This morning we ran/hiked to San Jacinto Peak from Humber Park via Wellman Divide, returning via Deer Springs Trail and the PCT southbound back around to Devils Slide Trail. The main focus today was the status of springs and creeks.
Trails All evidence of the snow of 2nd May is long gone, and virtually no snow remains from earlier in the year either. All trails are completely clear of snow. At San Jacinto Peak there is no snow cover (except some limited patches on the north face). The eastern slope between San Jacinto and Miller peaks has only a few tiny patches of snow, and the East Ridge Trail is now clear.
Water resources along the PCT (and elsewhere) are already flowing relatively poorly. The flow rates of many of the “perennial” springs are reminiscent of late summer.
The North Fork of the San Jacinto River is flowing well both where it crosses the Deer Springs Trail above Fuller Ridge, and where it crosses the Fuller Ridge Trail on the PCT (approx. PCT Mile 186.2). [For northbound thru-hikers, the latter is the crucial refill point before a section of 22.5 miles with no water.]
O’Sullivan Creek (PCT Mile 186.4) on Fuller Ridge Trail is completely dry.
The spring in the creek in Little Round Valley is only a trickle for about 10 yards just above the crossing for Campsite 2 (Owls Hootch).
The Deer Springs stream crossing at the PCT (approx. PCT mile 185.6) is now dry, and even the tiny pools just upstream (and downstream) of the trail are drying rapidly. [PCT thru hikers note: almost all PCT guides and apps confuse the Deer Springs crossing with the North Fork of the San Jacinto River. The latter is another 0.5 miles further north on the Fuller Ridge Trail, and is flowing well.]
The little spring in the rock crack at Strawberry Cienega (PCT mile 183.0) continues to flow well.
Both the northern and southern springs at Wellman’s Cienega are flowing well, but flow rates are very low for May.
San Jacinto Trail Report 