UPDATE Thursday 30th March 2023 at 1130: the 24th storm of this remarkable winter produced nearly three inches of snow in Idyllwild overnight, following a day of steady rain almost all day yesterday (totaling 0.7 inch at 5550 ft). Light snow in the high country yesterday and overnight totaled about 5 inches in Long Valley (8600 ft). Overnight it snowed down to 4000 ft, and I measured 2 inches at PCT Mile 151 early this morning, as described in a short video report I recorded there (available here on YouTube). It has periodically cleared in the high country above about 8000 ft elevation this morning, and also in Garner Valley, but it continues to snow steadily at mid elevations (e.g., in Idyllwild), with another 1-2 inches added since 0700.

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This is an outline of current snow and trail conditions, details of the situation after the last major storm were summarized in the previous Report (available here). The next storm, forecast to be relatively minor, is on its way on Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th March. With a freeze level at around 4000-4500 ft elevation, a few inches of snow are expected at the mid elevations, including almost all of the PCT in the San Jacinto mountains. About 6-8 inches of snow are currently forecast for the high country.

The State Park wilderness closed on 1st March (see State Park website). At this time there is no tentative date for reopening. This closure includes PCT Miles 183-189. An additional closure applies to Skyline Trail (part of the C2C route) as discussed below under Trail Conditions.

Currently there is no avalanche risk on the high country slopes that are crossed by the established trail network, based on my multiple surveys since the latest snowfall. There remains a moderate avalanche risk for the Snow Creek drainage on the north face of San Jacinto Peak, most likely immediately following the next snowfall. The biggest avalanche of the season so far occurred at around 7000-7500 ft in the Snow Creek drainage on 22nd-23rd March, immediately after last week’s heavy snowfall, and a substantial debris field is readily visible even from San Jacinto Peak in the 5000-7000 ft elevation range (photo below).

My survey hike on Monday 27th – in my capacity as a volunteer wilderness ranger for the State Park – initially took me up Devil’s Slide Trail to Wellman’s Cienega. A firm compacted track on the former was ideal for spikes, but I switched to snowshoes just above Saddle Junction, and kept them on for the remainder of the hike, including the entire descent of Devil’s Slide in early afternoon. From the cienega, I went directly upslope, gaining the ridge on the south flank of Jean Peak. I followed the high country ridge up over Jean to San Jacinto Peak, before breaking trail on a more conventional descending route via (roughly) the East Ridge, Peak and Wellman trails back to the PCT. Despite its great depth, the high country snow was firm and I was sinking in only a few inches at most. I was surprised to find much of my snowshoe track from Wednesday 22nd remained just visible.

Currently trails above about 6500 ft are obscured by moderate to deep snow. Trails down to 5000 ft elevation currently have shallow and increasingly patchy snow cover. With the State Park closure in place, there are very few tracks anywhere above 8000 ft. Very cautious navigation is essential everywhere.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular track or trail. For example a firm, well-compacted snowshoe or crampon track across snow several feet deep may be much easier hiking than an angled icy section just inches deep.

Conditions are currently excellent for snowshoes everywhere above about 8000 ft (potentially lower in places for the next week or so). Tracks in the high country can be firm if the early morning is cold (crampons or even spikes best) but then soften rapidly once sun hits slopes and temperatures rise, at which point snowshoes are preferable.

To give an idea of the current traction challenge, I am generally hiking with all three of snowshoes, crampons, and spikes every time I go into the high country at present, changing between them as conditions warrant.

Crampons – with hiking poles and/or an ice axe, depending on terrain – are becoming increasingly useful everywhere especially above about 7000 ft, as cold temperatures on some days, plus freeze/thaw cycles, lead to hardening of the snow surfaces. They will likely become invaluable over the next week or so 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.

Increasingly as snow conditions change spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 5500 ft. They can currently be valuable even for walking around Idyllwild early on cold mornings! This elevation will slowly move upwards with steady melting over the next few days and weeks, but will remain relatively low well into April.

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).

The USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. 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). If there are “Road Closed” signs across Fern Valley Road near its junction with Forest Drive – currently the case – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

Forest Service roads currently closed to vehicular traffic by a revised closure order include Black Mountain Road (4S01), Dark Canyon Road (4S02), South Ridge Road (5S11), May Valley Road (5S21), and Santa Rosa Road (7S02), plus their various side roads.

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will be closed for maintenance on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th March.

WEATHER

Conditions continue unsettled for the remainder of March. Two brief warm spells, on Tuesday 28th, and then again on 1st-2nd April, bookend the next minor storm system on 29th-30th. A mix of rain and 4-6 inches of snow are forecast for mid elevations (e.g., Idyllwild) with about 6-8 inches of snow for the high country. The system will be relatively cold, with snow expected to dust as low as 4000 ft, particularly on the night of Wednesday 29th. Winds – and therefore windchill temperatures – will be severe on the nights of 28th and 29th.

While somewhat more stable, sunnier weather with temperatures slightly warmer than the first three months of the year may start around 1st April, cold, cloudy, windy days nevertheless remain forecast for 3rd and 8th April at least, especially in the high country.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Monday 27th March 2023 at 1045 the air temperature was 25.3°F (-4°C), with a windchill temperature of 12.6°F (-11°C), 19% relative humidity, and a light WNW wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 11.3 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 20th March 2023 at 1435 the air temperature was 20.8°F (-6°C), with a windchill temperature of 0.5°F (-18°C), 44% relative humidity, and a stiff due West wind sustained at 17 mph gusting to 28.0 mph, in complex, multi-layer cloud.

SOME THOUGHTS FOR PCT HIKERS

Between the State Park closure and the storms continuing in March, completing the San Jacinto mountains is currently a major challenge even for experienced hikers. That said, melting will happen fast once it starts in earnest – it is still Southern California after all – and because prior melting was accelerated by some storms bringing intense warm rain on top of the snow, especially below about 8000 ft which includes most of the PCT in these mountains.

Conditions in the southernmost sections will generally improve starting in the first week of April (judging by the forecasts), and most or even all areas will become readily passable with – crucially – suitable skills and equipment, patience, and a thorough knowledge of all the possible alternates if needed.

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. While fresh snow (and softening, melting, snow) may be optimum for snowshoeing for the next several weeks, snow at all elevations will generally become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places (especially once high country trails reopen). I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. These concerns will steadily increase over the next few weeks with temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing, seasonally stronger insolation, and highly variable snowmelt.

The remarkable winter has created some challenges in addition to the snow. There can be a great deal of water in the trails, and this has also created a few tricky crossings. Be cautious of snow bridges across water. Forested trails are covered with downed branches and debris, plus many new treefall hazards, some of which are only becoming apparent as the snow recedes. Trail maintenance by agencies was already years behind schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic, among other reasons, and this winter has greatly exacerbated the situation. Again, patience and caution will be essential this season more than most.

The PCT from Mile 151 (Highway 74 crossing) to Mile 166 (Fobes Trail) is clearing of snow steadily [checked 23rd and 24th March 2023], see photo in previous Report. Fobes Ranch Road and Fobes Trail [checked 24th] are also either clear or clearing of snow (more continuous snow a few inches deep remains on upper Fobes Trail).

Proceeding north from about Mile 166 currently requires considerable snow hiking experience. At this time I recommend carrying snowshoes, crampons, and ice axe, plus you will need the necessary snow hiking experience to use that equipment safely in moderate angle terrain, plus patience, stamina, and route-finding skills.

A well established alternate is to connect back to the PCT at about Mile 191 using Black Mountain Road. Black Mountain Road currently has continuous moderate snow cover but there are tracks to follow through the snow, and melting of the lower section will proceed steadily over the next week or so. Soon the conditions will be silimar to my survey on 17th March, when the Road had 50% snow cover on the lower two miles, 90% cover for the next three miles averaging 2-6 inches deep, then 100% cover for the upper three miles, at 6-18 inches deep. Early on cold mornings the snow is hard and icy making it easy to hike, but snow is soft and postholing is poor by late morning. At last check, no vehicle had driven up from Highway 243 since the last snows.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

Trails above about 5000 ft remain largely snow-covered (wholly snow-covered above about 6000 ft). This will change steadily with further melting over the next few days and weeks.

Devil’s Slide Trail has a good snowshoe track to follow up to Saddle Junction. It is firm in cold early mornings (ideal for spikes all the way to Saddle) but it can be very soft otherwise, as early as late morning (snowshoes required, or expect deep and wet postholing). Beware of water flowing in the trail, often obscured under thinning snow, and some associated tricky stream crossings. The track does not follow the established trail route in the uppermost switchbacks close to Saddle Junction, and careful navigation is required.

My snowshoe track from multiple ascents/descents continues on to San Jacinto Peak, via a route roughly approximating to the PCT, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails, climbing more steeply in places than the established trails, and generally contouring through the snow as needed to minimize unnecessary elevation loss. Fresh snow expected on 29th-30th March will likely eliminate parts of the track.

As of Monday 27th, there were no tracks on the PCT south of Saddle Junction (Mile 179) towards Chinquapin Flat (Mile 177.5). There were snowshoe tracks around the Skunk Cabbage Meadow triangle.

The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between the PCT at Chinquapin Flat and Tahquitz Peak has no steps to follow through the steeply angled ice with overlying deep snow. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and thorough knowledge of how to use this equipment on high angle terrain, are essential. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

A reliable snowshoe track was put in on lower Deer Springs Trail to Strawberry Junction on Friday 24th March. There is no evidence of any tracks from Little Round Valley up to the San Jacinto Peak area at this time.

Spitler Peak Trail [surveyed 26th March] is clear of snow in its lower half (first 2.4 miles). The upper half of the trail has continuous light snow cover. The initial part of this snowy section has an excellent snowshoe track to follow, but this ends about 3.8 miles from the highway, about one mile below the PCT junction.

In addition to the wider closure mentioned above, 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”. (For readers who are unclear, Skyline Trail forms the lower two-thirds of the “Cactus-to-Clouds” [C2C] route.) The State Park boundary is not marked but is near the site of the old Florian’s Cache, below Flat Rock. The open section of trail below 5800 ft received some light snow cover down to about 4500 ft over the past week, but this has already melted.

SNOW DEPTHS

Measured on Monday 27th March unless otherwise stated. The first number is the current snow depth, followed in parentheses by the maximum depth at that location in winter 2022/23. Note that averages are given; due to strong winds accompanying all storms, and the differential effects of rain on snow in some earlier storms, there is considerable inconsistency of depth. Altitudes and PCT Miles are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 95 inches (98-105 inches on 22nd March)

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 65 inches (70-75 inches on 3rd March)

Annie’s Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 70 inches (80 inches on 3rd March)

Long Valley (8600 ft): 45 inches (c.60 inches on 3rd March)

Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 38 inches (48-50 inches on 3rd March)

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 10-15 inches (46 inches on 3rd March)

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 3-6 inches (45 inches on 1st March)

PCT Mile 151 at crossing with Highway 74 (4800 ft): 0 inch, measured 23rd March (13 inches in first week of March)

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover modest operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and clearly 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

Well, I’m starting to run out of superlatives for this winter, so I’ll just let numbers tell the tale. The 23rd storm of winter 2022/23 impacted the San Jacinto mountains on 21st-23rd March. Another two feet of snow at San Jacinto Peak brought the total depth currently on the ground there to about 100 inches. Given some melting between storms, the Peak total for the winter is now close to 120 inches, i.e. 10 feet. While that depth would have been unremarkable late last century, it is by far the most snow in the San Jacinto high country for over a decade, probably this century. I recorded a short video discussion near San Jacinto Peak on the morning of Wednesday 22nd March, which gives a feel for the conditions (available here on YouTube).

Meanwhile in Idyllwild, another 17 inches of snow took the winter total to nearly 90 inches, almost triple the annual average of the past 30 years, and as I discussed in an earlier analysis (linked here), makes this winter provisionally the snowiest in Idyllwild since the 1940s, and the third snowiest in recorded Idyllwild history (reliable data since 1943).

Unlike the two storms in mid March, this was not another “pineapple express”, but had a more northerly influence producing colder temperatures, thankfully no rain at higher elevations, and a light dusting of snow down to 4400 ft in Garner Valley (see photos below). Mid elevation locations such as Vista Grande and Keenwild reported 2-3 inches of rain before it turned to several inches of snow accumulation.

The State Park wilderness nominally closed on 1st March (see State Park website for their explanation). At this time there is no tentative date for reopening. Note however that there was no apparent enforcement in Long Valley on Saturday 25th at least, with multiple skiers reaching San Jacinto Peak and Snow Creek. This closure includes approximately PCT Miles 183-189. An additional closure applies to Skyline Trail (part of the C2C route) as discussed below under Trail Conditions.

Currently there appears to be no significant avalanche risk on the high country slopes that are crossed by the established trail network. I found no evidence of pre-avalanche characteristics as I descended the high slopes on the late morning of 22nd March following the latest heavy snowfall. There is however a moderate risk for the north face of San Jacinto Peak, especially given that pre-avalanche characteristics were reliably reported to me from upper Snow Creek on 20th, prior to the latest heavy snowfall.

I snowshoed San Jacinto Peak on Wednesday 22nd March via the eastern side route including Devil’s Slide Trail. Despite its great depth, the high country snow was firm and immaculate and I was sinking in only a few inches at most. Below about 8500 ft was a different story however, with relatively wet, heavy, snow on Devil’s Slide Trail causing some unpleasant postholing even in snowshoes (photos below).

Currently trails above about 6000 ft (lower in places) are obscured by moderate to deep snow. Trails down to 4600 ft elevation currently have shallow and increasingly patchy snow cover. With the State Park closure in place, there are very few tracks anywhere above 8000 ft. Very cautious navigation is essential everywhere.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular track or trail. For example a firm, well-compacted snowshoe or crampon track across snow several feet deep may be much easier hiking than an angled icy section just inches deep.

To give an idea of the current traction challenge, I am generally hiking with all three of snowshoes, crampons, and spikes every time I go into the high country at present, changing between them as conditions warrant.

Conditions are currently excellent for snowshoes everywhere above about 6000 ft (potentially a little lower in places for the next couple of days). This elevation will climb slowly over the next few days and weeks as temperatures rise and melting accelerates. Tracks in the high country can be firm if the early morning is cold (crampons best) but then soften very rapidly once sun hits slopes and temperatures rise, at which point snowshoes are preferable.

Crampons – with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain – may becoming increasingly useful everywhere especially above about 8000 ft, as colder temperatures on some days, plus freeze/thaw cycles, lead to hardening of the snow surfaces. They will likely become invaluable over the next week or so 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.

Increasingly as snow conditions change spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 5000 ft. They can currently be valuable even for walking around Idyllwild early on cold mornings! This elevation will slowly move upwards with steady melting over the next few days and weeks, but will remain relatively low into April at least.

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. While fresh snow (and softening, melting, snow) may be optimum for snowshoeing for the next several weeks, snow at all elevations will generally become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places (especially once high country trails reopen). I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. These concerns will steadily increase over the next few weeks with temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing, seasonally stronger insolation, and highly variable snowmelt.

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).

The USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. 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). If there are “Road Closed” signs across Fern Valley Road near its junction with Forest Drive – currently the case – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

Forest Service roads currently closed to vehicular traffic by a revised closure order include Black Mountain Road (4S01), Dark Canyon Road (4S02), South Ridge Road (5S11), May Valley Road (5S21), and Santa Rosa Road (7S02), plus their various side roads.

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will be closed for maintenance on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th March.

SOME THOUGHTS FOR PCT HIKERS

Between the State Park closure and the storms continuing in March, completing the San Jacinto mountains is currently a major challenge even for experienced hikers. That said, melting will happen fast – it is still Southern California after all – and because melting was accelerated by some recent storms bringing intense warm rain on top of the snow, especially below about 8000 ft which includes most of the PCT in these mountains.

Hikers with March dates, if you have any flexibility at all in your timing, try to start later (easy for me to say I know). In a year with such dramatic snow conditions further north, it is highly unlikely that starting later than your “official” date will be a problem anywhere. Hikers with April or May dates, conditions in the southernmost sections will generally improve starting in the first week of April (judging by the forecasts), and most or all areas will be readily passable with – crucially – suitable skills and equipment, patience, and a thorough knowledge of all the possible alternates if needed.

The remarkable winter has created some challenges in addition to the snow. There can be a great deal of water in the trails, and this has also created a few tricky crossings. Do not trust snow bridges across water at this time; you will not get washed away, but it is a quick way to at least get soaking wet feet, and potentially a nasty fall. Finally, forested trails are covered with downed branches and debris, plus many new treefall hazards, some of which are only becoming apparent as the snow recedes. Trail maintenance by agencies was already years behind schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic, among other reasons, and this winter has greatly exacerbated the situation. Again, patience and caution will be essential this season more than usual.

The PCT from Mile 151 (Highway 74 crossing) to Mile 166 (Fobes Trail) is clearing of snow steadily [checked 23rd and 24th March 2023], see photo below. Fobes Ranch Road and Fobes Trail [checked 24th] are also either clear or clearing of snow (more continuous snow a few inches deep remains on upper Fobes Trail).

Proceeding north from about Mile 166 currently requires considerable snow hiking experience. At this time I recommend carrying snowshoes, crampons, and ice axe, plus you will need the necessary snow hiking experience to use that equipment safely in moderate angle terrain, plus patience, stamina, and route-finding skills. By Sunday 26th March there will be a track to follow for Miles 166-179, and from Miles 179-191 by about Tuesday 28th.

A well established alternate is to connect back to the PCT at about Mile 191 using Black Mountain Road. Black Mountain Road currently has continuous moderate snow cover but there are tracks to follow through the snow, and melting of the lower section will proceed steadily over the next week or so. Soon the conditions will be silimar to my survey on 17th March, when the Road had 50% snow cover on the lower two miles, 90% cover for the next three miles averaging 2-6 inches deep, then 100% cover for the upper three miles, at 6-18 inches deep. Early on cold mornings the snow is hard and icy making it easy to hike, but snow is soft and postholing is poor by late morning. Currently no vehicle has driven up from Highway 243 since the last snows.

WEATHER

Conditions continue unsettled for the remainder of March. A moderate warming trend will accelerate melting from 24th-28th. There is an increasing likelihood of a further minor storm system on 29th-30th, with a mix of rain and a few inches of snow at mid elevations (e.g., Idyllwild) and an uncertain 2-10 inches of snow forecast for the high country.

It appears that generally stable, sunny weather with a moderate warming trend may start around 1st April (no fooling). If so, that could herald the beginning of a major melting season.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Monday 20th March 2023 at 1435 the air temperature was 20.8°F (-6°C), with a windchill temperature of 0.5°F (-18°C), 44% relative humidity, and a stiff due West wind sustained at 17 mph gusting to 28.0 mph, in complex, multi-layer cloud.

At the Peak on Wednesday 15th March 2023 at 1115 the air temperature was 29.2°F (-2°C), with a windchill temperature of 10.7°F (-12°C), 100% relative humidity, and a gusty WSW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 23.5 mph, in driving sleety rain.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 5000 ft remain largely snow-covered (wholly snow-covered above about 6000 ft). This will change steadily with further melting over the next few days and weeks.

Devil’s Slide Trail has my descending snowshoe track from 22nd up to Saddle Junction. It can be firm in cold early mornings (ideal for spikes) but is very soft otherwise, and always by late morning (snowshoes required, or expect very deep and wet postholing). Beware of the huge amount of water flowing in the trail, often obscured under thinning snow, and some associated tricky stream crossings. The track does not follow the established trail route in the uppermost switchbacks close to Saddle Junction, and careful navigation is required. Another major new tree came down (between switchbacks 5 and 6) on 11th March, reported to USFS.

My snowshoe track continues on to San Jacinto Peak, via a route approximating to the PCT, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails, climbing more steeply in places than the established trails, and generally contouring through the snow as needed to minimize unnecessary elevation loss. Wild spindrift snow on 22nd will have eliminated parts of the upper track.

The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between the PCT at Chinquapin Flat and Tahquitz Peak has no steps to follow through the steeply angled ice with overlying deep snow. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and thorough knowledge of how to use this equipment on high angle terrain, are essential. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

A reliable snowshoe track was put in on lower Deer Springs Trail to Strawberry Junction on Friday 24th March.

Spitler Peak Trail [surveyed 26th March] is clear of snow in its lower half (first 2.4 miles). The upper half of the trail has continuous light snow cover. The initial part of this snowy section has an excellent snowshoe track to follow, but this ends about 3.8 miles from the highway, about one mile below the PCT junction.

In addition to the wider closure mentioned above, 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”. (For readers who are unclear, Skyline Trail forms the lower two-thirds of the “Cactus-to-Clouds” [C2C] route.) The State Park boundary is not marked but is near the site of the old Florian’s Cache, below Flat Rock. The open section of trail below 5800 ft received some light snow cover down to about 4500 ft over the past week, but this has already melted.

SNOW DEPTHS

Measured on Wednesday 22nd March unless otherwise stated. The first number is the current snow depth, which at locations above about 9000 ft elevation is the maximum depth recorded this winter, followed in parentheses by the snow added in this latest storm, and then by a comment where relevant regarding the maximum depth at that location this winter. Note that averages are given; due to strong winds accompanying all storms, and the differential effects of rain on snow in some earlier storms, there is considerable inconsistency of depth. Altitudes and PCT Miles are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 98-105 inches (added 23-25 inches on 21st-22nd March)

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 71-73 inches (added 16-18 inches on 21st-22nd March), about the same depth recorded on 3rd March

Annie’s Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 73-75 inches (added 18-20 inches on 21st-22nd March), maximum recorded depth this winter c.80 inches on 3rd March

Long Valley (8600 ft): 50-55 inches (added 15+ inches on 21st-22nd March), maximum recorded depth this winter c.60 inches on 3rd March

Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 40-45 inches (added 16-18 inches on 21st-22nd March), maximum recorded depth this winter 48-50 inches on 3rd March

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 13-20 inches (added 13 inches on 21st-22nd March), maximum recorded depth this winter 46 inches on 3rd March

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 15-16 inches (added 15-16 inches on 21st-23rd March), maximum depth this winter 45-46 inches on 1st March

PCT Mile 151 at crossing with Highway 74 (4800 ft): 0-1 inch, measured 23rd March (dusting of snow on 22nd), maximum depth this winter 13 inches in first week of March.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover modest operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and clearly 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

The 23rd storm system of winter 2022/23 is currently impacting the San Jacinto mountains. This storm has been forecast to be one of the largest snow-producing storms of this winter so far in the high country. Please check this page for periodic updates throughout the storm (the most recent is at the top).

UPDATE on Wednesday 22nd at 1730

My descent from San Jacinto Peak was uneventful but informative. I hope to complete a full update on conditions tomorrow. New snowfall summary is: San Jacinto Peak 23 inches, Wellman Divide 18-20 inches, Annie’s Junction 20 inches, Saddle Junction 16-18 inches, Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park 13 inches, Idyllwild 12-13 inches. The snow was pleasant and compact in the high country, regardless of its 4-8 feet depth, but soft with grim postholing (even in snowshoes) on Devil’s Slide. At least there is now a useable track to follow.

UPDATE on Wednesday 22nd at 0715

It snowed all night at San Jacinto Peak, with most intensity before midnight. Storm total is now 23 inches of snow, for a current total depth on the ground of 98-102 inches. This winter continues to amaze.

I recorded a brief video discussion at San Jacinto Peak at about 0830, available here on YouTube.

It also snowed much of the night in Idyllwild, adding about 7.5 inches (at 5550 ft) for a storm total of 12-13 inches. It is notclear enough to see how low it snowed, but the freeze level was forecast to be near 4000 ft elevation.

UPDATE on Tuesday 21st March at 2350

Snowing steadily at San Jacinto Peak, having added another six inches since dark for a storm total so far of 16 inches.

After snowing steadily in Idyllwild since dark it has now stopped, with about 3.5 inches having accumulated.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to cover modest operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges and obviously 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all readers, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

UPDATE on Tuesday 21st March at 1800

Very little precipitation has fallen in Idyllwild since mid morning, with only 0.06 inch of rain since 0700, and the very limited snow failing to settle.

In contrast, snowfall has been steady at San Jacinto Peak for the past two hours, with the storm total now at 10 inches.

UPDATE on Tuesday 21st March at 1530

After about 1300 the sun put in an appearance in Palm Springs, Idyllwild, and even (very briefly through the spindrift) at San Jacinto Peak. Florian Boyd kindly reports that the snow level on the Desert side of the mountains is above 5000 ft elevation.

Precipitation largely stopped in Idyllwild and the mid elevations, the air temperature moved well above freezing, and Anne described the snow in Idyllwild as already melted off the trees and as turning into a “sloppy mess”.

It has continued to snow lightly at San Jacinto Peak, with the storm total at about 7.5 inches, the wind has dropped a little and conditions are no longer blizzard-like. The major snowfall is expected tonight.

UPDATE on Tuesday 21st March at 1200

Fine snow composed of rounded grains has continued to fall at a rate of about 0.5 inch/hour all morning at San Jacinto Peak. Current storm total is 6 inches. Accompanied by strong westerly winds, it is a genuine whiteout blizzard (conditions which are actually relatively rare up here).

It stopped snowing in Idyllwild (for the time being at least) about two hours ago, and is now raining very lightly, with no significant accumulation so far.

New snowfall at Long Valley (8600ft) is similar, at about six inches. Note that the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is closed today due to the weather.

UPDATE on Tuesday 21st March at 0950

It started snowing late in the night at all elevations above about 4000 ft. Idyllwild received about double the snow expected overnight, with 5.5 inches by 0700 this morning.

It must not have started snowing in the high country until the early hours of this morning. Once I was able to dig out, I measured only about 4-5 inches of fresh snow at San Jacinto Peak, for a current total depth nearing 85 inches.

Long Valley (8600 ft) has received about 4-5 inches of fresh snow this morning.

In all these locations it continues to snow steadily, but below about 6000 ft it is expected to turn to rain later this morning.

Yesterday evening I received a reliable first-hand report of pre-avalanche characteristics (“whoomphing”) in the upper elevations of Snow Creek on the north face of San Jacinto Peak.

With this fresh snowfall, based on my informal and provisional data, this winter becomes the third snowiest in recorded Idyllwild history, behind only two winters in the 1940s, as I previously discussed in an earlier posting (available here).

UPDATE Sunday 19th March: there has been light rain on/off in Idyllwild today, and a dusting of snow in the high country (mainly early morning), with about one inch accumulating in Long Valley (8600 ft).

UPDATE Friday 17th March: San Bernardino National Forest, including the San Jacinto Ranger District, reopened today following expiration of the closure order last night. Some forest roads remain closed (listed below). The State Park wilderness remains closed indefinitely, which includes Miles 183-189 of the PCT (i.e. from just east of Strawberry Junction to about one mile south of Fuller Ridge Campground).

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Yet another remarkable storm in this truly memorable winter. The 22nd storm system to impact the San Jacinto mountains brought snow and heavy rain on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th March. It was another mild, rain-generating “pineapple express”, like the storm just four days earlier, but differed in being just cold enough to produce moderate snowfall above 9000 ft elevation.

The storm brought both more snow and rainfall than was generally forecast for our mountains, with a whopping 3.97 inches of rain measured in Idyllwild (at 5550 ft) across the 30 hour duration of the storm, most of that falling late on 14th into the morning of 15th. Combined with temperatures above freezing, the rain on snow led to massive melting at mid elevations up to about 8500 ft, with every possible creek and stream gushing like a major montane torrent. In addition to the couple of photos below, I recorded a short video of the well-known Middle Spring on Devil’s Slide Trail (available here on YouTube) in full flow in the late afternoon of 15th. It is very rarely seen in that condition!

At the highest elevations, it started snowing at 1020 on Tuesday morning, initially heavily but of tiny rounded grains, accumulating to 3.5 inches by evening at San Jacinto Peak. The highest peaks weren’t spared the rain, with drizzle on the evening of 14th, which then turned to snow overnight. Another 8 inches of snow fell overnight at San Jacinto Peak, and then on 15th the precipitation oscillated between drizzle and snow for much of the day, ultimately producing a storm total of 13.5 inches of snow (plus an unknown, moderate, volume of light rain).

With the freeze level moving up and down the mountain multiple times during the storm’s passage, there was no defined snow level, but there was no evidence of snow below 8000 ft, only a dusting at Saddle Junction (8100 ft), and only about 4 inches even as high as Wellman Divide (9700 ft).

I reported a minor avalanche risk to the State Park on 15th above about 10,000 feet on east and north facing slopes (moderate risk for the north face of San Jacinto Peak) due to wind-loaded snow, but layers will have consolidated very quickly due to the rain and fluctuating freeze level. There was no evidence of pre-avalanche characteristics as I descended the high slopes on the afternoon of 15th.

The State Park wilderness closed on 1st March (see State Park website). At this time there is no tentative date for reopening. This closure includes approximately PCT Miles 183-189.

I snowshoed on both Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th to San Jacinto Peak via Devil’s Slide Trail and the eastern side route, returning from the second ascent on the afternoon of Wednesday 15th. On all three days the snow below Saddle Junction was very soft, and even higher by late morning the snow was getting soft and sloppy, and postholing would have been brutal.

Currently trails above about 7000 ft (lower in places) are obscured by moderate to deep snow. Trails down to 5500 ft elevation currently have shallower, increasingly patchy, snow cover. With closures in place, there are very few tracks anywhere. Very cautious navigation is essential everywhere.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular track or trail. For example a firm, well-compacted snowshoe or crampon track across snow several feet deep may be much easier hiking than an angled icy section just inches deep.

Conditions are currently excellent for snowshoes everywhere above about 7000 ft (lower in places). This elevation will continue to climb steadily over the next few days as temperatures rise and melting accelerates. Tracks in the high country can be quite firm if the early morning is cold (crampons best) but then soften very rapidly once sun hits slopes and temperatures rise, at which point snowshoes are preferable.

Crampons – with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain – may becoming increasingly useful everywhere above about 8500 ft, as colder temperatures on some days, freeze/thaw cycles (and, sadly, rain freezing on top of snow) lead to hardening of the snow surfaces. They will likely become essential over the next week or so 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.

Currently, and increasingly as snow conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 5000 ft. They are currently valuable even for walking around Idyllwild early on cold mornings! This elevation will slowly move upwards with steady melting over the next few days and weeks, but will remain relatively low into April at least.

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. While fresh snow (and softening, melting, snow) may be optimum for snowshoeing for the next several weeks, snow at all elevations will generally become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places (once trails reopen). I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. These concerns will steadily increase over the next few weeks with temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing, seasonally stronger insolation, and highly variable snowmelt.

Hikers should be prepared for temperatures near or 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).

The USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. 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). If there are “Road Closed” signs across Fern Valley Road near its junction with Forest Drive – currently the case due to the Forest closure – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

Forest Service roads currently closed to vehicular traffic by a revised closure order include Black Mountain Road (4S01), Dark Canyon Road (4S02), South Ridge Road (5S11), May Valley Road (5S21), and Santa Rosa Road (7S02), plus their various side roads.

SOME THOUGHTS FOR EARLY SEASON PCT HIKERS

Between the closures and the storms forecast for the remainder of March, the San Jacinto mountains are currently a major challenge for even experienced thru hikers. That said, melting is happening remarkably fast, in part because we are still in Southern California (with the sun and temperatures that go along with that), and because melting has been accelerated by recent storms bringing intense warm rain on top of the snow, especially below about 8000 ft which includes most of the PCT in these mountains.

Hikers with March dates, if you have any flexibility at all in your timing, try to start later (easy for me to say I know). In a year with such dramatic snow conditions further north, it is highly unlikely that starting later than your “official” date will be a problem anywhere. Hikers with April or May dates, conditions in the southernmost sections continue to improve daily, and some or most areas will be passable with suitable skills, equipment, patience, and a thorough knowledge of all the possible alternates if needed.

So much rain – combined with melting snow – has generated a few new problems (in addition to the major snow challenges). Trails clear of snow are very muddy. Generally they dry fast here in Southern California, but that looks unlikely in the next few weeks. There is a great deal of water in the trails (see example photos below), and this has also created some tricky crossings. Do not trust any snow bridges across water at this time; you will not get washed away, but it is a quick way to at least get soaking wet feet, and potentially a nasty fall. Finally, forested trails are covered with downed branches and debris, plus many new treefall hazards, some of which are only becoming apparent as the snow recedes. Trail maintenance was already years behind schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic, and this winter has greatly exacerbated the situation. For these reasons, among others, patience and caution will be essential this season more than usual.

The PCT from Mile 151 (Highway 74 crossing) to Mile 165 (Fobes Trail) is now clear of snow [checked 16th March 2023], see photo below. Fobes Ranch Road and Fobes Trail are also functionally clear of snow (a few tiny patches may remain). I recorded a brief video from Mile 151 on the morning of 16th March (available here on YouTube).

Proceeding north from Mile 165 is not currently recommended, as it will require some combination of snowshoes, crampons, ice axe, and the necessary snow hiking experience to use that equipment safely in moderate angle terrain, plus considerable patience, stamina, and route-finding skills.

It is possible (once the Forest closure is lifted) to connect back to the PCT at about Mile 191 using the well-known Black Mountain Road alternate. Black Mountain Road [surveyed 17th March] currently has 50% snow cover on the lower two miles, 90% cover for the next three miles averaging 2-6 inches deep, then 100% cover for the upper three miles, at 6-18 inches deep. Early in the morning, the snow is hard and icy making it easy to hike, but snow is soft and postholing is bad by late morning. Currently no vehicle has driven further than 0.5 mile up from Highway 243 since the last snows.

WEATHER

Conditions continue unsettled for the remainder of March. After a few days of somewhat warmer weather, another major storm system is expected on 20th-22nd March. This will have a more northerly and hence colder origin, similar to the storms of January and February rather than the warmer, wetter systems of the first half of March.

The storm is predicted to start with as much as an inch of rain at mid elevations, with a freeze level then dropping as low as 4500 ft on Wednesday 22nd, precipitation therefore turning to snow, with 2-6 inches possible in Idyllwild. As much as 18-25 inches of snow are forecast for the high country, mainly on the night of 21st. Clear, sunny days at all elevations, but with temperatures remaining below seasonal, start on Thursday 23rd, but a further storm system is possible before the end of March.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Wednesday 15th March 2023 at 1115 the air temperature was 29.2°F (-2°C), with a windchill temperature of 10.7°F (-12°C), 100% relative humidity, and a gusty WSW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 23.5 mph, in driving sleety rain.

At the Peak on Monday 13th March 2023 at 0945 the air temperature was 22.5°F (-5°C), with a windchill temperature of -0.7°F (-18°C), 14% relative humidity, and a wild WNW wind sustained at 24 mph gusting to 38.6 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 6500 ft remain largely snow-covered (wholly snow-covered above about 7000 ft). This will change steadily with further melting over the next few days and weeks.

The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between the PCT at Chinquapin Flat and Tahquitz Peak has no steps to follow through the steeply angled ice with overlying deep snow. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and thorough knowledge of how to use this equipment on high angle terrain, are essential. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

Devil’s Slide Trail has a lightly-traveled snowshoe track up to Saddle Junction. It can be firm in cold early mornings (ideal for spikes) but is very soft and sloppy at all times currently, and always by late morning (snowshoes required, or expect very deep and wet postholing). Some bare patches are already showing below 7000 ft. Beware of the huge amount of water flowing in the trail, often obscured under thinning snow, and some associated tricky stream crossings. The track does not follow the established trail route in the uppermost switchbacks close to Saddle Junction, and very careful navigation is required. Another major new tree came down (between switchbacks 5 and 6) on 11th March, reported to USFS.

My snowshoe track continues on to San Jacinto Peak, via a route broadly approximating to the PCT, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails, climbing more steeply in places than the established trails, and generally contouring through the snow as needed to minimize unnecessary elevation loss. Snow forecast next week will eliminate this track.

The Ernie Maxwell Trail has a lightly traveled snowshoe and posthole track to follow along its entire length. Large parts of the trail, especially near its lower (southern) end, are starting to clear. Early morning the snow can be firm and relatively easy to hike depending on air temperature, but it is otherwise soft with deep postholing. The majority of this trail is not on Forest Service land.

In addition to the wider closure mentioned above, 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”. (For readers who are unclear, Skyline Trail forms the lower two-thirds of the “Cactus-to-Clouds” [C2C] route.) The State Park boundary is not marked but is near the site of the old Florian’s Cache, below Flat Rock. The open section of trail below 5800 ft received some light snow cover down to about 4500 ft over the past week, but this has already melted.

SNOW DEPTHS

Measured on Wednesday 15th March unless otherwise stated. The first number is the current snow depth, followed in parentheses by the maximum depth recorded this winter (on or around 3rd March), with a comment regarding the snow added in this latest storm (locations >8000 ft only). Note that averages are given; due to strong winds accompanying all storms, and the differential effects of rain on snow, there is widespread unevenness. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 75 inches (80-85 inches), added 13-14 inches on 14th-15th March

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 55 inches (70-75 inches), added 4 inches on 14th-15th March

Annie’s Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 55 inches (75-80 inches, was heavily drifted here), added 3-4 inches on 14th-15th March

Long Valley (8600 ft): 36-40 inches (55-60 inches), added 1-2 inches on 14th-15th March

Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 25-28 inches (48-50 inches), added 0.5 inch on 14th-15th March

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 0-10 inches (46 inches)

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0-6 inches (45-46 inches)

PCT Mile 151 at crossing with Highway 74 (4800 ft): 0 inches (13 inches), checked 16th March

While many hundreds of challenging hours of time and labor are volunteered annually, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover modest operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and clearly 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

UPDATE Wednesday 15th March at 0930: Another 9 inches of snow fell overnight at San Jacinto Peak for a current storm total of 12.5 inches (plus some light rain yesterday evening). It stopped snowing at 0930. A dusting of 1-2 inches fell in Long Valley (8600 ft) on top of yesterday’s rain.

At 0700 Anne reported a remarkable 3.35 inches of rain for the previous 20 hours in Idyllwild (at 5550 ft).

There is a minor avalanche risk above about 10,000 feet on east and north facing slopes (moderate risk for the north face of San Jac) for the next couple of days, until the new wind loaded snow consolidates with older layers.

UPDATE Tuesday 14th March at 1810: the 22nd storm of the winter is here. It started snowing in the high country at 1020 this morning and accumulated 3.5 inches of fresh powder at San Jacinto Peak, before sadly turning to light rain at 1730. Although a few flakes fell at Long Valley (8600 ft) earlier in the day, it has been too mild for and snow to settle. It started raining in Idyllwild at about 1100, totaling about 0.52 inch (at 5550 ft) by 1730.

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The 21st storm system to impact the San Jacinto mountains this winter was a “pineapple express” which brought steady rain on 10th-11th March. It started raining on Friday 10th morning at about 0700 at mid elevations, eventually reaching the high country with a mixture of rain, freezing rain, and sleet from about 1100. It finally stopped raining on Saturday afternoon, having become intermittent for much of that day. Rainfall in Idyllwild totaled an impressive 2.36 inches (measured at 5550 ft).

Although a few inches of snow were forecast for the highest peaks, sadly it rained all the way to San Jacinto Peak, with no new snowfall (photos below). The relatively warm rain augmented melting that was already underway from recent warmer, sunny days, and areas I checked in the high country have all lost at least 12-18 inches of snow depth in the past week or so.

Closures of both the National Forest lands and State Park wilderness remain in place. The San Bernardino National Forest, including the San Jacinto Ranger District, is closed until 16th March 2023 (closure notice here). There is hope that that closure will be lifted when it expires. The State Park wilderness closed on 1st March (see State Park website). It would be illogical that this closure, inaccurately justified by “unprecedented” snow, will be lifted imminently given that at least two more Pacific storms are already on their way (as discussed below).

I snowshoed on Thursday 9th and Monday 13th to San Jacinto Peak via Devil’s Slide Trail and the eastern side route. On 9th, following freeze/thaw cycles, Devil’s Slide was firm early morning, and I ascended to Saddle Junction just in spikes. I then used snowshoes from there to the Peak, and all the way back down. In contrast on 13th, after recent warm rain, the lower half of Devil’s Slide Trail was a miserable sloppy mess, requiring snowshoes from/to the trailhead. Thankfully, by about 7700 ft elevation, the snow surface had hardened sufficiently to make the going relatively easy.

On both days, my track from the previous ascent had held up well, and both ascents were consequently about two hours faster than when breaking trail through fresh powder on 3rd March. On both 9th and 13th by late morning the snow was getting soft and sloppy, and postholing would have been brutal. Snow conditions are generally benign, excellent for snowshoeing and crampons (depending on elevation), and there is no avalanche risk, even on the north face of San Jac.

Currently trails above about 7000 ft (lower in places) are largely obscured by moderate to deep snow. Trails down to 5000 ft elevation currently have shallower, increasingly patchy, snow cover. With closures in place, there are very few tracks anywhere. Very cautious navigation is essential everywhere.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular track or trail. For example a firm, well-compacted snowshoe or crampon track across snow several feet deep may be much easier hiking than an angled icy section just inches deep.

Conditions are currently excellent for snowshoes everywhere above about 6000 ft. This elevation will continue to climb steadily over the next few days and weeks as temperatures rise and melting accelerates (especially with more mild rainfall augmenting melting, especially below about 8000 ft). Tracks in the high country are quite firm in the early morning (crampons best) but then soften rapidly once sun hits slopes and temperatures rise, at which point snowshoes are preferable.

Crampons – with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain – are becoming increasingly useful everywhere above about 8500 ft, as freeze/thaw cycles (and, sadly, rain freezing on top of snow) lead to hardening of the snow surfaces. They will likely become essential 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.

Currently, and increasingly as snow conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 5000 ft. They are currently valuable even for walking around Idyllwild early on cold mornings! This elevation will slowly move upwards with steady melting over the next few days and weeks, but will remain relatively low for weeks at least.

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. While fresh snow (and softening, melting, snow) may be optimum for snowshoeing for the next several weeks, snow at all elevations will generally become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places (once trails reopen). I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. These concerns will steadily increase over the next few weeks with temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing, seasonally stronger insolation, and highly variable snowmelt.

Hikers should be prepared for temperatures near or 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).

Based on three comprehensive assessments in the past ten days, there is currently no avalanche risk (even on the north face of San Jacinto Peak, which, contrary to recent erroneous information in local media, avalanches regularly every year, even in low snow years). This forecast may change briefly later this month if there is substantial fresh wind-loaded snow on top of the existing deep icy layer, in the storms forecast for 14th-15th and 19th-23rd March.

The USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. 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). If there are “Road Closed” signs across Fern Valley Road near its junction with Forest Drive – currently the case due to the Forest closure – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

SOME THOUGHTS FOR EARLY SEASON PCT HIKERS

Between the closures and further March storms forecast, the San Jacinto mountains are currently a major challenge for even experienced early season PCT hikers. That said, melting is happening fast, in part because we are still in Southern California and the March-April sun is potent. Melting has been accelerated by recent warm storms bringing rain on top of the snow, at all elevations, but especially below about 8000 ft, which includes most of the PCT in these mountains.

Hikers with March dates, if you have any flexibility at all in your timing, try to start later (easy for me to say I know). In a year with such dramatic snow conditions further north, it is highly unlikely that starting later than your “official” date will be a problem anywhere. Hikers with April or May dates, conditions in the southernmost sections continue to improve daily, and some or most areas will be passable with suitable skills, equipment, patience, and a thorough knowledge of all the possible alternates if needed.

Fobes Ranch Road (the side access to the PCT from about Mile 165) is clear of snow. The associated Fobes Trail is clearing rapidly. Snow depth has decreased 80-90% in the past week at PCT Mile 151 where the trail crosses Highway 74 (now averaging a patchy few inches with large bare sections). Given the continuing warming trend (and more warm rain) in the next week, by the time the Forest closure is expected to lift on 16th March the PCT will be readily passable from Mile 151-165 (spikes very strongly recommended). Proceeding north from Mile 165 is not currently recommended, as it will require crampons, ice axe, and the necessary snow hiking experience to use that equipment safely in high angle terrain, plus considerable patience, stamina, and route-finding skills.

It is possible (once the Forest closure is lifted) to connect back to the PCT at about Mile 191 using the well-known Black Mountain Road alternate. I will update conditions for all routes and alternates as time and weather permits.

WEATHER

Conditions are forecast to remain unsettled, but relatively warm, for the next ten days. Another mild Pacific storm is expected on the afternoon of Tuesday 14th, with a freeze level above 9000 ft, continuing into Wednesday 15th. Similar to the last one, this storm is predicted to bring up to two inches of rain to mid elevations, but 6-10 inches of snow are forecast for the highest elevations.

There is much less clarity regarding one or two possible storm systems tentatively predicted in the period 19th-23rd March. One or both may be colder than recent March storms, with light snow possibly as low as 7000 ft, while forecasts for snow at the highest elevations have varied widely from 3-18 inches. Most days in that period will at least be windy and cloudy in the high country.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Monday 13th March 2023 at 0945 the air temperature was 22.5°F (-5°C), with a windchill temperature of -0.7°F (-18°C), 14% relative humidity, and a wild WNW wind sustained at 24 mph gusting to 38.6 mph.

At the Peak on Thursday 9th March 2023 at 0925 the air temperature was 30.4°F (-1°C), with a windchill temperature of 15.9°F (-9°C), 52% relative humidity, and a fresh WSW wind sustained at 13 mph gusting to 18.1 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 6000 ft are largely snow-covered (wholly snow-covered above about 7000 ft). This will change steadily with melting (and further rainfall) over the next few days and weeks.

Devil’s Slide Trail has a lightly-traveled snowshoe track up to Saddle Junction. It can be firm in cold early mornings (ideal for spikes) but is soft and sloppy at all times currently, and always by late morning (snowshoes required, or expect very deep postholing). Some short bare patches are already showing below 6800 ft. The track does not follow the established trail route in the uppermost switchbacks close to Saddle Junction, and very careful navigation is required. Another major new tree came down (between switchbacks 5 and 6) on about 11th March, reported to USFS.

My snowshoe track continues on to San Jacinto Peak, via a route broadly approximating to the PCT, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails, climbing more steeply in places than the established trails, and generally contouring through the snow as needed to minimize unnecessary elevation loss. Snow forecast over the next week or so may combine with strong winds to obscure parts of this track, especially above about 10,000 ft elevation.

The Ernie Maxwell Trail has a lightly traveled snowshoe and posthole track to follow along its entire length. Early morning the snow can be firm and relatively easy to hike depending on air temperature, but it is otherwise soft with deep postholing. The majority of this trail is not on Forest Service land.

In addition to the wider closure mentioned above, 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”. (For readers who are unclear, Skyline Trail forms the lower two-thirds of the “Cactus-to-Clouds” [C2C] route.) The State Park boundary is not marked but is near the site of the old Florian’s Cache, below Flat Rock. The open section of trail below 5800 ft received some light snow cover down to about 4500 ft over the past week, but this has already melted.

SNOW DEPTHS

Measured on Monday 13th March (unless otherwise stated). The first number is the current snow depth, with the maximum depth recorded this winter, measured on or around 3rd March, given in parentheses. Note that averages are given; due to strong winds accompanying all storms this winter there is widespread drifting. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 68-70 inches (80-85 inches)

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 60 inches (70-75 inches)

Annie’s Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 58-60 inches (75-80 inches, heavily drifted here)

Long Valley (8600 ft): 40 inches (55-60 inches)

Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 32-36 inches (48-50 inches)

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 3-15 inches (46 inches)

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 6-15 inches (45-46 inches)

PCT Mile 151 at crossing with Highway 74 (4800 ft): 0-4 inches (13 inches)

While many hundreds of hours of time and labor are volunteered annually, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover modest operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and clearly 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

UPDATE Saturday 11th March: It started raining yesterday morning at about 0700 at mid elevations, with a mixture of rain and light sleet in Long Valley (8600 ft) from about 1100. Rainfall in Idyllwild totaled an impressive 2.36 inches (measured at 5550 ft), finally stopping at 0930. Snow level in the high country is estimated to be at about 9500 ft, with none falling in Long Valley and only a couple of inches expected around the highest peaks.

UPDATE Thursday 9th March: I snowshoed this morning to San Jacinto Peak via Devil’s Slide Trail and the eastern side route. With freeze/thaw cycles, Devil’s Slide was firm early morning, and I ascended to Saddle Junction just in spikes. I then used snowshoes from there to the Peak, and all the way back down. My track from last week had held up well, and my ascent was consequently nearly two hours faster. By late morning the snow was getting soft and sloppy, and postholing would have been brutal. Snow melt/compaction has been rapid and substantial in just a week, 6-12 inches at all high country locations I measured (and even more in Idyllwild). Snow conditions are generally benign, excellent for snowshoeing, there is no avalanche risk (now even on the north face), and the continued State Park closure seems insupportable.

UPDATE Wednesday 8th March: Light but steady rain is now forecast at mid elevations for at least 10th-11th and 14th-15th March, with about one inch inch expected at mid elevations during the first of these storms, and roughly half that amount during the second storm. Combined with mild temperatures, the rain on snow will further increase melting, and make for very sloppy snow conditions. The high country may be above the cloud for some of the storm days, but light snow is tentatively forecast at higher elevations, especially on 14th-15th.

UPDATE Monday 6th March: Idyllwild had a very light dusting of snow (0.1 inch) early this morning, and it was drizzling in Garner Valley. Fobes Ranch Road (the side access to the PCT from about Mile 165) is clear of snow. Snow depth has more than halved in the past few days at PCT Mile 151 where the trail crosses Highway 74 (now averaging 4-6 inches with some bare patches, photo below). Given the strong warming trend in the next week, by the time the Forest closure is expected to lift on 16th March the PCT will be readily passable from Mile 151-165 (spikes strongly recommended). Proceeding north from Mile 165 is not currently recommended, as it will require crampons, ice axe, and the necessary snow hiking experience to use that equipment safely in high angle terrain, plus considerable patience, stamina, and route-finding skills.

————————

Well that was fun! Five snow storms impacted the San Jacinto mountains in a nine day period, ending 1st March. All the storms were somewhat different from one another in terms of quantity of snowfall, associated temperatures and winds, and lowest snow elevation. Strawberry Valley (where Idyllwild is located) was hit hardest relative to its elevation, with heavy snow there even at times that the high country was above the cloud, as reflected in the snow totals below.

I won’t repeat all the details as these storms were largely summarized in a daily updated blog format maintained over the past week or so (available here). Their combined impact was dramatic, including just over a foot of snow throughout Garner Valley (4300-4800 ft), nearly four feet of snow in Idyllwild (the annual average for town is 31 inches), and 2.5-4 feet of snow in the high country, depending on elevation.

The snowfall in Idyllwild this winter has already been the most recorded for 59 years, as discussed in a summary of National Weather Service statistics that I posted on 2nd March (linked here). With another 5-6 inches, we could experience the most snow to fall in Idyllwild in one winter since the 1940s.

Regrettably one consequence of this impressive snowfall is closure of both the National Forest lands and State Park wilderness in recent days. The latter is particularly unfortunate as conditions are actually more benign now than they were 2-6 weeks ago, when high country slopes were extremely icy and required more specialist equipment and skills.

San Bernardino National Forest, including the San Jacinto Ranger District, is closed until at least 16th March 2023. See their closure notice here for more details. The State Park wilderness closed on 1st March (see State Park website). It is clear that these closures will dramatically and negatively impact early season PCT hikers.

On Friday 3rd March I ascended and descended San Jacinto Peak via the east side (roughly the Devil’s Slide, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trail routes), breaking trail snowshoeing the entire way from Humber Park. I recorded a lengthy video discussing the general snow and closure situation while at the Peak (available here) plus a brief panorama video from the Peak itself (available here).

Currently trails above about 5500 ft (lower in places) are largely obscured by moderate to deep snow. Trails down to 4000 ft elevation currently have shallower snow cover. Very cautious navigation is essential everywhere.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular track or trail. For example a well-compacted snowshoe track across snow several feet deep may be much easier hiking than an angled icy section just a few inches deep.

Conditions are currently ideal for snowshoes everywhere (that is open) above about 4500 ft. This elevation will climb steadily over the next few days as temperatures rise and melting accelerates.

Crampons – with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain – may become increasingly useful everywhere above about 6500 ft, as freeze/thaw cycles lead to hardening of the snow surfaces. They will likely become essential 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.

Currently, and increasingly as snow conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 4000 ft. They are currently invaluable even for walking around Idyllwild early in the morning! This elevation will slowly move upwards with steady melting over the next few days and weeks, but will remain relatively low for weeks at least.

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. While fresh snow may be optimum for snowshoeing for the next several weeks, snow at all elevations will become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places (once trails reopen), and I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. These concerns will steadily increase over the next few weeks with temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing, seasonally stronger insolation, and highly variable snowmelt.

Hikers should be prepared for temperatures below freezing in the high country (once generally accessible), and well below freezing when considering wind chill effects.

The USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. 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). If there are “Road Closed” signs across Fern Valley Road near its junction with Forest Drive – currently the case due to the forest-wide closure – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

Based on my assessment on 3rd March, there is currently no significant avalanche risk (other than on the north face of San Jacinto Peak, which, contrary to recent erroneous information in local media, avalanches regularly every year, even in low snow years). Snow layers evidently consolidated rapidly, and the situation will only improve further with melting and freeze/thaw cycles. I found none of the pre-avalanche characteristics that I last observed on the exposed easterly slopes above 10,000 ft in early 2017 (in shallower but more dangerously layered snow).

WEATHER

After the meteorological excitement of the past two months, even a few days of relatively sunny, dry weather seem notable. A steady warming trend will lead to temperatures above seasonal (remember those?) from Friday 10th March onwards, rapidly accelerating snowmelt. Many of the next ten days will be at least partly cloudy. Temperatures in the high country will remain at or below freezing for another few days, before moving just above freezing starting Thursday 9th.

Light but steady rain is now forecast at mid elevations for at least 10th-11th and 14th-15th March, with about 1.0 inch expected at mid elevations during the first of these storms, and roughly half that amount during the second storm. Combined with mild temperatures, the rain on snow will further increase melting, and make for very sloppy snow conditions. The high country may be above the cloud for some of the storm days, but light snow is tentatively forecast at higher elevations, especially on 14th-15th.

The latest NWS San Diego video forecast (available here) provides an excellent summary of what happened meteorologically throughout the California mountains in late February, plus an overview of the weather coming to Southern California in March.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Friday 3rd March 2023 at 1155 the air temperature was 27.9°F (-2°C), with a windchill temperature of 10.1°F (-12°C), 18% relative humidity, and a frigid NW wind sustained at 14 mph gusting to 25 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 4000 ft are largely snow-covered (wholly snow-covered above about 5000 ft). This will change steadily with melting over the next few days and weeks.

Devil’s Slide Trail [updated 9th March] has a lightly-traveled snowshoe and posthole track up to Saddle Junction. It is firm in cold early mornings (ideal for spikes) but soft and sloppy by late morning (snowshoes required, or expect deep postholing). The track does not follow the established trail route in the uppermost switchbacks close to Saddle Junction, and very careful navigation is required.

My snowshoe track continues on to San Jacinto Peak, via a route roughly approximating to the PCT, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails, climbing more steeply in places than the established trails, and generally contouring through the snow as needed to minimize unnecessary elevation loss. Dustings of snow forecast over the next week or so may combine with strong winds to obscure parts of this track.

The Ernie Maxwell Trail [updated 8th March] has a very lightly traveled snowshoe and posthole track to follow along its entire length. Early morning the snow is firm and relatively easy to hike, but it will be soft with deep postholing by late morning. The majority of this trail is not on Forest Service land.

In addition to the wider closure mentioned above, 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”. (For readers who are unclear, Skyline Trail forms the lower two-thirds of the “Cactus-to-Clouds” [C2C] route.) The State Park boundary is not marked but is near the site of the old Florian’s Cache, below Flat Rock. The open section of trail below 5800 ft received some light snow cover down to about 4500 ft over the past week, but this has already melted.

SNOW DEPTHS

Measured on Friday 3rd March (unless otherwise stated). The first number is the current total snow depth, with the fresh snowfall in the multi-storm event from 21st February to 1st March given in parentheses. Note that averages are given; due to strong winds accompanying all storms this winter there is widespread drifting. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 80-85 inches (40-45 inches)

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 70-75 inches (30-35 inches)

Annie’s Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 75-80 inches (30-35 inches), heavily drifted here

Long Valley (8600 ft): 55-60 inches (35-38 inches)

Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 48-50 inches (28-30 inches)

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 46 inches on 2nd March (44-46 inches) melting rapidly by 3rd

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 45-46 inches on 2nd March (45-46 inches) melting rapidly by 3rd

PCT Mile 151 at crossing with Highway 74 (4800 ft): 13 inches, measured on 27th February

While many hundreds of hours of time and labor are volunteered annually, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover modest operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and clearly 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

San Bernardino National Forest – including the San Jacinto Ranger District – is closed until at least 16 March 2023. See closure notice link below for more details. Special thanks to Florian Boyd, great friend of the Trail Report, for bringing this to my attention (via text when I was snowshoeing at 9000 ft elevation on the PCT early this morning!).

Click to access fseprd1092464.pdf

The State Park wilderness was also closed a couple of days ago (see earlier Trail Report or State Park website). It is clear, based on information on the PCTA website closures page (linked here), that these closures will dramatically and negatively impact early season PCT hikers.

In related (but frankly much more positive) news, today I had a long but spectacular day snowshoeing to San Jacinto Peak. I hope to provide a more thorough Report tomorrow. In the meantime, a lengthy video discussion of the current situation recorded at the Peak is available here, and a brief panorama video from the Peak proper is available here.

I put together this table from a spreadsheet I maintain of publicly available National Weather Service meteorological data. Data are provisional and require verification. Nevertheless, the snowfall so far in winter 2022/23 in Idyllwild would place it seventh in recorded history (reliable data collection started in 1943). Perhaps more significantly, we have received the most snow in a winter since 1963/64, a span of 59 years. So rather than being a “once-in-a-generation” event, this may prove to be a once-in-a-lifetime event for most Idyllwild residents. The table also shows that with another few inches, this could be the biggest snow season since the 1940s!

Although our perceptions may have been skewed by some extremely dry winters in the past decade, major snowfalls are not as rare as many current residents might think. This is the third time this century that Idyllwild has surpassed 60 inches of snow in a winter (62.8 inches in 2000/01, and 62.4 inches in 2010/11), so 60+ inch winters might be considered to occur roughly once every decade.

Major snowfall months have also occurred recently, in winters that did not otherwise end up with exceptional annual totals. February 2011 recorded 45.5 inches, and there were 45.5 inches in March 2006. By comparison, approximately 42 inches were recorded in February 2023 (provisional data). Of course, this February was notable in that roughly 80% of the total fell all in the last week of the month, with no respite for significant melting.

These data only reflect snowfall measurements, and do not incorporate rainfall totals. Broadly speaking it is clear that snowfall has become much more variable in the past decade, ranging from extremely dry (<10 inches) to, obviously, very snowy.

Note that data for the high country are dramatically different from those for Idyllwild, and generally sadly lacking, other than meteorological records for Long Valley (8600 ft elevation) since the 1960s. For example, although Long Valley currently has about 5 feet of snow, publicly available records for the 1970s show that Long Valley averaged 119 inches (almost 10 feet!) per winter back then.

The top ten snowfall totals by winter for Idyllwild are as follows:

108.1 inches  1948/49

107.5 inches  1943/44

77.1 inches  1952/53

76.1 inches  1963/64

74.9 inches  1961/62

72.7 inches  1951/52

71.8 inches  2022/23 (to date)

69.4 inches  1981/82

65.5 inches  1957/58

63.3 inches  1954/55

While many hundreds of hours of time and labor are volunteered annually, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover modest operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and clearly 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

The 20th storm of winter 2022/23, the second of two storms across three days, is currently impacting the San Jacinto mountains. Please check this page for periodic updates (the most recent is at the top). A significant triple storm system had a major impact on 21st-26th February, and those updates are posted below also.

UPDATE on Wednesday 1st March at 1930

A remarkable further 9.5 inches of snow fell in Idyllwild today, bringing the storm total to 19.5 inches, before largely stopping and the cloud cover partly clearing out near dusk. Highways into Idyllwild were closed today and may well be for some or all of tomorrow. Sadly weight of snow has caused the roof of one shop in town to collapse, and I saw one collapsed car port (with cars inside) under the dramatic volume of snow.

The snowfall of this 20th storm of the winter brings the seasonal total here to 71.8 inches of snow, which is 233% of the average water year snowfall for Idyllwild. About 46 inches have fallen in the past eight days.

The State Park has closed the wilderness due to the weather conditions, as described on their website here. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway/Long Valley remain open. Ironically the closure is due to “unprecedented snow fall”, although such snow fall was average prior to this century, and would have even been below average in the 1970s.

UPDATE on Wednesday 1st March at 0950

Storm number 20, and the last of a stunning first two months of 2023, produced another major snowfall with 10 inches overnight in Idyllwild, and it is still snowing heavily. When Anabel and I waded out for a modest walk, the snowplows seemed to be struggling to keep up on the streets, but we know they will catch up in due course. Forecasts suggest it may stop snowing in the next few hours. Long Valley (8600 ft) looks to have added about 12 inches since last night.

UPDATE on Tuesday 28th February at 1930

Today qualified as a day off from the incessant storms, although even then we managed a minor storm in Strawberry Valley (where Idyllwild is located), with two inches of fresh snowfall overnight and into the morning. The high country remained above the cloud for this one, with no fresh snowfall above about 8000 ft.

Largely a day for digging out again, and getting prepared for the next major snowfall, due tonight. Forecasts are inconsistent regarding the amount of snowfall in this next storm, but those that I trust suggest 12+ inches in Idyllwild over the next 24 hours, with 1-2 feet in the high country.

UPDATE on Monday 27th at 1910

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. She was driving on Interstate 10 (and had to concentrate on the road!) but her friend Joyce Schwartz took some short videos from which this still image is taken.

The latest Trail Report (linked here) mentions the increasing avalanche risk with recent heavy wind-loaded snowfall on top of the icy pre-existing snow, and how avalanches occur every winter on the north face (contrary to erroneous information in recent local media stories). Conditions are currently excellent for avalanches on specific terrain in the San Jacinto high country, as proven below.

UPDATE on Monday 27th at 1140

We surveyed the PCT where it crosses Highway 74 (approx. PCT Mile 151) this morning, and recorded a short video available here on YouTube. This is the flattest portion of the PCT in the San Jacinto mountains, and snow depth currently averages about 13 inches. 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.

Yesterday afternoon we checked Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park, and measured an average snow depth of 26 inches. Snowshoes are very strongly recommended for any trails in, or leading to, the high country.

Further light snow is expected starting this evening, followed by much heavier snow overnight on 28th February-1st March.

UPDATE on Sunday 26th at 1220

An additional 5.5 inches of snow fell in Idyllwild overnight, rather more than forecast, meaning we had to dig out yet again this morning. It finally stopped snowing at about 0700, and some blue sky has resulted in spectacular vistas.

By my measurements, Idyllwild is up to 51 inches of snow to date for this winter, compared to the average for the thirty year period 1991-2020 of 31 inches. Bear in mind that half the winter total, 26 inches, have fallen in the past five days!

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. Every year seems to have its challenges and it is clear already that 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

UPDATE on Saturday 25th at 1920

Steady heavy snow started in Idyllwild at about 0830 but stopped at about 1400. Very fine snow fell briefly this evening. An additional six inches of accumulation today brings the total in Idyllwild since 21st February to 20.5 inches. Forecasts suggest a further 2-3 inches are possible tonight.

It warmed last night to just above freezing below 6000 ft, with a mixture of rain and sleet falling on top of the prior snow, turning it increasingly to wet slush at mid elevations (we measured about 0.25 inch rain in Idyllwild). Long Valley added about 4-6 inches of snow overnight, and a little less than that during the day today.

UPDATE on Friday 24th at 1715

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. Accumulation so far of about 0.5 inch in Idyllwild, and one inch at Long Valley.

Note that the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway has announced they will be closed tomorrow, Saturday 25th, due to “extreme weather”. See their announcement here. Many thanks to Florian Boyd for bringing this to my attention.

UPDATE on Friday 24th at 1210

I measured 15 inches of snow during a check of Devil’s Slide trailhead (6520 ft) at Humber Park this morning. I recorded a short video discussion there (available here on YouTube) which gives a feel for current conditions.

Snowshoes are recommended everywhere with snow above 4000 ft, potentially lower in places, and spikes are invaluable anywhere that has been cleared or compacted. I hope to provide more information on the high country situation on Sunday 26th, depending on conditions/weather.

UPDATE on Friday 24th at 0500

The story so far….. A minor storm on the night of Tuesday 21st (sixteenth storm of the winter) produced little snow – just an inch in Idyllwild – but severe cold and severe winds, erasing all tracks with wild drifting. 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).

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.

UPDATE Thursday 23rd: Idyllwild woke up to about four inches of fresh snow overnight, and it snowed fairly consistently today (averaging 0.75 inch/hour), adding six more inches by late afternoon. 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. Florian Boyd kindly reported this morning that snow has dusted down to 4500 ft on the lower (open) section of Skyline Trail.

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. 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. Long Valley (8600 ft) has added about two inches, where it continues to snow gently this morning. The next, much more substantial, wave of snow arrives later this afternoon.

———————————————-

The primary purpose of this update is an advisory of imminent major snow accumulation forecast due to a triple storm sequence. A minor storm on the night of Tuesday 21st will include severe cold and severe winds, followed by milder, moderate storm on 22nd-23rd, and then an unusual atmospheric river combined with very cold air again producing heavy snowfall for 23rd-25th February. A fourth and final minor system is expected on 28th February-1st March. Consequently the trail conditions and snow depths reported herein will change dramatically over the next few days. Forecasts are currently indicating about 30-40 inches of snow for the highest peaks of the San Jacinto mountains (>10,000 ft) between 21st and 25th February, and about 18-30 inches for Idyllwild (5000-6000 ft elevations). 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.

For those interested in a detailed statewide discussion of this dramatic weather event, I recommend reading the excellent analysis on Weather West (linked here). Most notable for our region is the remaining uncertainty within the meteorological models, which could result in us receiving half (or double!) the snowfall predicted in some forecasts.

On multiple recent ascents of San Jacinto Peak I have generally ascended and descended via the east side (Devil’s Slide, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge routes). I have typically postholed barebooting to 8900-9200 ft before putting on crampons. Alternatively snowshoes could have been used, depending on personal preference and time of day. I have kept crampons on for most of the descent, removing them most of the way down Devil’s Slide Trail.

The fourteenth and fifteenth storm systems of winter 2022/23 impacted the San Jacinto mountains back-to-back on 13th and 14th February, as discussed in the previous Report available here.

Currently trails above about 7500 ft (lower in places) are largely obscured by moderate to deep snow. Trails down to 5000 ft elevation currently have patchy shallow snow cover. Very cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular track or trail. Obviously these depths are expected to change dramatically over the next few days.

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. Snowshoes can be used for ascending the highest peaks, but with considerable caution. They are not currently recommended for traversing moderate or higher angle slopes above 9000 ft that have challenging ice underlying powder. However, snowshoes will become increasingly useful as snow depths increase over the coming days; they may initially be useful as low as 4000 ft, steadily rising to 5000-6000 ft next week.

As mentioned above, crampons – with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain – are currently very useful everywhere above about 9000 ft. 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.

Currently, and increasingly as snow conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 6000 ft, lower in places. They are now invaluable on heavily traveled, compacted, icy tracks (before they clear of snow in the coming weeks) such as Devil’s Slide, Ernie Maxwell, and Deer Springs trails, at least, especially mornings when conditions tend to be most icy, and for descending. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches, and on the quality of your footwear (tread grip, in particular). Spikes could potentially be used to ascend to the highest peaks at this time, although crampons are certainly safer for traversing. This will change later this week.

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. While fresh snow may be optimum for snowshoeing for the next couple of weeks, snow at all elevations will become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places, and I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. These concerns may steadily increase over the next few weeks with (eventually) temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing, seasonally stronger insolation, and highly variable snowmelt.

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). Storm systems forecast for 21st-24th and 28th February are all predicted to include severe windchill temperatures near or below -20°F (-29°C).

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). However avalanche risk may become significant over the next week if we receive a major wind-loaded snowfall on top of the deep, hardened base of snow currently in place. 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).

The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. 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). If there are “Road Closed” signs across Fern Valley Road at its junction with Forest Drive – likely the case at least on weekends and holidays when significant snow is present – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

South Ridge Road (5S11), Dark Canyon Road (4S02, the access to Seven Pines Trail), and Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) are currently closed to vehicle traffic, as is Black Mountain Road at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243.

WEATHER

As mentioned above, the focus is on heavy snowfall expected over the next 5-6 days (and potentially again on 28th February-1st March). 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.

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. 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). Freeze levels will be well below 3000 ft at times, and for example Garner Valley (4300-4800 ft) could receive as much as 6-12 inches of snow this week. Additional moderate snowfall is tentatively forecast for 28th February-1st March.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Sunday 19th February 2023 at 1015 the air temperature was 19.6°F (-7°C), with a windchill temperature of 4.1°F (-16°C), 44% relative humidity, and a moderate SSE wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 14 mph.

At the Peak on Wednesday 15th February 2023 at 1030 the air temperature was 4.9°F (-15°C), with a windchill temperature of -26.3°F (-32°C), 65% relative humidity, and a bitter due North wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 27.7 mph.

At the on Monday 13th February 2023 at 1010 the air temperature was 16.8°F (-10°C), with a windchill temperature of -1.3°F (-19°C), 95% relative humidity, and a wintry NNW wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 13.2 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 5500 ft are largely snow-covered (wholly snow-covered above about 7000 ft). Note that tracks are being obscured very quickly by drifting of snow from strong winds, sometimes in hours or even minutes (see photo below). A light snowfall on the evening of Tuesday 21st will be accompanied by very strong winds, and is expected to largely or completely eliminate all tracks above about 7000 ft.

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”. (For readers who are unclear, Skyline Trail forms the lower two-thirds of the “Cactus-to-Clouds” [C2C] route.) The State Park boundary is not marked but is near the site of the old Florian’s Cache, below Flat Rock. The open section of trail below 5800 ft is clear of snow.

Ernie Maxwell Trail has a well traveled track to follow along its entire length, through the increasingly patchy icy snow. Average snow cover is 40%, but is nearly continuous near Humber Park. Spikes are recommended especially in the morning as the snow is now hard, compacted and very icy in places. 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. All have been reported to US Forest Service.

Devil’s Slide Trail has a moderately traveled track to Saddle Junction. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail.

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.

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. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and thorough knowledge of how to use this equipment, are essential. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

Deer Springs Trail has a posthole track to follow along its entire length. 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. Above Little Round Valley in particular my track down from the Peak is very direct, steep, and would be a challenging ascent.

Marion Mountain Trail has a lightly-traveled posthole track to follow, that does not follow the trail route in places.

Spitler Peak Trail had 10 new treefall hazards, almost all in the upper switchbacks. Only five of these require cutting, and I was able to remove three by hand earlier in February.

SNOW DEPTHS measured on 19th-20th February (east and south side locations) and 15th February 2023 (west side) are as follows. The number given is the current average total snow depth. 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). Note that averages are given; due to strong winds and considerable powder there is extreme drifting. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 37-42 inches, drifted >50 inches especially on east flank

Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 42-46 inches, heavily drifted

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 40 inches

Seven Pines Trail junction with Deer Springs Trail (8700 ft): 35 inches

Annie’s Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 44 inches

Long Valley (8600 ft): 22 inches

Strawberry Junction (8100 ft): 15 inches

Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 21 inches

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 0-2 inches

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0-1 inch

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and it is already clear that 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

The fourteenth and fifteenth storm systems of winter 2022/23, both of them minor but having a significant effect in combination, impacted the San Jacinto mountains back-to-back on 13th and 14th February. Both storms were relatively cold, the second in particular dusting snow below 3500 ft elevation. Their arrival followed a period of several days of temperatures well above seasonal the previous week which had produced some significant melting. 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.

Both storms produced more snow than was generally forecast. On 13th, Idyllwild received 2.75 inches, and I measured five inches at San Jacinto Peak, with 3-4 inches at locations in between. I recorded a short video at the Peak late morning on the 13th, available here on YouTube. 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. 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.

Temperatures on the morning of 15th were the lowest of this winter, and among the lowest of the past decade. At home at 5550 ft in Idyllwild we recorded 10.9°F (-12°C), the lowest temperature we have recorded there in nine winters. Later that morning at San Jacinto Peak, I measured a windchill temperature of -26.3°F (-32°C), the fourth lowest temperature I have ever recorded there.

Two ascents of San Jacinto Peak in three days had challenging snow and weather, but both were hugely enjoyable. On the morning of Wednesday 15th February I ascended via the east side (Devil’s Slide, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge routes), descending the western side via – roughly – Deer Springs Trail. With the light fresh powder the previous evening, accompanied by very strong winds causing extensive drifting, prior tracks, including my own from 13th, had been totally erased everywhere so I was again breaking trail the entire way. Even Devil’s Slide Trail was largely obscured in deep drifted powder (photo below).

I postholed barebooting to 8900 ft before putting on crampons. Alternatively snowshoes could have been used for much of the hike. 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.

On Monday 13th I also postholed the entire hike, as I was able to ascend barebooting to about 9200 ft before putting on crampons. I kept those on for the rest of the ascent, and almost all of the descent, finally removing them most of the way down Devil’s Slide Trail. 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. 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. The cloud largely dissipated on my descent, affording some spectacular vistas.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular track or trail.

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. Trails down to 4000 ft elevation currently have shallow snow cover. Extremely cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere.

As described above, crampons – with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain – are currently very useful everywhere above about 9000 ft. 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.

Currently, and increasingly as snow conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 7000 ft, lower in places. They are now invaluable on heavily traveled, compacted, icy tracks (before they clear of snow in the coming weeks) such as Devil’s Slide, Ernie Maxwell, and Deer Springs trails, at least, especially mornings when conditions tend to be most icy, and for descending. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches, and on the quality of your footwear (tread grip, in particular). Spikes could potentially be used to ascend to the highest peaks at this time, although crampons are certainly safer for traversing.

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. Snowshoes can be used for ascending the highest peaks, but with considerable caution. They are not currently recommended for traversing moderate or higher angle slopes above 9000 ft that have challenging ice underlying powder. 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. Snowshoes will remain valuable anywhere off trail above about 8000 ft for the foreseeable future.

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. Snow at all elevations will become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places, and I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. These concerns may steadily increase over the next few weeks with rising then falling temperatures, seasonally stronger insolation, and highly variable snowmelt.

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). A storm currently predicted for Wednesday 22nd February is tentatively forecast to have near record low (i.e. potentially dangerous) windchill temperatures.

The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. 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).

Azalea Drive, the access road to Marion Mountain trailhead, has not been fully plowed (surveyed Tuesday 14th). While the shallow icy snow should melt steadily over the next few days, 4WD/AWD vehicles are recommended.

South Ridge Road (5S11), Dark Canyon Road (4S02, the access to Seven Pines Trail), and Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) are currently closed to vehicle traffic, as is Black Mountain Road at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243.

WEATHER

The remainder of February is currently forecast to continue the cold temperatures of recent days, generally at or below seasonal at all mountain elevations, and to be increasingly unsettled. 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.

While snowfall accompanying the first of those storms may be light, perhaps 2-4 inches in Idyllwild and 4-6 inches in the high country, strong winds at the highest peaks are tentatively forecast to produce extremely cold windchill conditions, similar to 15th February (see below). 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.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Wednesday 15th February 2023 at 1030 the air temperature was 4.9°F (-15°C), with a windchill temperature of -26.3°F (-32°C), 65% relative humidity, and a bitter due North wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 27.7 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 13th February 2023 at 1010 the air temperature was 16.8°F (-10°C), with a windchill temperature of -1.3°F (-19°C), 95% relative humidity, and a wintry NNW wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 13.2 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 6th February 2023 at 0930 the air temperature was 11.1°F (-12°C), with a windchill temperature of -11.0°F (-24°C), 59% relative humidity, and a frigid NNW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 20.2 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 4500 ft are snow-covered. By the afternoon of 15th, melting was already underway below 7000 ft. Reliable tracks are currently only known to be my posthole tracks from 15th for Devil’s Slide Trail through to San Jacinto Peak via the Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails, and then descending Deer Springs Trail.

Note that tracks are being obscured very quickly by drifting of snow from strong winds, sometimes in hours or even minutes (see photo below).

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”. (For readers who are unclear, Skyline Trail forms the lower two-thirds of the “Cactus-to-Clouds” [C2C] route.) The State Park boundary is not marked but is near the site of the old Florian’s Cache, below Flat Rock. The open section of trail below 5800 ft is clear of snow.

Devil’s Slide Trail has a very lightly traveled track to Saddle Junction in place. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail.

Deer Springs Trail has an excellent posthole track to follow along its entire length. This western side of the mountain was better protected from winds and drifting snow, and this track should largely survive until the weekend. My track 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. Above Little Round Valley in particular my track down from the Peak is very direct, steep, and would be a challenging ascent.

There were no visible hiker tracks on Marion Mountain, Seven Pines, or Fuller Ridge trails, as of 15th February.

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. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and thorough knowledge of how to use this equipment, are essential. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

Spitler Peak Trail had 10 new treefall hazards, almost all in the upper switchbacks. Only five of these require cutting, and I was able to remove three by hand earlier in February.

SNOW DEPTHS measured on 15th February 2023 are as follows. The first number is the current average total snow depth at that location followed in parentheses where known by the combined fresh snowfall from the two minor storms on 13th-14th February. 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). Note that averages are given; due to strong winds and light powder there is extreme drifting. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 39-44 inches (new snow 8 inches)

Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 44-48 inches, heavily drifted

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 42 inches (6 inches)

Seven Pines Trail junction with Deer Springs Trail (8700 ft): 35 inches (6 inches)

Annie’s Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 46 inches (5 inches)

Long Valley (8600 ft): 22 inches (4 inches)

Strawberry Junction (8100 ft): 16 inches (5 inches)

Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 22 inches (6 inches)

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 3-6 inches (6 inches, partly melted by afternoon of 15th)

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 2 inches (5 inches, largely melted by afternoon of 15th)

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and it is already clear that 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

UPDATE Monday 13th February: the first of two consecutive minor storms came through this morning, and produced more snow than was generally forecast. Idyllwild received 2.75 inches, and I measured five inches at San Jacinto Peak on my hike through the storm this morning, with 3-4 inches at locations in between. I recorded a short video at the Peak, available here on YouTube. With another storm imminent tomorrow, I do not plan a thorough update until Wednesday 15th.

UPDATE Sunday 12th February: back-to-back minor snow storms are forecast for this evening and all day Tuesday 14th. 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. Consequently the next comprehensive Report update will probably be published on Wednesday 15th February.

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Following the twelfth storm system of this winter on 29th-30th January, temperatures have largely swung to well above seasonal, with melting underway at all elevations, but especially below 8000 ft. 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.

On the morning of Monday 6th February I ascended San Jacinto Peak for the fifth time in the past two weeks, this time via the east side (Devil’s Slide, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails), descending the same way. With the light dusting of fresh powder overnight, accompanied by strong winds causing extensive drifting, prior tracks had been partially obscured everywhere and almost completely erased above 8900 ft so I was again breaking trail in the high country. 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. Although I made a concerted effort to put in a track as faithful to the trail routes as conditions permitted, further strong winds and blowing powder in the high country were erasing tracks within hours or even minutes.

As last week, I was able to ascend barebooting to about 9200 ft before putting on crampons. I kept those on for the rest of the ascent, and almost all of the descent, finally removing them most of the way down Devil’s Slide Trail. There are layers of hard ice and firm icy snow beneath the fresh powder, and crampons are ideal at present everywhere above 9000 ft, potentially lower in places.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular track or trail.

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. Strong winds expected on 11th-12th, and again on 14th, will likely obscure many tracks. Cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere.

As described above, crampons – with hiking poles and an ice axe, depending on terrain – are currently ideal everywhere above about 9500 ft. 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.

Currently, and increasingly as snow conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 7000 ft, lower in places. They are now invaluable on heavily traveled, compacted, icy tracks (before they clear of snow in the coming weeks) such as Devil’s Slide, Ernie Maxwell, and Deer Springs trails, at least, especially mornings when conditions tend to be most icy, and for descending. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches, and on the quality of your footwear (tread grip, in particular). Spikes could potentially be used to ascend to the highest peaks at this time, although crampons are certainly safer for traversing (e.g., see photo below).

Snowshoes are useful in lower 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. They are not currently recommended for traversing moderate angle slopes above 9000 ft that have challenging ice underlying shallow powder. 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. Snowshoes will remain valuable anywhere off trail above about 8000 ft for the foreseeable future.

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. Snow at all elevations will become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places, and I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. These concerns may steadily increase over the next few weeks with rising then falling temperatures, seasonally stronger insolation, and highly variable snowmelt.

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).

The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. 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). 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.

South Ridge Road (5S11), Dark Canyon Road (4S02, the access to Seven Pines Trail), and Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) are currently closed to vehicle traffic, as is Black Mountain Road at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243.

WEATHER

February has been more settled than the very eventful January, but temperatures remain on something of a rollercoaster ride. Temperatures have been largely above seasonal in the first week of the month, then following a brief cold spell another period of temperatures well above seasonal is forecast for 8th-10th. Thereafter a cooling trend will take temperatures well below seasonal again including the possibility of minor precipitation on 11th-15th February. Forecast precipitation is currently only a dusting of 1-2 inches of snow at upper elevations, but combined with strong winds this will be sufficient to complicate route-finding.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Monday 6th February 2023 at 0930 the air temperature was 11.1°F (-12°C), with a windchill temperature of -11.0°F (-24°C), 59% relative humidity, and a frigid NNW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 20.2 mph.

At the Peak on Wednesday 1st February 2023 at 0935 the air temperature was 16.6°F (-8°C), with a windchill temperature of -8.0°F (-22°C), 13% relative humidity, and a wild NNE wind sustained at 21 mph gusting to 35.2 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 30th January 2023 at 1110 the air temperature was 15.5°F (-9°C), with a windchill temperature of -0.4°F (-18°C), 98% relative humidity, and a light SSE wind sustained at 3 mph gusting to 8.4 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 6500 ft are currently snow-covered, and partially snow-covered above 5500 ft. 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 Devil’s Slide Trail, South Ridge and lower Deer Springs trails. Steady melting is expected with warming temperatures this week, especially at mid elevations and on sun-exposed slopes.

Note that tracks discussed can be obscured quickly by drifting of snow from strong winds, sometimes in days or even hours. Strong winds expected on 11th-12th February, and again on 14th, will likely obscure many tracks with spindrift.

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”. (For readers who are unclear, Skyline Trail forms the lower two-thirds of the “Cactus-to-Clouds” [C2C] route.) The State Park boundary is not marked but is near the site of the old Florian’s Cache, below Flat Rock. The open section of trail below 5800 ft is clear of snow.

Ernie Maxwell Trail has a well traveled track to follow along its entire length, through the increasingly patchy icy snow. Average snow cover is 60%, but is nearly continuous near Humber Park. Spikes are recommended especially in the morning as the snow is now hard, compacted and very icy in places. Three significant trees are now down across the trail, including two major hazards (one new in gale force winds on 26th January) that are not easy to hike around both roughly halfway along the trail. All have been reported to US Forest Service.

Devil’s Slide Trail has a traveled and largely compacted track to Saddle Junction in place already. The lower half of the trail in particular is very icy. Spikes are recommended at least for descending, and will become increasingly important with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail.

Otherwise, reliable posthole tracks are in place from Saddle Junctions through to San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, but parts will become obscured by drifting snow. From near Miller Peak I put in a track up the East Ridge, rather than continuing on the Peak Trail round to Summit Junction, but this track was being partially erased by spindrift within minutes.

South Ridge Trail [surveyed 10th Feb] is largely snow free until Old Lookout Flat at 7600 ft (c.15% snow cover). However the remaining snow patches are icy in the morning. Snow cover is continuous from there, with a posthole track to Tahquitz Peak. Spikes at least are required, but preferably crampons, both best used with an ice axe, specifically for the uppermost switchbacks, but traction is useful for descending much lower also. South Ridge Road remains closed now with only about 35% icy snow cover.

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. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and thorough knowledge of how to use this equipment, are essential. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

Tracks are in place around Skunk Cabbage Meadow, and south from Saddle Junction toward Chinquapin Flat.

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. However there was no sign of that route by 6th, due to drifting snow.

Spitler Peak Trail had 10 new treefall hazards, almost all in the upper switchbacks. Only five of these require cutting, and I was able to remove three by hand last week.

SNOW DEPTHS measured on 6th February 2023 are as follows. The first number is the current average total snow depth at that location followed in parentheses by the maximum depth where known so far this winter, generally immediately following the major storm sequence on 14th-17th January 2023. Note that averages are given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting. Altitudes are approximate.

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)

Annie’s 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)

Devil’s 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)

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and it is already clear that 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

The twelfth storm system of winter 2022/23 impacted the San Jacinto mountains with a minor snow storm on 29th-30th January. With a rapidly changing climate in the region in recent years, it has become increasingly common for there to be little or no difference in snow quantities at mid and higher elevations, often because the high country remains above the cloud, and this system was no exception.

Snow started in Idyllwild at about 1015 on Sunday 29th, ultimately accumulating about 3.5 inches (at 5550 ft) by the afternoon of 30th, while San Jacinto Peak (10,810 ft) added only two inches of powder. Locations in between, especially those on the western and southern slopes, added more with up to five inches at Saddle Junction (8100 ft). Long Valley at 8600 ft on the east slope received only about two inches of fresh snow.

On the mornings of both Wednesday 1st February and Monday 30th January I ascended San Jacinto Peak via the east side (Devil’s Slide, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails), descending the same way. 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. I made a concerted effort to put in a track as faithful to the trail routes as conditions permitted, both up and down. Further strong winds and blowing powder had eliminated much of these tracks again by Wednesday, and I again largely re-broke trail that day too. Indeed a wild wind in the high country that day was erasing tracks within hours or even minutes (see photos below).

On both days I was able to ascend barebooting to about 8800 ft on 30th and to 9200 ft on 1st, before putting on crampons. I kept those on for the rest of the ascent, and almost all of the descent, finally removing them most of the way down Devil’s Slide Trail. There are layers of hard ice and firm icy snow beneath the fresh powder, and crampons are ideal at present everywhere above 9000 ft, lower in places.

I recorded a short(ish) video report from San Jacinto Peak late morning on Monday 30th (available here on YouTube) that gives a feel for the conditions in the high country at that time.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Measurements taken on Monday 30th were unchanged by Wednesday 1st. Note that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. Although the high country currently has its deepest snow accumulation since March 2019, this winter nevertheless remains well below the average for snowfall in the San Jacinto mountains to date.

Be prepared for trails above about 8000 ft (perhaps lower in places) completely or largely obscured by moderate to deep snow. Cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere.

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.

Snowshoes are useful in lower 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. They are not currently recommended for moderate angle slopes above 9000 ft that have challenging ice underlying shallow powder. However, snowshoes may become increasingly useful if conditions warm sufficiently for snow to become soft above about 9000 ft, especially on sunny slopes and afternoons. Snowshoes will remain valuable anywhere off trail above about 8000 ft for the foreseeable future.

Currently, and as conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 7000 ft. They will be especially valuable on well-consolidated tracks over the coming days and weeks before they clear of snow (e.g., Devil’s Slide, Ernie Maxwell, Deer Springs trails, at least), on colder mornings when conditions are icy, and for descending. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches.

Melting and freeze/thaw cycles will combine to change trail conditions and potentially the preferred equipment for the terrain for the remainder of February.

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).

Skyline Trail closed on 26th January due to “dangerous weather conditions” above the State Park boundary (5800 ft elevation). There is no planned reopening date at this time. For those that are unclear, the Skyline Trail is the first segment of the C2C (“cactus to clouds”) from Palm Springs up to Grubb’s Notch, the access point to Long Valley.

The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. 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). 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 unavailable for legal parking.

South Ridge Road (5S11), Dark Canyon Road (4S02, the access to Seven Pines Trail), and Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) are currently closed to vehicle traffic, as is Black Mountain Road at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243.

WEATHER

February is forecast to be somewhat more settled than the very eventful January. A significant warming trend is expected for later this week and next weekend at all elevations, with significant melting likely, before cooling slightly Monday 6th February but remaining slightly above seasonal. 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. At this time there is no further significant precipitation forecast prior to mid February.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Wednesday 1st February 2023 at 0935 the air temperature was 16.6°F (-8°C), with a windchill temperature of -8.0°F (-22°C), 13% relative humidity, and a wild NNE wind sustained at 21 mph gusting to 35.2 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 30th January 2023 at 1110 the air temperature was 15.5°F (-9°C), with a windchill temperature of -0.4°F (-18°C), 98% relative humidity, and a light SSE wind sustained at 3 mph gusting to 8.4 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 23rd January 2023 at 1010 the air temperature was 11.1°F (-11°C), with a windchill temperature of -16.2°F (-26°C), 47% relative humidity, and a bitter NNE wind sustained at 20 mph gusting to 27.7 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 5500 ft are currently snow-covered. 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 Devil’s Slide Trail, South Ridge and Deer Springs trails. Steady melting is expected with warming temperatures this week, especially at mid elevations and on sun-exposed slopes.

Note that tracks discussed are obscured quickly by heavy drifting of snow from strong winds, sometimes in days or even hours.

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”. (For readers who are unclear, Skyline Trail forms the lower two-thirds of the “Cactus-to-Clouds” [C2C] route.) The State Park boundary is not marked but is near the site of the old Florian’s Cache, below Flat Rock. The open section of trail below 5800 ft is clear of snow.

Devil’s Slide Trail has a well traveled and compacted track to Saddle Junction in place already. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail.

Otherwise, reliable posthole tracks are in place from Saddle Junctions through to San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, but parts will become obscured by any additional light snowfall and/or especially by drifting snow from strong winds. From near Miller Peak I put in a track up the East Ridge, rather than continuing on the Peak Trail round to Summit Junction.

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.

Ernie Maxwell Trail [checked 2nd February] has a heavily traveled track to follow along its entire length, through the increasingly patchy icy snow. Average snow cover is 60%, but is nearly continuous near Humber Park. Spikes are recommended especially in the morning as the snow is now hard, compacted and very icy in places. Three significant trees are now down across the trail, including two major hazards (one new in gale force winds on 26th January) that are not easy to hike around both roughly halfway along the trail. All have been reported to US Forest Service.

On South Ridge Trail spikes at least, but preferably crampons, are required for the uppermost switchbacks.

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. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and advanced knowledge of how to use this equipment, are required. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

SNOW DEPTHS measured on 30th January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) and checked again on 1st February are as follows. Three numbers are given: the first number is the current average total snow depth at that location, followed in brackets by the new snow accumulation from the storm on 29th-30th January, and finally in parentheses by the maximum depth where known so far this winter, generally on 18th January following the major storm sequence on 14th-17th January 2023. For locations measured on 23rd January, these measurements are still useful, as the new recent snow depth is roughly offset by melting over the past week. Note that averages are given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 40-45 inches [2 inches] (45-48 inches), drifted >50 inches in places

Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 45 inches, heavily drifted, measured 23rd January

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 40 inches [2 inches] (45 inches)

Annie’s Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 44 inches [4 inches] (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, measured 23rd January

Long Valley (8600 ft): 22 inches [2 inches] (24 inches)

Strawberry Junction/PCT Mile 183 (8100 ft): 15 inches, measured 23rd January

Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 22 inches [5 inches] (22 inches)

Suicide Rock Trail junction with Deer Springs Trail (6950 ft): 3 inches, measured 23rd January

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 4-5 inches [4 inches] (6 inches) already melting afternoon of 30th

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0-2 inches [3.5 inches] (3-4 inches) rapidly melting afternoon of 30th

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and it is already clear that 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

IMPORTANT UPDATE Thursday 26th January 2023: The State Park has announced that Skyline Trail is closed with immediate effect due to hazardous conditions above the State Park boundary (5800 ft elevation). There is no planned reopening date at this time. For those that are unclear, the Skyline Trail is the first segment of the C2C (“Cactus to clouds”) from Palm Springs up to Grubb’s Notch (Long Valley).

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. On the north side, a location just south-east of Banning in San Gorgonio Pass recorded a gust of 92 mph. 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. 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.

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The previous Report (available here) summarized the conditions following the multiple storm event of 14th-17th January. My blogging throughout the storms gave more day-to-day detail and is available here. Since then Idyllwild had a very light dusting (<0.25 inch) of snow on Friday 20th, but the high country was above the cloud and unaffected.

Early on Monday 23rd January I ascended San Jacinto Peak via the east side (Devil’s Slide, Wellman, and Peak trails) that I had broken last Wednesday 18th, and descended the west side via (more-or-less) Deer Springs Trail. 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. This started as low as Devil’s Slide Trail and continued all morning. On the plus side, as I had hoped, the cold meant that the exposed snow slopes from 9200 ft and above were largely firm and icy (example photo below). Consequently I put on crampons at Wellman’s Cienega, keeping them on all day until low down on Deer Springs Trail. Although I carried snowshoes it would have been risky to try to use them on the icy traverses.

On Friday 20th I broke South Ridge Trail to Tahquitz Peak. I put in a posthole track the entire way up, but crampons (with an ice axe) were essential at that time on the upper switchbacks above about 8300 ft due to the typical steeply angled ice obscured underneath 6-12 inches of powder (photos below).

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. Although the high country currently has its deepest snow accumulation in almost four years, since March 2019, this winter nevertheless remains well below the average for snowfall in the San Jacinto mountains to late January.

Be prepared for trails above about 8000 ft (perhaps lower in places) completely or largely obscured by moderate to deep snow. Very cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere.

Current forecasts suggest that there may be significant snowfall on Sunday 29th-Monday 30th January at all elevations, but some warming and steady snow melt likely on either side of that date. 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.

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. Nevertheless, snowshoes will be valuable anywhere off trail above about 8000ft for the foreseeable future, and on trail where tracks have not yet been broken. They may become increasingly useful if conditions warm sufficiently for snow to become soft above about 9000 ft, especially on sunny slopes and afternoons.

In addition to snowshoes, and as conditions change, spikes are strongly recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 6000ft. They will be especially valuable on well-consolidated tracks over the coming weeks before they clear of snow (e.g., Devil’s Slide, Ernie Maxwell, Deer Springs trails, at least), on colder mornings when conditions are icy, and for descending. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches.

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.

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).

Avalanche risk in the high country is currently minimal due to snow depths and conditions, with the exception of the traditionally unstable north face of San Jacinto Peak which avalanches to some extent every winter.

As always after storms in the San Jacinto range be aware of considerable ice fall from overhead trees. 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. This rain produces huge masses of ice in the trees, including chunks I have estimated as weighing 40-100 lb this winter, which can dislodge dramatically once direct sunlight warms the trees.

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 USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. 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). If there are “Road Closed” signs further down – often the case at weekends and holidays when snow is present – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

South Ridge Road (5S11), Dark Canyon Road (4S02, the access to Seven Pines Trail), and Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) are currently closed to vehicle traffic, as is Black Mountain Road at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243.

WEATHER

After an interesting month of weather, the remainder of January into February is forecast to be somewhat more settled. 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. Melting is expected to be steady and start to accelerate into February, but freeze/thaw cycles, compaction, and refreezing overnight may ultimately combine to produce very icy conditions.

That said, a moderate snow storm is forecast for Sunday 29th to Monday 30th January, with up to six inches of snow forecast above about 5000 ft, possibly up to 12 inches above 10,000 ft, and a freeze level down to 4000 ft.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Monday 23rd January 2023 at 1010 the air temperature was 11.1°F (-11°C), with a windchill temperature of -16.2°F (-26°C), 47% relative humidity, and a bitter NNE wind sustained at 20 mph gusting to 27.7 mph.

At the Peak on Wednesday 18th January 2023 at 1115 the air temperature was 16.8°F (-8°C), with a windchill temperature of -3.6°F (-20°C), 27% relative humidity, and a frigid NNW wind sustained at 10 mph gusting to 25.8 mph.

At the Peak on Sunday 15th January 2023 at 0750 the air temperature was 17.8°F (-8°C), with a windchill temperature of -5.6°F (-21°C), 100% relative humidity, and a wild SW wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 30.2 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 5500 ft are currently snow-covered. Snow cover is shallow up to about 7000 ft, but relatively heavy above 8000 ft. Melting on sun-exposed slopes is well underway, e.g., on lower South Ridge and Deer Springs trails.

Note that tracks discussed here may become obscured by heavy drifting of snow from strong winds combined with extensive ice fall from trees overhead.

Devil’s Slide Trail has a relatively well-traveled and compacted track to Saddle Junction in place already. 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. Waterproof or highly water resistant footwear is recommended. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail.

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). Spikes are strongly recommended as the snow is now hard, compacted and very icy in places. 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.

South Ridge Trail has been broken from the top of South Ridge Road to Tahquitz Peak with a simple posthole track. Spikes at least, but preferably crampons, are required for the uppermost switchbacks (see photo below).

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. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and advanced knowledge of how to use this equipment, are required. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

On 23rd January I saw posthole tracks from Saddle Junction that head down the start of the Caramba Trail, the start of Willow Creek Trail, and following the PCT southbound toward Chinquapin Flat, but I have no further details at this time.

The Wellman Trail track was disappearing under spindrift as I re-broke it on Monday 23rd. The route does not follow the established trail for the most part, and steepens considerably as it nears Wellman Divide. Crampons (or perhaps spikes or snowshoes on some days) are recommended.

The Peak Trail track is also partially disappearing under fresh spindrift (photos below). The route largely follows the established trail, but hikers coming from Long Valley over the weekend either did not find or follow my broken trail from last week, so in sections the route is unusual. Crampons are recommended for the traversing slopes.

The East Ridge Trail from near Miller Peak to San Jacinto Peak has multiple tracks, all of which were disappearing under fresh spindrift when I ascended that way on Monday 23rd.

Deer Springs Trail has a broken track to follow all the way to San Jacinto Peak. A well-traveled snowshoe track is in place up to Strawberry Junction. From there to the top of Marion Mountain Trail the route is a lightly-traveled posthole track. From the top of Marion, the route is well-traveled but pretty uneven, up into Little Round Valley. It does not accurately follow the established trail route in significant sections but is navigable. Through LRV and up to San Jacinto Peak, there are at least three tracks (two posthole, one snowshoe), none of which attempt to follow the trail route, and all are steep and very direct. There are five new major treefall hazards, plus many other limbs and branches, across the trail between the Suicide Rock junction and the Marion Mountain Trail junction.

Marion Mountain Trail has a well-traveled snowshoe track to follow along its entire length. Note that near its junction with Deer Springs Trail, the route was not close to the established trail, so cautious navigation may be needed.

There was no evidence of hiker tracks on Fuller Ridge Trail or Seven Pines Trail as of Monday 23rd January.

SNOW DEPTHS measured on 23rd January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) are as follows. The first number is the current average total snow depth at that location, followed in parentheses where known by the maximum depth so far this winter immediately following the latest storm sequence on 14th-17th January 2023. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 42 inches (45-48 inches), drifted to 60 inches in places, especially on East Ridge.

Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 45 inches, heavily drifted

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 40 inches (45 inches)

Annie’s 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

Long Valley (8600 ft): 20 inches (24 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

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 2-4 inches (5-6 inches)

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0-2 inches (3 inches)

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and it is already clear that 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

UPDATE Friday 20th January: Overnight Idyllwild had a very light dusting (<0.25 inch) of snow, but the high country was above the cloud so existing tracks should be unaffected. This morning I broke South Ridge Trail to Tahquitz Peak. I put in a posthole track the entire way up, but crampons (with an ice axe) were necessary on the upper switchbacks above about 8300 ft due to the usual steeply angled ice obscured underneath 6-12 inches of powder. Average snow depth around the peak was 24-25 inches, but heavily drifted.

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We have had an excellent start to 2023 regarding the water and snow situations in the San Jacinto mountains. This is a summary of conditions following the tenth and eleventh Pacific storms of winter 2022/23 to impact the San Jacinto range, that were basically a double “atmospheric river” event spread across 14th-17th January. My blogging throughout the storms gave more day-to-day detail and is available here.

I recorded an overly rambling and partly wind affected video report from San Jacinto Peak late morning on Wednesday 18th, available here on YouTube, but it does give a sense for the conditions underfoot at the highest elevations, and for the spectacular vista that day.

Across the three storm days, locations above about 9000 ft all generally added at least two feet of snow (admixed with layers of freezing rain in areas up to 10,000 ft). The highest peaks appeared to add slightly less snow than some lower locations, probably because they were above the cloud for some of the precipitation events.

Final precipitation numbers for Idyllwild (measured at 5550 ft elevation) across the three days were 5.06 inches of rain and 6.5 inches of snow, although only about half of the latter remained on the ground as a few inches were removed by (relatively) warm rain between snow storms.

The high country currently has the deepest snow accumulation in the San Jacinto mountains in almost four years, since March 2019. As encouraging as that is, it should be noted that snow accumulation at San Jacinto Peak is only at about 65% of the depth in March 2019, and this winter overall remains well below the historical average for snow in the high country, despite recent events.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail.

Early on Wednesday 18th January I barebooted up Devil’s Slide Trail (which I had broken to Saddle the previous morning). From there I used snowshoes to ascend via Annie’s Junction and Wellman Divide. My track largely follows the established trail routes, with some modifications for the conditions. 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. I switched to crampons and then finished breaking the Peak Trail through to near Miller Peak (photo below). From there I put in a direct ascending track roughly following the old East Ridge Trail to the Peak.

I kept my crampons on for the entire descent, taking advantage of excellent cross-country glissading conditions, and made it from San Jacinto Peak back to Humber Park in just over two hours.

With two further minor snowfalls possible in January, and strong winds in the high country expected on some days causing substantial spindrift, tracks broken through the snow may not last long. Be prepared for trails above about 8000 ft (perhaps lower in places) completely or largely obscured by moderate to deep snow; very cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere.

Currently few major trail routes have been traveled and even those may become partially obscured by drifted snow and fresh icefall. 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.

Snow depths are currently excellent for snowshoeing above about 7000 ft, where trails haven’t been too heavily traveled and compacted. 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. Eventually with compaction of the trails caused by increasing hiker traffic and freeze/thaw cycles snowshoes may steadily become less useful, however they will certainly remain valuable for off-trail travel in the high country well into February at least.

Spikes are currently useful throughout the trail system above about 6000 ft, possibly lower in places on cold (icy) mornings. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches. Spikes will become increasingly useful over the next few days and weeks as established trails become consolidated by hiker traffic and undergo freeze-thaw cycles. Spikes tend to be especially useful for descending trails.

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, and uppermost South Ridge Trail, especially on the north face of Tahquitz Peak.

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).

As always after storms in the San Jacinto range be aware of considerable ice fall from overhead trees. 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. 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.

Currently the snow is relatively powdery; this will steadily change over the next few days and weeks. Underlying that powder are layers of ice (largely from freezing rain storms) which are much more perilous. Note that temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing are forecast for both mid and upper elevations. 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.

Some general comments on snow/ice conditions. Time of day, temperature, and sun exposure all have significant impacts on the nature of the snow, in turn changing the conditions underfoot, and hence both the hiking difficulty and the preferred traction device (if any). These impacts are especially striking in Southern California mountains, where the sun is relatively potent even in midwinter and where even on the coldest days temperatures at mid elevations may fluctuate either side of freezing. A rapidly warming montane climate, with changes especially striking at high elevation, is exacerbating all of these issues.

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).

Currently the USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. When the gate is closed there are still nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (which still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent to be displayed). Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. If there are “Road Closed” signs further down – often the case at weekends and holidays when snow is present – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

South Ridge Road (5S11) is also currently closed to vehicle traffic.

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. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are closed for the season. The State Park Stone Creek campground is also closed.

WEATHER

In general conditions in the remainder of January will be much more settled than for the first half of the month. Temperatures are expected to remain below average for January for the remainder of the month in Strawberry Valley (Idyllwild area), but are forecast to swing well above average (above freezing) for the highest elevations on 21st-26th January. Melting may be slow and largely confined to the most sun-exposed slopes, but freeze/thaw cycles, compaction, and low overnight temperatures may lead to very icy conditions.

In addition, there is the possibility of minor snow storms on Thursday 19th and around Sunday 29th January. 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. Even if there is no precipitation, there will be temperatures well below seasonal on those days.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Wednesday 18th January 2023 at 1115 the air temperature was 16.8°F (-8°C), with a windchill temperature of -3.6°F (-20°C), 27% relative humidity, and a frigid NNW wind sustained at 10 mph gusting to 25.8 mph.

At the Peak on Sunday 15th January 2023 at 0750 the air temperature was 17.8°F (-8°C), with a windchill temperature of -5.6°F (-21°C), 100% relative humidity, and a wild SW wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 30.2 mph.

At the Peak on Wednesday 11th January 2023 at 0915 the air temperature was 24.0°F (-4°C), with a windchill temperature of 5.8°F (-15°C), 74% relative humidity, and a bitter NNW wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 24.5 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 5000 ft are currently snow-covered. Snow cover is shallow up to about 7000 ft, but relatively heavy above 8000 ft.

Reliable tracks are in place (at least) for Devil’s Slide Trail. My snowshoe track continues from Saddle Junction through to San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide , the Peak Trail, and East Ridge, but this may become obscured by additional light snowfall and/or drifting snow from strong winds.

Devil’s Slide Trail has a relatively well-traveled and compacted track to Saddle Junction in place already. 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. Waterproof or highly water resistant footwear is recommended. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles.

Ernie Maxwell Trail has good tracks to follow along its entire length, through the continuous snow cover a few inches deep. Many hikers may find spikes are already useful, and will become increasingly so during and after this weekend with melting and compaction. [Checked 18th January by Anne and Anabel.

On the afternoon of 18th I saw posthole tracks that head down the start of the Caramba Trail, and following the PCT southbound toward Chinquapin Flat, but I have no further details at this time.

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. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and advanced knowledge of how to use this equipment, are required. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

SNOW DEPTHS measured on 18th January 2023 (unless otherwise indicated) are as follows. The first number is the current average total snow depth at that location, followed in parentheses by the approximate depth of fresh snow added by the latest storm sequence on 14th-17th January. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 45-48 inches (includes about 24 inches snow in latest storms), heavily drifted to 60 inches in places, especially on the East Ridge.

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 45 inches (30 inches snow in latest storms) but heavily drifted here

Annie’s Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 45-48 inches (about 30-32 inches snow in latest storms)

Tahquitz Peak (8836 ft): 25 inches, heavily drifted to 40 inches in places (measured 20th January)

Long Valley (8600 ft): 24 inches (16 inches in latest storms)

Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 21 inches (13 inches snow in latest storms)

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 5-6 inches (all from latest storms, four inches of snow on top of ice)

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 3 inches (all from latest storms, admixed with 5.06 inches rain on 14th-16th) already melting steadily on 18th.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and it is already clear that 2023 will be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

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.

Please check this page for periodic updates – the most recent is at the top – throughout the multiple day storm sequence. The next comprehensive Report update is not expected before Wednesday 18th January.

UPDATE on Tuesday 17th January at 1200

A light overnight snowfall, which produced another three inches in Idyllwild, finally stopped at 0700 this morning. Final totals for Idyllwild for the three day storm event were 6.5 inches of snow, plus an impressive 5.06 inches of rain.

This morning Anabel and I broke trail up Devil’s Slide Trail to Saddle Junction. The powder was lovely and soft, and overlying a firm icy layer (from all the freezing rain). While the snow was not especially deep, it still took about double the time of a completely dry ascent. I barebooted to Saddle, and then snowshoed back down to help consolidate the track. 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. Two new trees were down on the upper trail, unsurprising given the huge weight of ice from freezing rain plastered all over the trees.

Current snow depth at Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park is 4-5 inches on top of 1-2 inches of ice/icy snow from recent freezing rain.

UPDATE on Monday 16th January at 1740

Rain has continued solidly today in Idyllwild, with another 0.90 inch since 0700 this morning. It turned to occasional light snow at about 1500, but less than 0.5 inch has accumulated so far (at 5550 ft). 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. That is expected to change, with up to several inches of snow forecast both in the high country and at mid elevations tonight.

UPDATE on Monday 16th January at 0920

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. The snow quickly turned into semi-melted slush. In combination with the four inches of rain since Saturday, not to mention the many inches of rain earlier this winter, the mid elevations, including the mountain communities, are now best described as a very soggy and slushy mess.

The freeze level is currently at about 7500 ft and it has been periodically snowing gently above that elevation, with Long Valley (8600 ft) having added a few inches overnight, for a current total depth of about 24 inches.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and effort is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report requests small private donations to cover costs. Every year seems to have unique challenges and 2023 is already proving to be no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If the Report is useful to you in any way, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all now options. Thank you so much for your support.

UPDATE on Sunday 15th January at 1420

I snowshoed down from San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, Saddle Junction, and Devil’s Slide Trail. It was near-whiteout conditions due to wild spindrift above Wellman Divide, but the new snow was firm and overall made for good snowshoeing conditions. 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.

Measured snow depths as of late morning/early afternoon today are: San Jacinto Peak (10,810 ft) 38 inches, at least 14 new in this storm; Wellman Divide (9700 ft) 30 inches, with 15 new in this storm; Annie’s Junction – at 9070 ft the highest point of the PCT in Southern California – 30 inches, with 14 new in this storm; Saddle Junction (8100ft) 15 inches, about 7-8 new in this storm; Devil’s Slide Trailhead at Humber Park (6520 ft) 2 inches, all from this storm.

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.

Conversely, lower down Devil’s Slide Trail is a combination of very light snow cover, slush, and multiple stream crossings, with much water flowing down the trail. Suitable waterproof footwear is strongly recommended.

UPDATE on Sunday 15th January at 0830

The high country added only another couple of inches of snow overnight. Storm total at San Jacinto Peak is about 14 inches for a current total depth of 36+ inches (but very heavily drifted). It stopped snowing at about 0800.

Similarly, Long Valley (8600ft) added about two inches overnight for a storm total of about seven inches and a current total depth of about 15 inches.

Current air temperature at San Jacinto Peak is 17.8°F (-8°C) with a windchill of -5.6°F (-21°C) and a steady SW wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 30.2 mph.

It continued to rain heavily overnight at mid elevations everywhere below about 7000 ft. Idyllwild at 5550 ft elevation recorded an impressive 4.01 inches of rain in the 24 hour period up to 0700 this morning. It is starting to turn to light sleet now as temperatures drop to near freezing. Locations in Pine Cove up to 6500 ft were reporting 3.1 to 3.8 inches of rain by 0500 today.

UPDATE on Saturday 14th January at 2010

The snow continues unabated, although the pace has slowed somewhat in the past hour. 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.

Today’s rainfall total has passed an inch in Idyllwild, and various locations in Pine Cove (5800-6500 ft) were reporting 1.1 to 1.3 inches two hours ago. The freeze level has remained around 7500 ft for most of today, but is forecast to drop overnight closer to 6000 ft.

UPDATE on Saturday 14th January at 1705

The intensity of snowfall at San Jacinto Peak this afternoon is the best I’ve seen since late 2019. Although the flakes are small, it has been steadily accumulating at an inch per hour, with about six inches fresh powder so far today, for a Peak area total of about 30 inches. Another 10+ inches are forecast overnight, which is very possible given current conditions.

Snowfall at the elevation of Long Valley (8600 ft) has been similarly steady, and 3-4 inches of fresh powder there takes the total depth close to one foot.

Rainfall in Idyllwild (at 5550ft) has also maintained a steady pace, with close to 0.7 inch so far today.

UPDATE on Saturday 14th January at 1505

Cloud cover started to envelop the mountains early this morning. On my hike up to San Jacinto Peak it started snowing gently at 1025 in the high country. Snow accumulation was initially slow but has been an inch per hour recently, with 2.5 inch added at San Jacinto Peak since late this morning (on top of about 24 inches remaining from prior storms).

On my ascent I put crampons on at Wellman’s Cienega (9300 ft) and they were more-or-less essential for traversing the icy slopes of the Peak Trail. My tracks from Wednesday were still largely visible and helped a little with traction.

The initial freeze level was at about 9000 ft but has already dropped. After some early sleety drizzle it has been snowing in Long Valley (8600 ft) since late morning with 0.75 inch accumulating so far.

In Idyllwild (at 5550 ft) it started raining at 1100, where it has been relatively slow to accumulate so far, with 0.4 inch by 1500.

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. 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 second storm on 15th-16th is expected to be colder with a lower freeze level which may result in 1-2 inches of snow down to 5000 ft or possibly even lower.

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The flow of “atmospheric river” storm systems continues unabated across California. Generally the San Jacinto mountains have just caught the southern edge of these systems, with nothing like the dramatic precipitation being reported from further north. 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).

Lamentably this latest storm was again very mild, with rain falling as high as the elevation of San Jacinto Peak – see photos below – all morning on Tuesday 10th, until finally turning to light snow in the early afternoon (at about 1330 in Long Valley). Rain had started overnight in Idyllwild, ending in late afternoon at a total of 1.26 inches.

Only 2.5 inches of snow fell at San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft) decreasing to 0.25 inch in upper Fern Valley (at approximately 6000 ft). With such mild storms this winter, it is interesting to speculate how much snow would currently be around the high peaks if air temperatures had been just a couple of degrees cooler. Currently there is less than three feet of snow at San Jacinto Peak; I suspect it would be 5-8 feet had we had fractionally cooler conditions in the past month.

Snow depths measured at many locations on the trail system on 11th January are given at the foot of this posting. Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular route, as discussed below. 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.

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 Devil’s Slide, PCT, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails. That said, the going was extremely easy as the rain layer on top of the snow remaining for earlier storms had completely frozen, so I was only having to “break trail” through an inch or two of fine powder. The natural traction was superb, and I barebooted all the way to just above Wellman Divide (9700 ft) before finally putting on Kahtoola microspikes, accompanied by an ice axe.

The traversing slopes above Wellman’s Divide (roughly 9800-10,500 ft) were extremely firm early in the morning and potentially treacherous. Spikes at least, but preferably crampons, plus an ice axe (and thorough knowledge of how to use it) are currently required for traversing these slopes. It is possible they may deteriorate even further with some warming from direct sunlight. Snowshoes are not currently advisable on these slopes due to the angle of the underlying ice.

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.

I descended Deer Springs Trail, again breaking trail the entire way, but again through light snow sitting on top of a very solid, icy snow layer. 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. Through and below Little Round Valley, my track almost entirely follows the established trail.

All trails above about 8000 ft are obscured by snow at this time, and cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. With significant further snowfalls expected in the next week (at least), and moderate to strong winds in the high country expected for many of those days causing some daily drifting of snow, much of the trail system may remain completely or somewhat obscured by snow throughout most or all of January.

Currently only two major trail routes have been traveled and even those may become partially obscured by drifted snow and fresh icefall. My tracks from Wednesday 11th January from Humber Park to San Jacinto Peak and down Deer Springs Trail will be largely visible but may be somewhat obscured in places.

Snow depths are currently suitable for snowshoeing above about 9000 ft, potentially lower in places. However the snow conditions may not be suitable for snowshoeing on certain slopes, as described above. This may continue for several weeks, or could change given further fresh snowfall forecast. Eventually with compaction of the trails caused by increasing hiker traffic and freeze/thaw cycles snowshoes may steadily become less useful, however they will likely remain valuable for off-trail travel in the high country into February.

Spikes are currently useful throughout the trail system above about 7000 ft, possibly lower in places on cold (icy) mornings. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches. Spikes will likely become increasingly useful over the next few days and weeks as established trails become consolidated by hiker traffic and undergo freeze-thaw cycles. Spikes tend to be especially useful for descending trails.

As mentioned above, crampons (always in conjunction with an ice axe) are currently recommended on certain moderate and higher angle slopes, notably the Peak Trail above Wellman Divide, and uppermost South Ridge Trail, especially on the north face of Tahquitz Peak.

Hikers should be prepared for temperatures well 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). Potentially dangerous cold is currently forecast for the highest peaks for 14th-23rd January at least.

As always after storms in the San Jacinto range be aware of considerable ice fall from overhead trees. Sadly this phenomenon has become much more of a factor in the past 5-10 years with freezing rainfall (rather than snow) occurring at higher elevations at higher frequency with much warmer weather systems. This rain produces huge masses of ice in the trees, including chunks as large as a small microwave weighing 40-80 lb, which then dislodge as soon as direct sunlight warms the trees.

Some general comments on snow/ice conditions. Time of day, temperature, and sun exposure all have significant impacts on the nature of the snow, in turn changing the conditions underfoot, and hence both the hiking difficulty and the preferred traction device (if any). These impacts are especially striking in Southern California mountains, where the sun is relatively potent even in midwinter and where even on the coldest days temperatures at mid elevations may fluctuate either side of freezing. A rapidly warming montane climate, with changes especially striking at high elevation, is exacerbating all of these issues.

My pre-dawn hike up Devil’s Slide Trail on 11th January was delightful, primarily because there was the noise of running water almost everywhere. All seasonal and ephemeral streams were running strongly, and the current water conditions are the best for four years, since the great Valentine’s Day flood event of 2019. 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 Devil’s Slide in multiple locations further up also.

Currently the USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. When the gate is closed there are nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (which still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent to be displayed). Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. If there are “Road Closed” signs further down at the junction with Forest Drive – as is often the case at weekends and holidays when snow is present – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

South Ridge Road (5S11) is also currently closed to vehicle traffic.

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. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are closed for the season. The State Park Stone Creek campground is also closed.

WEATHER

Conditions will remain very unsettled well into the third week of January. Two more significant “atmospheric river” storm systems are forecast on Saturday 14th-Sunday 15th, and on 16th-18th. While expected to be relatively mild at first with rain above 9000 ft, overall this next sequence of storms may prove to be colder than most of the recent systems. About 6-10 inches of snow are forecast for the high country on Saturday 14th, with 1-2 inches possible at the elevation of Idyllwild (preceded by 1-2 inches of rain).

Forecasts remain more uncertain about the second wave of stormy weather on 16th-18th January. However, forecast models suggest anywhere from 6-20 inches of snow above 10,000 ft elevation spread across at least two of the three days, and the possibility of several inches of snow at mid elevations (e.g., 2-4 inches in Idyllwild).

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Wednesday 11th January 2023 at 0915 the air temperature was 24.0°F (-4°C), with a windchill temperature of 5.8°F (-15°C), 74% relative humidity, and a bitter NNW wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 24.5 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 6th January 2023 at 0930 the air temperature was 25.7°F (-4°C), with a windchill temperature of 14.7°F (-10°C), 44% relative humidity, and a chilly NNW breeze sustained at 5 mph gusting to 10.6 mph.

At the Peak on Sunday 1st January 2023 at 0830 the air temperature was 17.9°F (-8°C), with a windchill temperature of -2.3°F (-19°C), 100% relative humidity, and a sharp WSW wind sustained at 11 mph gusting to 21.1 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 6500 ft are currently lightly, or above 8000 ft moderately, snow-covered. As discussed above, multiple additional snowfalls forecast for 14th-18th January will further complicate the trail conditions.

Reliable tracks are in place (at least) for Devil’s Slide Trail through to San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, and for the entire Deer Springs Trail. As of this morning, I saw no other broken tracks on the high country trail system.

The track on Deer Springs Trail largely follows the existing trail route up to Little Round Valley. My posthole/glissading track between LRV and San Jacinto Peak is very direct and steep, and of limited help to an ascending hiker.

The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between Chinquapin Flat/PCT and Tahquitz Peak [checked 9th January] has no steps to follow through the steeply angled icy snow. 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. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous and have been an area of multiple hiker fatalities in winter conditions in recent decades. Currently crampons, with an ice axe (and knowledge of how to use both), are strongly recommended. Snowshoes are dangerous due to the angle of the icy snow.

The traversing slopes above Wellman’s Divide (roughly 9800-10,500 ft) were extremely firm early in the morning and potentially treacherous. Spikes at least, but preferably crampons, plus an ice axe (and thorough knowledge of how to use it) are currently required for traversing these slopes. It is possible they may deteriorate even further with some warming from direct sunlight. Snowshoes are not currently advisable on these slopes due to the angle of the underlying ice.

The Ernie Maxwell Trail [surveyed 10th January] has minor patches of snow along its entire length, however it is largely clear for long sections, and the remaining snow is rarely icy. Spikes are not required.

SNOW DEPTHS measured on 11th January 2023 are as follows. The first number is the current average total snow depth at that location, followed in parentheses by the depth of fresh snow added by the latest storm on Tuesday 10th. Since the depths given in the previous Report, there has been some melting at higher elevations on sunny days and below 9000 ft caused by the heavy rainfall. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting, often accumulating in the trails. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Altitudes are approximate.

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)

Annie’s 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)

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 0.5 inch (0.5 inch snow plus >1.0 inch rain on 10th)

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0 inch (no snow, 1.26 inches rain on 10th).

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to cover costs. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

UPDATE Tuesday 10th January: Another minor and relatively warm storm is passing through our mountains today. The freeze level again started very high at >9000 ft, with light rain falling in Long Valley (8600 ft) all morning. Rain started overnight in Idyllwild, and by late this afternoon (at 1550) totals 1.22 inch. Precipitation turned to occasional light snow in Long Valley at about 1330, with an accumulation by 1550 of just 0.5 inch. The next comprehensive update of the Report will likely be in the evening of Wednesday 11th.

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Thursday 5th January saw the fifth storm in the past ten days in the San Jacinto mountains. 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. About six inches of snow fell at San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft) decreasing to 0.5 inch in upper Fern Valley (at c.6000 ft).

This latest storm was again very mild, as expected from an “atmospheric river” system pulling moisture in from warmer latitudes. The freeze level was above 7000 ft for most of the storm, with freezing rain plastering the vegetation as high as 10,000 ft. 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. Prior to that Idyllwild (at 5550 ft) had received 1.04 inches of rain, with a little hail and sleet mixed in.

I recorded a brief video at San Jacinto Peak at about 0930 on Friday 6th (available here on YouTube) which discusses conditions at that time.

On the morning of Friday 6th January, getting an Alpine start, I broke trail the entire way from Humber Park to San Jacinto Peak via Devil’s Slide, PCT, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails. Tracks of myself and a couple of others from recent days were largely visible up Devil’s Slide Trail, and I barebooted to Saddle Junction through thin powder overlying ice. Above Saddle there was a layer of fresh powder (from the previous night) on top of a thick layer of ice, itself on top of more snow from prior storms. This was tricky for postholing which went through the ice layer. but ideal for snowshoes, which I used from Saddle to San Jacinto Peak and back. My Alpine start meant that all layers remained firm throughout the ascent. The traversing slopes above Wellman’s Divide were very firm and relatively tricky in snowshoes, and some hikers may prefer to use spikes (or probably crampons) plus an ice axe above about 9800 ft.

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.

As I descended past Saddle Junction I was surprised not to see any other tracks as of early afternoon on Friday 6th, which I mention only because of the lack of broken trails this indicates. Indeed there were no other tracks anywhere above Humber Park, not even on lower Devil’s Slide Trail. Cautious navigation is strongly recommended everywhere. 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.

Currently only one major trail route has been traveled and even that is partially obscured by icefall, melting and drifted snow. 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.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular route.

Snow depths are currently suitable for snowshoeing everywhere above about 8000 ft, potentially lower in places. This will likely continue to be the case for several weeks, given fresh snowfall expected. Eventually with compaction of the trails caused by increasing hiker traffic and freeze/thaw cycles snowshoes may steadily become less useful, however they will remain valuable for off-trail travel in the high country well into February.

Spikes are currently useful throughout the trail system above about 6000 ft, potentially lower in places. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, mixed with slushy and icy patches. 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. Spikes tend to be especially useful for descending trails.

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).

As always after storms in the San Jacinto range be aware of considerable ice fall from overhead trees. Sadly this phenomenon has become much more of a factor in the past 5-10 years with freezing rainfall (rather than snow) occurring at higher elevations at higher frequency with much warmer weather systems. This rain produces huge masses of ice in the trees, including chunks as large as a small microwave weighing 40-80 lb, which then dislodge as soon as direct sunlight warms the trees.

Some general comments on snow/ice conditions. Time of day, temperature, and sun exposure all have significant impacts on the nature of the snow, in turn changing the conditions underfoot, and hence both the hiking difficulty and the preferred traction device (if any). These impacts are especially striking in Southern California mountains, where the sun is relatively potent even in midwinter and where even on the coldest days temperatures at mid elevations may fluctuate either side of freezing. A rapidly warming montane climate, with changes especially striking at high elevation, is exacerbating all of these issues.

Prior to this storm, conditions had been extremely unsettled for about ten days, with four storms in a week, although only one of those was a significant snow-producing system. Those systems are summarized here:

• Minor storm overnight on 27th-28th December. A very mild system with 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 above 10,000 ft. Most of this snow had melted prior to my hike to San Jacinto Peak on 31st December.
• Minor 0.5 inch dusting of snow above 8000 ft on Thursday 29th (as I describe in this video). Most of this snow had also melted off by 31st December.
• Moderate storm largely in the early hours of 1st January 2023 was the third significant snowfall of winter 2022/23 to impact the San Jacinto mountains. This was discussed in the last Report. About 11 inches of snow fell at San Jacinto Peak. Initially a warm system with nearly two inches of rain in Idyllwild, later on New Year’s Day the snow level fell as low as 4000 ft, with three inches of snow in Idyllwild.
• Minor snow storm in the early hours of Tuesday 3rd January 2023 then turned to rain all day. 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 Devil’s Slide that morning is available here. The high country was above the weather for much of the night and added negligible new snow. Sadly at dawn the precipitation turned to drizzle at all elevations on the western slope and it rained all day, ruining the snow quality below 9000 ft. Total rainfall in Idyllwild was 0.38 inch.

Currently the USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. When the gate is closed there are nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (which still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent to be displayed). Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. If there are “Road Closed” signs further down at the junction with Forest Drive – as is often the case at weekends and holidays when snow is present – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

South Ridge Road (5S11) is also currently closed to vehicle traffic.

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. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are closed for the season. The State Park Stone Creek campground is also closed.

WEATHER

Conditions will remain very unsettled throughout the second and third weeks of January. Two significant further “atmospheric river” storm systems are forecast, on Tuesday 10th, and then again on Saturday 14th-Sunday 15th. 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. Relatively little snow is therefore expected throughout the mid elevations including Idyllwild.

Forecast models have a higher degree of confidence for the Tuesday storm than the storm next weekend. For both storms snow estimates for the highest elevations range from 10-15 inches, with perhaps only an inch of snow in Idyllwild following some rainfall. 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.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Friday 6th January 2023 at 0930 the air temperature was 25.7°F (-4°C), with a windchill temperature of 14.7°F (-10°C), 44% relative humidity, and a chilly NNW breeze sustained at 5 mph gusting to 10.6 mph.

At the Peak on Sunday 1st January 2023 at 0830 the air temperature was 17.9°F (-8°C), with a windchill temperature of -2.3°F (-19°C), 100% relative humidity, and a sharp WSW wind sustained at 11 mph gusting to 21.1 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 6500 ft are currently lightly, or above 7500 ft moderately, snow-covered.

Reliable tracks are in place (at least) for Devil’s Slide Trail. 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.

As discussed above, additional snowfall expected on 10th and 14th-16th January will further complicate the trail conditions.

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 icy snow. Although the snow is not currently particularly deep (10-12 inches) it is heavily drifted and has at least one ice layer underneath the fresh powder. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous and have been an area of multiple hiker fatalities in winter conditions in recent decades. Currently spikes at a minimum, and ideally crampons, with an ice axe (and knowledge of how to use it), are strongly recommended. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

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. On cold mornings the trail will be icy and some hikers will find spikes are useful, however on warmer days and afternoons spikes are not required.

SNOW DEPTHS measured on 6th January 2023 are as follows. The first number is the current average total snow depth at that location, followed in parentheses by the depth of fresh snow added by the latest storm on Thursday 5th. Since the depths given in the previous Report, there has been some melting at higher elevations which have been above the cloud at times, and below 7000 ft where temperatures have remained above freezing for several days. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting, often accumulating in the trails. Conversely in places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 22-24 inches (includes 6 inches added on 5th January)

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 15 inches (5 inches snow plus unknown quantity of rain on 5th)

Annie’s Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 17 inches (5 inches snow plus unknown quantity of rain on 5th)

Long Valley (8600 ft): 8 inches (2 inches on 5th)

Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 10 inches (2 inches snow plus unknown quantity of rain on 5th)

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 3-5 inches (1 inch snow plus >1.0 inch rain on 5th)

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0-1 inch (0.5 inch hail/sleet plus 1.04 inch rain on 5th).

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to cover costs. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

UPDATE Thursday 5th January 2023: We are just catching the southern edge of the highly-publicized storm currently passing through central California. By dusk today it had rained 0.68 inch in Idyllwild, and Long Valley had 1.5 inches of fresh snowfall. The system was generally very mild, with the freeze level near 8000 ft, but this is expected to drop overnight, by which time the precipitation will have largely passed. The next comprehensive update to the Report will hopefully be tomorrow evening, Friday 6th.

UPDATE Tuesday 3rd January 2023: Following another minor overnight snow storm – our fourth in the past week – Anabel and I briskly broke trail up Devil’s Slide to Saddle Junction early this morning. A short video summary of what we found is available here. 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. Current known total accumulations are 4 inches in Idyllwild, 6 inches at Devil’s Slide Trailhead, 9 inches at Saddle Junction, and 8 inches at Long Valley. 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. It continued to drizzle in Idyllwild all day, slowly accumulating to about 0.25 inch of rain.

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A positive start to the new year, this is a summary of conditions following the fifth Pacific storm (but only the third significant snowfall) of winter 2022/23 to impact the San Jacinto mountains. Forecasts indicate we will get a few more inches of snow overnight on 2nd-3rd January, and again on Thursday 5th January. The second week of January is expected to be relatively warm and sunny, so extensive melting will start, especially at mid elevations. Clearly conditions are expected to continue to change over the next week or two, so this summary is intentionally brief.

The storm started relatively mild, as might be expected from an “atmospheric river” system pulling moisture in from warmer latitudes, and as a result the freeze level was above 6500 ft for most of the storm, with rain as high as 9000 ft, before finally falling to about 5000 ft on the afternoon of Sunday 1st. 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 total snow accumulation was ultimately somewhat below prior forecasts, with San Jacinto Peak receiving about 9-10 inches overnight (rather than the 12-16 anticipated). However subsequent light snow on Sunday 1st improved the depths by another couple of inches.

As I snowshoed down past 9000 ft elevation it was clear from a layer of ice underfoot that after a light snowfall, there had been rain on top of snow, before it started snowing again on top of that Sunday morning. This makes for less than perfect snowshoeing conditions, but still preferable to postholing.

Conditions prior to this storm had been unsettled for several days, with a minor storm overnight on 27th-28th December. 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). There was a further 0.5 inch dusting of snow above 8000 ft on Thursday 29th (as I describe in this video). Conditions are forecast to remain very unsettled for the first week of January. At least two further minor storm systems are forecast, overnight into Tuesday 3rd January, and then again all day on Thursday 5th January, as described in more detail in the Weather section below.

Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail.

With at least two further snowfalls expected in the next few days, and strong winds in the high country expected for the next week causing substantial daily drifting of snow, much of the trail system will remain largely obscured by light to moderate snow until the second week of January. Consequently cautious navigation is recommended everywhere.

Snow depths are currently excellent for snowshoeing everywhere above about 8000 ft, potentially lower in places. This will continue to be the case for at least a week, given fresh snowfall expected. With compaction of the trails in the second week of January, snowshoes may steadily become less useful, however they will remain valuable for off-trail travel in the high country for the foreseeable future.

Spikes are currently useful throughout the trail system above about 5000 ft, potentially lower in places. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, mixed with slushy and icy patches. 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. Spikes tend to be especially useful for descending trails.

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 Devil’s Slide, Wellman, and Peak trails). There were posthole tracks heading south from Saddle Junction toward Chinquapin Flat. There is already a moderately traveled posthole track on Devil’s Slide Trail, and I was surprised to find that below 7000 ft some of the trail was already slushy simply due to relatively warm air temperatures as there was no direct sun.

Some general comments on snow/ice conditions. Time of day, temperature, and sun exposure all have significant impacts on the nature of the snow, in turn changing the conditions underfoot, and hence both the hiking difficulty and the preferred traction device (if any). These impacts are especially striking in Southern California mountains, where the sun is relatively potent even in midwinter and where even on the coldest days temperatures at mid elevations may fluctuate either side of freezing. A rapidly warming montane climate, with changes especially striking at high elevation, is exacerbating all of these issues.

Currently the snow is relatively powdery and benign; this will steadily change over the next few days and weeks. Note that temperatures fluctuating either side of freezing are forecast for both mid and upper elevations starting in a few days time. 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.

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).

Currently the USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. When the gate is closed there are still nine legal parking spaces this side of the locked gate (which still require an Adventure Pass or equivalent to be displayed). Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. If there are “Road Closed” signs further down – as was often the case last winter at weekends and holidays – then those nine spaces are also unavailable for legal parking.

South Ridge Road (5S11) is also currently closed to vehicle traffic.

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. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are closed for the season. The State Park Stone Creek campground is also closed.

WEATHER

Conditions remain very unsettled for the first week of January. At least two further minor storm systems are forecast, overnight on Monday 2nd into Tuesday 3rd, and then again all day on Thursday 5th. These storms are each expected to produce a further 4-6 inches of snow. However the Tuesday storm is forecast to be much colder, with a freeze level dropping to 5000 ft, with several of inches of snow therefore possible at the elevation of Idyllwild. The high country may be above the cloud for some of that storm, as only 2-3 inches are forecast for the high country. 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.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Sunday 1st January 2023 at 0830 the air temperature was 17.9°F (-8°C), with a windchill temperature of -2.3°F (-19°C), 100% relative humidity, and a sharp WSW wind sustained at 11 mph gusting to 21.1 mph.

At the Peak on Saturday 31st December 2022 at 1650 the air temperature was 24.9°F (-4°C), with a windchill temperature of 4.8°F (-15°C), 62% relative humidity, and a bitter WSW wind sustained at 18 mph gusting to 30.1 mph.

At the Peak on Thursday 29th December 2022 at 0910 the air temperature was 25.8°F (-3°C), with a windchill temperature of 7.2°F (-14°C), 81% relative humidity, and a harsh WNW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 25.4 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 5000 ft are currently lightly (or above 8000 ft, moderately) snow-covered.

Reliable tracks are in place (at least) for Devil’s Slide Trail. While my snowshoe track continues from Saddle Junctions through to San Jacinto Peak via Wellman Divide, this may rapidly become obscured by additional light snowfall and/or drifting snow from strong winds.

As discussed above, additional light snowfall on 3rd and 5th January will further complicate the trail conditions.

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 icy snow. Although the snow is not currently particularly deep (10-12 inches) it is heavily drifted and has an ice layer underneath the fresh powder. These icy slopes are notoriously treacherous. Currently spikes at a minimum, and ideally crampons, with an ice axe, are strongly recommended. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow.

SNOW DEPTHS measured on 1st January 2023 are as follows. The first number is the depth of fresh snow from this latest storm, followed in parentheses by the current total snow depth. Since the depths given in the previous Report, there had been very minor storms on 28th and 29th December, which added a couple of inches at the highest elevations, down to 0.5 inch at 8000 ft. However I was surprised to find almost all of this had melted by the time I hiked to San Jacinto Peak on 31st December. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying the storm there is extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. Conversely in some places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): storm total 12 inches (total depth 17-20 inches)

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 8 inches (total 9 inches)

Annie’s Junction/approx. PCT Mile 181.8 (9070 ft): 9-10 inches (total 11-12 inches)

Long Valley (8600 ft): 8 inches (8-9 inches)

Saddle Junction/approx. PCT Mile 179.9 (8070 ft): 8 inches (8-9 inches)

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 4 inches (total 4 inches)

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 3.5 inches (total 3.5 inch).

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to cover costs. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

UPDATE Sunday 1st January 2023: A moderate overnight storm produced 1.53 inches of rain in Idyllwild (at 5550ft). 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). However a couple more inches of snow are expected this afternoon, and also on 2nd and 5th January.

UPDATE Thursday 29th December: I have uploaded a video from my hike to San Jacinto Peak this morning (available here on YouTube) where I enjoyed a minor snow storm. Compacted trails – such as Devil’s Slide, Deer Springs, Marion Mountain, South Ridge – are extremely icy between 7400-8900 ft due to the rain yesterday which has now frozen. Spikes are strongly recommended. Between the dustings of snow yesterday and today, high country tracks are becoming obscured and cautious navigation is strongly advised. The forecasts are very unsettled for the next week, but significant snowfall arrives on Saturday 31st (12+ inches expected in the high country) and may continue on/off until Friday 6th January 2023, potentially totaling 2-3 feet above 10,000 ft elevation.

UPDATE Wednesday 28th December: the overnight rain storm produced 0.73 inch in Idyllwild (measured at 5550 ft) while Long Valley (8600 ft) led San Jacinto mountain locations in rainfall with 1.01 inch. Due to the very high freeze level snowfall was restricted to a light dusting above 8200 ft, increasing to one inch above 9000 ft and 1.5 inch above 10,000 ft. Impacts will be minimal on high country trails, but trails between 7000-9000 ft with pre-existing snow may be a mix of slush, snow and ice, and will require some caution.

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The holiday weekend had temperatures far above seasonal until Tuesday 27th. Such unseasonably warm temperatures led to rapid snow melt everywhere, despite the low sun angle at this time of year, while in many areas freeze/thaw cycles have resulted in icy trails and roads especially in the early mornings.

Such warm conditions will soon be a distant memory. Multiple “atmospheric river” storm systems are forecast to bring very unsettled weather to the San Jacinto mountains starting Tuesday 27th December, lasting well into the first week of January. While these are expected to bring significant precipitation throughout the state, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding timing and precipitation amounts for Southern California.

A key feature of this sequence of storms will be the relative warmth of the air masses which will lead to high freeze levels. 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.

Current forecasts for precipitation suggest as much as three inches of rain around the elevation of Idyllwild (5000-6000 ft) between the evening of Tuesday 27th December 2022 and Friday 6th January 2023. Forecasts for snowfall have varied greatly in both timing and volume, the latter ranging from inches to feet.

The first storm system comes through overnight on Tuesday 27th, with precipitation continuing into the morning of Wednesday 28th. Up to one inch of rain is forecast at mid elevations, but with only a couple of inches of snow likely around the highest peaks as the high country may be above the cloud for some of the storm. The freeze level will initially be above 10,000 ft, ultimately only falling to about 9000 ft, so many of the main access trails to the high country may get no new snowfall.

The second system may be more substantial, with precipitation expected most of the day and night of Saturday 31st December into Sunday 1st January. The freeze level will again start very high, but is forecast to fall lower, with the possibility of a light dusting of snow down to about 5500 ft. Another inch of rain is forecast for mid elevations, but a heavier snowfall is expected in the high country, with predictions ranging from 8-20 inches above 10,000 ft.

Further precipitation is tentatively forecast for 3rd-6th January, but amounts, timing, and freeze levels remain uncertain this far ahead. Again the freeze levels may be relatively high, with little more than an inch or two of snow likely below 6000 ft, a forecast 2-6 inches of fresh snowfall in the high country scattered across two or more days, and roughly 0.5-1.0 inch of rain (perhaps mainly freezing rain) throughout the mid elevations.

Recent hikes have included the high peaks (>10,000 ft) 2-4 times per week by various routes, Tahquitz Peak and area 1-2 times per week, South Ridge, Spitler Peak, and Marion Mountain trails, and May Valley Road and Indian Mountain Truck Trail.

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. There I generally put on Kahtoola microspikes for the descent. On 22nd for example I wore spikes down to about 7500 ft on Marion Mountain Trail, while on 27th I wore spikes down the Peak and Wellman trails and PCT down to 9000 ft.

Although good tracks are now in place for most major trails (details below), cautious navigation is recommended everywhere. 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.

Snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. Very shallow snow is often icy and potentially perilous, while deeper powder can actually be much safer, albeit slow-going for hiking. Snow depths are expected to change multiple times over the next ten days due to mixed precipitation, including even possibly loss of snow at mid elevations due to rainfall.

Spikes are currently recommended throughout the trail system above about 7500 ft. 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). Spikes are expected to remain extremely useful over the next few weeks given the unpredictable weather. They tend to be especially valuable for descending trails.

Snowshoes are currently not required on the established trail system, which is now too heavily traveled and compacted for snowshoes. However they remain valuable for off-trail travel at elevations above about 9000 ft (potentially lower in places). Snowshoes are likely to become useful (even essential in early January), at least above about 9000 ft, if there is significant snowfall during the coming week or so as forecast.

Hikers should be prepared for temperatures below freezing in the high country, and generally far freezing when considering wind chill effects.

The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. 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). Vehicles not parked in these spaces have been ticketed and/or towed. 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.

South Ridge Road (5S11) remains closed to vehicle traffic. On 24th the road had about 30% patchy ice cover.

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. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin, and the State Park campground at Stone Creek, are closed for the season.

WEATHER

The strange rollercoaster ride that has been winter 2022/23 so far will continue for the foreseeable future. Multiple mild storm systems are forecast to bring extremely unsettled weather to the San Jacinto mountains starting Tuesday 27th December, lasting well into the first week of January. Latest details are given in the introduction above. Rainfall may continue at mid elevations potentially for several consecutive days, and the relative warmth of the air masses may produce rain and/or freezing rain as high as San Jacinto Peak, challenging layers of icy or mixed snow/ice conditions at all elevations, and perhaps melting of much preexisting snow below about 8000 ft.

Current forecasts for precipitation suggest as much as three inches of rain around the elevation of Idyllwild (5000-6000 ft) between the afternoon of Tuesday 27th December 2022 and Wednesday 4th January 2023. Regarding snowfall, the high country may be above the cloud at times, with dustings of snow above about 7000 ft across much of the nine day period, but with the highest probability for a heavy snowfall on Saturday 31st December, totaling 8-15 inches.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Tuesday 27th December 2022 at 0850 the air temperature was 31.2°F (-1°C), with a windchill temperature of 15.1°F (-9°C), 31% relative humidity, and a sharp WSW wind sustained at 17 mph gusting to 26.1 mph.

At the Peak on Thursday 22nd December 2022 at 0910 the air temperature was 39.9°F (4°C), with a windchill temperature of 30.4°F (-1°C), 13% relative humidity, and a light WNW wind sustained at 9 mph gusting to 13.8 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 19th December 2022 at 0920 the air temperature was 31.3°F (0°C), with a windchill temperature of 20.7°F (-6°C), 9% relative humidity, and a gentle WNW wind sustained at 5 mph gusting to 9.9 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

All trails above about 7500 ft remain lightly snow-covered. However, relatively well-traveled tracks are now in place for most major trails (details below). These conditions are expected to change significantly over the next ten days due to the highly unsettled weather forecast into early January.

The Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail is largely clear of icy snow, with a few patches remaining, mostly close to Humber Park.

Devil’s 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. Spikes are recommended.

The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between Chinquapin Flat/PCT and Tahquitz Peak has a lightly traveled posthole track to follow through the drifted powder. Although not essential in the moderate depth powder, spikes are strongly recommended and many hikers will find them useful especially for descending. Hikers who have an ice axe (and know how to use it) may find it useful in places on this short section of trail. 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.

For about one mile north of Saddle Junction, snow cover is only a patchy 30% on the sun exposed slope (“Angel’s Glide”) and then averages about 50% on the Wellman Trail, but then icy snow cover is about 95% on the Peak Trail to San Jacinto Peak. However the route is now well-traveled and compacted.

There is a lightly traveled compacted snowshoe track on the East Ridge between Miller Peak and San Jacinto Peak but it does not accurately follow the route of the East Ridge Trail.

There is a compacted, well-traveled track on continuous light icy snow from Long Valley/Tram to Wellman Divide.

Skyline Trail has a good track to follow through very thin and patchy icy snow above about 7200 ft (the Traverse to Grubb’s Notch). Some hikers will find spikes preferable.

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). To Tahquitz Peak snow cover averages about 40%, alternating on the 18 switchbacks between those that are largely clear (south-facing) and those that are largely snow-covered (north-facing). There is a well-traveled track to follow through the very light and patchy 1-3 inches of icy snow. Spikes are not generally required for ascending, but most hikers will find them useful for descending.

Deer Springs Trail [updated 22nd December] has an accurate track to follow all the way to San Jacinto Peak as I broke trail the entire way down to the Suicide Rock Trail junction on 15th December. 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. 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. 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. Spikes are recommended, at least for descending. A few cleared patches are developing below 7000 ft.

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.

Spitler Peak Trail is now functionally clear of snow. There is a very visible boot track – through light snow in places in its upper switchbacks – to the PCT.

SNOW DEPTHS measured on 22nd-27th December 2022 are as follows. The first number is the current total snow depth, followed in parentheses by the greatest depth of the winter to date following the latest storm on 11th-12th December. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds accompanying the storm there is extensive drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. Conversely in some places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Altitudes are approximate.

San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 6-8 inches (12-14 inches on 12th December)

Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 8 inches (10-12 inches on 12th December)

Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 0-2 inches (7 inches on 12th December)

Annie’s Junction/approx. PCT Mile 181.8 (9070 ft): 2-3 inches (5.5 inches on 12th December)

Marion Mountain Trail at junction with PCT (8700 ft): 3-4 inches (6 inches on 12th December)

Long Valley (8600 ft): 1-2 inches (5-6 inches on 12th December)

Strawberry Junction (8100 ft): 0-1 inches (4 inches on 12th December)

Saddle Junction/approx. PCT Mile 179.9 (8070 ft): 0-1 inch (4 inches on 12th December)

Devil’s Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 0 inch (3.5 inches on 12th December)

Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0 inch (3.0 inches on 12th December).

Thank you for taking the time to read this. While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to cover costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges and 2022 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.