Trail and weather update 9th August 2023

A near-record-long heatwave for the San Jacinto mountains lasting most of July was finally broken by humid, monsoonal conditions starting on Monday 31st. Prior to that, 16 days out of 17 between 14th-30th July had recorded high temperatures at or above 90°F in Idyllwild, with 21 consecutive days at or above 56°F overnight since 11th July (seasonal average high and low temperatures for Idyllwild in July are 85°F and 55°F, respectively).

Pleasant monsoon conditions on 31st July and 1st August produced between 0.22-0.64 inch of rain at mid and upper elevations depending on location (details in Weather section below). Dust-free trails and damp bracken made for a few days of delightful hiking. Humid, cloudy weather on 8th-9th August produced only trace amounts of drizzle, but monsoon rain is possible on any day from 11th-15th.

Following another brief heatwave on 5th-6th August, temperatures are below seasonal for a few days, prior to again heating to above average starting around 15th August.

Hikers in summer should be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions in the high country. Monsoon thunderstorms are always a possibility, although none are currently forecast in the next week or so. Lightning, brief but intense precipitation, and rapid temperature drops can occur in the high country even when such storms are not forecast for lower elevations.

Despite some cooler, cloudy days, hikers should also be prepared for unseasonably hot weather in the high country. Give considerable extra thought to route choice, start times, clothing, sun protection, and hydration requirements.

The trail system has been clear of snow since mid July. Daily survey hikes include a variety of routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 4th, 7th, and 9th August, plus a wide variety of other trails on intervening days. A sample of my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak is given in the Weather section below.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs are generally flowing very well (see example photos below). Consequently I am not reporting details for specific locations at this time. Given periodic hot temperatures and record low humidity in recent weeks, this situation will start changing in August. To date this summer has seen the most water on the mountain since 1998 (following the great El Niño winter of 1997/98).

Given the intensity of this past winter, hikers should expect to encounter new treefall hazards on trails. Trails are slowly being cleared, largely by volunteers, as described in Trail Conditions below.

Be rattlesnake aware. Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes Crotalus (oreganus) helleri are active on the trail system up to 9300 ft elevation. Above about 5000 ft, the venom of this rattlesnake species in the San Jacinto mountains is predominantly neurotoxic, typically fatal for dogs and potentially for humans (see my 2020 article here for further information). Devil’s Slide and lower Deer Springs trails, Suicide Rock, around Strawberry Cienega, and trails near Tahquitz Peak are common locations for sightings.

Black Mountain Road (4S01) was in its poorest condition for at least a decade this spring. The partial grading undertaken on 17th July has improved the situation somewhat. Forest Service roads Dark Canyon Road (4S02) and South Ridge Road (5S11) remain closed to vehicles. Other than Dark Canyon campground and the South Ridge yellow post sites, all Forest and State camping areas have reopened.

The annual maintenance closure of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is scheduled for 7th-31st August 2023, a month earlier than usual, as described here.

Due to major road work at the uppermost end of Fern Valley Road, Humber Park parking area will be completely closed to all traffic for two weeks in October 2023 (exact dates currently unknown). In general be prepared for disruption accessing trailheads around Idyllwild throughout August-October due to resurfacing work on North Circle Drive, South Circle Drive, and Fern Valley Road, and on lower Saunders Meadow Road in early August.

WEATHER

Daytime high temperatures across the entire month of July averaged 5.1°F above seasonal in Idyllwild, a dramatic contrast to the six consecutive months of below average temperatures that started 2023. Almost the entire final three weeks of July were in an unusually protracted heatwave, as described in the introduction above.

A couple of days of pleasant monsoon conditions on 31st July and 1st August produced a total of 0.34 inch of rain in Idyllwild at 5550 ft (0.08 inch on 31st, 0.26 inch on 1st) and 0.22 inch at San Jacinto Peak (0.10 inch on 31st, 0.12 inch on 1st). Combined totals for the two days were 0.64 inch at Wellman’s Cienega (9300 ft) and 0.60 inch at Saddle Junction (8100 ft).

Clear, largely sunny, but generally not hot, weather is forecast for this week. Following the brief two day heatwave on 5th-6th August, temperatures will be near or below seasonal until further significant heating is forecast starting Tuesday 15th August. There is the possibility of significant monsoonal precipitation on Sunday 13th. Fire risk remains very high.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Wednesday 9th August 2023 at 0740 the air temperature was 50.9°F (10°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 46.2°F (8°C), 66% relative humidity, and a light WSW wind sustained at 4 mph gusting to 8.8 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 7th August 2023 at 0825 the air temperature was 55.3°F (13°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 48.1°F (9°C), 7% relative humidity, and a gusty WSW wind sustained at 10 mph gusting to 19.5 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 4th August 2023 at 0730 the air temperature was 56.3°F (13°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 55.4°F (12°C), 9% relative humidity, and a very light due West breeze sustained at 2 mph gusting to 3.6 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The trail system is clear of snow. Despite my optimistic predictions earlier in the summer, no snow patches quite survived on or near the trail system into August, with the last few on the East Ridge of San Jacinto Peak finally melting in the last week of July. A couple of narrow icy snow patches remain in the upper reaches of the Snow Creek drainage into the second week of August.

Deer Springs Trail has about 15 significant treefall hazards. Little Round Valley is now completely clear of snow. Water is flowing very well there and in all of the springs and creeks along the Deer Springs Trail route (sample photos below).

Trails around the Skunk Cabbage and Tahquitz area meadows have significant treefall hazards throughout. There are seven treefall hazards across the trails between Little Tahquitz Meadow and Chinquapin Flat and another two down on the trail south from Saddle Junction to Chinquapin Flat.

After three years of neglect by the Forest Service, Willow Creek Trail has finally had a continuous route cleared through by a combination of State Park workers and contractors plus volunteers from several organizations, including the Trail Report. In several areas the whitethorn trimming work has been done poorly and the trail remains scrappy, but at least it is readily passable (photo below). Of the 68 treefall hazards that were across the trail following the winter, about eight remain to be cut for the original course of the trail to be fully restored, but that is unlikely to happen anytime soon, if ever.

Fourteen treefall hazards from this past winter on South Ridge Trail (above the trailhead at the top of South Ridge Road) were removed by the Trail Report in May, and trail trimming on that section is undertaken regularly. South Ridge Road remains closed to vehicle traffic and is not expected to reopen until graded, possibly not until August. Eleven of 13 downed trees were removed by volunteers from the middle section of South Ridge Trail (between May Valley Road and the top of South Ridge Road) on 15th July.

Marion Mountain Trail has four notable new treefall hazards in the State Park (upper) half.

The Trail Report removed all 38 treefall hazards from Spitler Peak Trail between late May and early June this year, bringing the total removed to 85+ since July 2021. Several minor washouts from this past winter in the upper switchbacks have significantly impacted the tread in places; these are not problematic for hikers, but the trail is impassable to stock.

The PCT is clear of snow throughout the San Jacinto mountains but treefall hazards remain a problem in many places, most notably between Apache Peak and Red Tahquitz, where I counted 106 between Miles 169-175 in June 2023. Large downed trees make for especially slow-going around Miles 172-175 (a section severely burned in the July 2013 Mountain Fire).

The Caramba Trail from near Reeds Meadow through Laws Camp and on to Caramba, and the Cedar Trail from Willow Creek Trail to Laws, are euphemistically described by the Forest Service as “not maintained”. In reality both trails have been abandoned and functionally no longer exist. They are so heavily overgrown with dense whitethorn, which obscures dozens of downed trees, that I strongly advise hikers do not attempt to follow them (regardless of how much you may trust a certain app). An informal use trail to Laws is much more direct, well maintained, and avoids the challenging bushwhacking of the unmaintained trails (local Idyllwild hikers dubbed it the “King Trail” when I established the route in 2019). It leaves Willow Creek Trail exactly 1.0 mile from Saddle Junction, 0.46 mile from the Skunk Cabbage turning (trailhead at lat/long N 33.7796, W 116.6590). The route descends largely following established deer trails for 1.2 miles, meeting Willow Creek about 0.2 mile upstream from the site of the historic Laws Camp (the remains of which were destroyed by the 2013 Mountain Fire and subsequent flood and treefall damage). The 11 trees down on the King Trail after this winter were removed in June-July 2023. From Laws east to Caramba the route of the original Caramba Trail has been well-cairned by myself and others and can largely be followed with very careful route-finding. My May 2023 survey counted just over 100 trees down on this 2.1 miles of trail. It is especially obscure for the first 0.3 mile east of the Willow Creek crossing, becoming more obvious (but still subtle) as it descends towards Caramba. Very cautious navigation is advised throughout the area.

Seven Pines Trail is clear of treefall hazards for about three miles of its 3.7 miles length. The Trail Report has “adopted” Seven Pines Trail as a priority for maintenance work as the trail has had a disproportionate number of lost hiker rescues in the past decade. Since November 2021, 67 downed trees have been removed and almost the entire trail thoroughly trimmed and cleared. Nevertheless Seven Pines remains a genuine wilderness trail unlike the relatively wide, bare, and obvious routes of, for example, Devil’s Slide or Marion Mountain trails. Cautious navigation remains essential for those without considerable experience of hiking this trail.

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