Trail update 20th October 2023

The pattern of temperatures that has characterized this October – fluctuating from a few days of summer-like warmth to almost wintery days and back again – is forecast to continue. Current above average temperatures will continue until Friday 20th, before dropping markedly to near- or below-average next week (23rd-27th October at least). There is a slim possibility of light precipitation on Monday 23rd.

Daily survey hikes in the San Jacinto mountains include several different routes to/from San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 11th, 17th, and 20th October, plus many other trails on intervening days. Recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given in the Weather section below. The minor snowfall on the afternoon of Saturday 30th September completely melted within days.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs are generally flowing remarkably well for the time of year, given the intensity of last winter, plus additional inputs from Tropical Storm Hilary in August, and the light rain and snow on 30th September (see example photos below). Consequently there has been no need to report water details for specific locations this year. The year had already seen the most water on the mountain since at least 1998 (following the great El Niño winter of 1997/98).

Given the intensity of last winter, and the additional wind and rain of Tropical Storm Hilary that passed directly over the San Jacinto mountains on 19th-20th August (as described here), hikers should anticipate encountering treefall hazards, minor washouts and significant debris on trails, as summarized in Trail Conditions below.

Be bear aware. Although rarely reported, up to three Black Bears have been in the San Jacinto mountains since 2017. As I descended upper Marion Mountain Trail at about 8250 ft elevation late morning (0948) on 14th September 2023 I had an excellent sighting, initially in the open at 40-50 metres, of what may have been the same very large (>250lb) dark brown individual with a white chest blaze that I had previously seen on Devil’s Slide Trail in July 2022 and September 2021 (a poor quality video from the latter observation is available here).

Be rattlesnake aware. Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes Crotalus (oreganus) helleri may continue to be active on the trail system during warmer weather, such as that forecast up to about 21st October. Above about 5000 ft, the venom of this rattlesnake species in the San Jacinto mountains is predominantly neurotoxic, almost always fatal for dogs and sometimes for humans (see my 2020 article here). Sightings are most frequent on Devil’s Slide and lower Deer Springs trails, and near Strawberry Cienega, Suicide Rock, and Tahquitz Peak.

Black Mountain Road (4S01) was in its poorest condition for at least a decade this spring. The partial grading undertaken on 17th July improved the situation somewhat, but it remained a bumpy drive that deteriorated further following Tropical Storm Hilary. Dark Canyon Road (4S02) remains closed indefinitely.

South Ridge Road (5S11) was fully graded around 15th October but remains closed to vehicles. Humber Park reopened on Saturday 14th October, having been closed since Sunday 1st October due to major road work on uppermost Fern Valley Road.

WEATHER

Temperatures in October continue to swing wildly from almost wintery to summer-like, and back again. The minor heatwave of 5th-9th October was followed by cool seasonal temperatures on 11th-13th. Another heatwave is forecast for 15th-20th, with temperatures generally about 10°F above seasonal, and overnight low temperatures in particular 10-15°F above average for October at mid elevations (e.g., Idyllwild). Temperatures will then drop markedly, and on 23rd-27th October (at least) will be near or even below average for late October. There is a slim possibility for light wintry precipitation on Monday 23rd.

Air temperatures above 10,000 ft elevation are now typically in the 40s Fahrenheit (5-10°C) with windchill temperatures around freezing, depending on wind speed. Starting Monday 23rd October air temperatures at these elevations will be in the 30s Fahrenheit (0-5°C), with windchill temperatures below freezing.

At San Jacinto Peak (3295m/10,810ft) on Friday 20th October 2023 at 0820 the air temperature was 46.4°F (8°C), with a windchill temperature of 40.8°F (5°C), 43% relative humidity, and a light NW wind sustained at 3 mph gusting to 8.4 mph.

At the Peak on Tuesday 17th October 2023 at 0805 the air temperature was 49.1°F (9°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 46.6°F (8°C), 12% relative humidity, and a very light NNE wind sustained at 2 mph gusting to 4.0 mph.

At the Peak on Wednesday 11th October 2023 at 0440 the air temperature was 41.6°F (5°C), with a windchill temperature of 29.5°F (-1°C), 14% relative humidity, and a fresh NW wind sustained at 15 mph gusting to 29.4 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The very light snow that fell on Saturday 30th September above 9000 ft elevation has melted.

Tropical Storm Hilary in late August resulted in many minor washouts across the trail system, considerable treefall debris – branches, cones, sticks – in the trails, and water flowing across and in the trails. Damage could have been much worse, and few problems are challenging for hikers. Most trails have one or two new treefall hazards, and only Willow Creek and Fuller Ridge trails were more significantly impacted.

The rough route cleared along Willow Creek Trail in early August remarkably lasted only two weeks before Tropical Storm Hilary brought down 19 new treefall hazards. Seven of these are on the Forest Service section, including one huge trunk just east of Willow Creek that some hikers will find challenging to pass. Of the 12 on the State Park section, eight have already been cut; there is now a cleared route from Long Valley to Hidden Divide, but four remain uncut between the divide and the Forest Service boundary. The whitethorn trimming is inconsistent and scrappy but overall the trail is more passable than in July. Eight trees – of the 60+ down after last winter – remain to be cut on the USFS section for the original trail route to be fully restored, but that is unlikely to happen soon, if ever.

Fuller Ridge Trail (PCT Miles 185.5-190.5) has 11 treefall hazards, several of which are large and challenging to pass. The Forest Service section (Miles 189-190.5) was largely cleared and thoroughly raked in September, and is in its best condition for a decade. However the huge double treefall just 0.35 mile from the campground remains (photo below). Sadly the State Park section (Miles 185.5-189) remains a mess, with considerable debris remaining from the winter and recent storms, including nine significant treefall hazards.

Deer Springs Trail has about 17 significant treefall hazards below the Fuller Ridge Trail junction remaining from the winter. Water is flowing very well in Little Round Valley and in all of the springs and creeks along the Deer Springs Trail route. Almost all of the 12 downed trees above Fuller Ridge on Deer Springs Trail date back 5-10 years and have been reported to the State Park multiple times.

Trails around the Skunk Cabbage and Tahquitz area meadows have some significant treefall hazards remaining from last winter (resurveyed early October 2023). There are six on the PCT section north from near Mile 177 (the crossing of Tahquitz Creek) to Saddle Junction (roughly Mile 179.3), three on each side of Chinquapin Flat. There are four significant treefalls, including a couple that are not easy to pass, on the Little Tahquitz Meadow trail between the Caramba Trail and the PCT junction.

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 has been undertaken regularly. No significant new treefall hazards resulted from Tropical Storm Hilary on this trail. South Ridge Road remains closed to vehicle traffic and is not now expected to reopen until 2024. Eleven of 13 downed trees were removed 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 five notable treefall hazards in the State Park (upper) half. One new large stump came down in Hilary low down on the Forest Service section, but it is easy to pass.

Of seven new treefall hazards on Spitler Peak Trail caused by Tropical Storm Hilary, the Trail Report removed five in early October (the couple that remain are at about head height and can be easily passed under). This brings to 90 the number of trees removed from this trail since July 2021 by the Trail Report. 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.

Elsewhere on the PCT 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. This section has not yet been resurveyed since T. S. Hilary. 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. The tread of the trail received some minor damage from Tropical Storm Hilary. 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 August 2023 survey counted about 110 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 largely clear of treefall hazards. Five new trees came down across the trail in Tropical Storm Hilary, all in the central mile, but they are readily passable for hikers. Be advised that the trail in general becomes more obscure in the mile closest to its junction with the PCT. 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, about 70 downed trees have been removed and the trail is thoroughly trimmed and cleared several times per year. 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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