report). Indeed the final third of December may be one of the warmest on record for the holiday period. Most significantly in terms of snow conditions daytime temperatures at all elevations will be well above freezing for about a week starting 20th. Although I made a concerted effort to put in a track as faithful to the trail routes as conditions permitted, wild winds and spindrift powder on all the exposed slopes rendered that fairly pointless. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. Thank you so much for your support. The high country may be above the cloud for some of that storm, as only 2-3 inches are forecast for the high country. 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. That face of the mountain is 10,000 feet big, he said as he referenced the photo. Hikers should be prepared for temperatures below freezing in the high country, and well below freezing when considering wind chill effects (see below for my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak). My tracks from Wednesday 18th January from Humber Park to/from San Jacinto Peak will be largely visible but may become somewhat obscured in places. So, to see something like this happen is very rare.. Additional moderate snowfall is tentatively forecast for 28th February-1st March. All trails above about 5000 ft are currently lightly (or above 8000 ft, moderately) snow-covered. The eighteenth storm, due this evening, is an unusual atmospheric river combined with very cold air again, expected to produce heavy snowfall for 24th-25th February. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. These storms are currently forecast to each produce at least ten inches of snow at the highest elevations and an inch or more of rain at mid elevations (e.g., in Idyllwild). 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. The storm forecast for 29th-30th January looks less dramatic than previously predicted, with the high country largely above the storm (only an inch of snow forecast), and only 2-4 inches now expected at the elevation of Idyllwild. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 6th February 2023 are as follows. PCT Mile 179.9 (8070 ft): 3 inches, Devils Slide Trail at Humber Park (6550 ft): 2.5 inches (melting already underway this afternoon). February has been more settled than the very eventful January, but temperatures remain on something of a rollercoaster ride. PCT Mile 181.8 (9070 ft): 5 inches (was 6 inches on 9th), Deer Springs Trail at top of Marion Mountain Trail (8700 ft): 4-5 inches, Tahquitz Peak (north side trail, 8700 ft): 3-4 inches, drifted to six [measured 11th November], Tahquitz Peak (south side trail, 8500-8700 ft): 2 inches [measured 11th November], Long Valley (8600 ft): was 2-3 inches on 9th, Strawberry Junction (8100 ft): 1-2 inches (photo below), Saddle Junction/approx. Spikes are especially valuable for descending even when they are no necessarily needed for ascending. 7-Day Weather Live Satellite & Weather Radar. . Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying the storm there is extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. Reliable tracks are in place (at least) for Devils Slide Trail through to San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, from Long Valley/Tram to Wellman Divide, from Saddle Junction to Tahquitz Peak, and up South Ridge Trail to Tahquitz Peak. 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. I also reported on the storm in real time over the past couple of days (available here) which has more detail than this summary. Although my original track accurately followed the trail above Little Round Valley, there are now a fair number of alternate shortcut tracks across this slope, so cautious navigation is advised. At the Peak on Monday 6th February 2023 at 0930 the air temperature was 11.1F (-12C), with a windchill temperature of -11.0F (-24C), 59% relative humidity, and a frigid NNW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 20.2 mph. Current expectations are only for 1-2 inches of snow at mid elevations (e.g., Idyllwild) and not much more at higher elevations, perhaps 2-3 inches with each storm. We have surveyed the high country almost daily, with hikes taking in San Jacinto Peak at least twice per week, Tahquitz Peak area once per week, and a variety of other trails on other days (World Cup viewing permitting of course). Mount Waterman. However the high country has been largely above this precipitation, with the sun even trying to peek out at times in Long Valley, and only about another inch of snow was added there this morning. South Ridge Road (5S11) is also currently closed to vehicle traffic. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are now closed for the season. Hikers who have an ice axe (and know how to use it) may find it useful in places on this short section of trail. Use this relief map to navigate to mountain peaks in the area of Mount San Jacinto Peak. Thursday 5th January saw the fifth storm in the past ten days in the San Jacinto mountains. 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. SNOW DEPTHS measured on 18th January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) are as follows. 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Mount San Jacinto Peak January 2023 ( unless otherwise indicated ) are as follows, many...
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