With no storms passing close to our area this month, there continues to be no settled snow in the San Jacinto high country, by far the latest into a winter in recorded history without snow in these mountains. We are not alone in this predicament. Rainfall for almost all of Riverside County is only 5% of average for the current water year (i.e. since 1st October). San Diego is experiencing its 7th driest water year to date, in a sample size of 174 years (since 1850; NWS data in video report linked here).
At San Jacinto Peak on the afternoon of Thursday 12th winds from the west (as a storm system passed through central California) were not as strong as expected, but still generated some impressive cloud formations (video and photo below), and a few tiny snowflakes flew by.
Temperatures are now forecast to be well above seasonal for the remainder of December. Frankly it was remarkable to be sat at San Jacinto Peak on the morning of Thursday 19th in mild conditions with an air temperature of 44°F – far above seasonal for mid December – and (for me) completely comfortable in just a shirt and shorts.
Another storm is forecast to pass by largely to the north on 24th-25th December, bringing strong winds to the high country and cooler temperatures to all elevations. At this time very limited precipitation is forecast.
Survey hikes by the Trail Report every day of the year in the San Jacinto mountains include varied and often circuitous routes throughout the high peaks including San Jacinto Peak averaging 2-3 times per week, Tahquitz Peak weekly, plus a wide variety of other trails on intervening days.
Unusual recent weather – warm and dry so late in the year – has led to an exceptionally active tick season. Some trails are predictably tick-prone, such as Cedar Springs Trail where the lower section currently has cattle ranging on and near the trail, and hence wood ticks (genus Dermacentor) are abundant. Even trails such as South Ridge, Ernie Maxwell, and lower Deer Springs Trail are producing multiple tick encounters (deer ticks, Ixodes, appropriately enough). Hikers with dogs in particular should take necessary precautions and check thoroughly for ticks post-hike.
Despite a failed monsoon earlier this year and below-average precipitation both last winter and – obviously – so far this season, major springs, creeks, and pipes largely continue to flow at this time (example photos below and in previous Report linked here). The Round Valley faucet continued to flow well as of 16th December. In the Tahquitz area meadows, the Tahquitz Valley pipe (for those who know where it is) continues to flow very well. Tahquitz Creek is flowing at the northern end of Little Tahquitz Meadow, and near its source where it crosses the PCT at Mile 177. Strawberry Cienega is functionally dry. Stone Creek is no longer flowing where it crosses Deer Springs Trail at about PCT Mile 183.6, and has dried downstream of that point. Bud Spring near 9900 ft (just north-west of Marion Mountain) is still flowing steadily. Cedar Spring is flowing well for the time of year.
WEATHER
Temperatures were well above average for the first week of December, fluctuated either side of seasonal for the second week, and are now forecast to be well above seasonal yet again at all elevations almost daily for the remainder of December. Temperatures drop to near seasonal on Wednesday 25th, but windchills may be well below freezing at higher elevations on Tuesday 24th.
Most days for the foreseeable future will be at least partly cloudy. The next storm probably passing largely to our north is expected to produce strong mountain winds and lower temperatures on 24th-25th December. Some very light precipitation is possible at all elevations, but it is expected to be mild enough to rain even around the highest peaks.
Strong winds are currently forecast for the high country on 24th and most days from 26th-31st December. Even though much of December 2024 has been unusually mild, air temperatures are often near freezing above 10,000 ft, and strong winds (>20 mph) greatly influence the feel of temperatures and hence associated risks. At this time of year, hikers should always be prepared for winter temperatures in the high country regardless of forecasts and/or how mild it may feel at trailheads (see my sample Peak weather observations below).
The latest video weather review from NWS San Diego released on Monday 16th (linked here) does not suggest an encouraging outlook for precipitation for the remainder of December.
At San Jacinto Peak (3295m/10,810ft) on Thursday 19th December 2024 at 0805 the air temperature was 44.1°F (8°C), with a windchill temperature of 34.0°F (1°C), 33% relative humidity, and a moderate SE wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 13.8 mph.
At the Peak on Monday 16th December 2024 at 0820 the air temperature was 42.0°F (6°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 38.6°F (4°C), 12% relative humidity, and a barely discernable WNW breeze sustained at 1 mph gusting to 3.7 mph.
At the Peak on Friday 13th December 2024 at 0920 the air temperature was 30.8°F (-1°C), with a windchill temperature of 12.6°F (-11°C), 28% relative humidity, and a stiff NW wind sustained at 17 mph gusting to 31.3 mph.
At the Peak on Thursday 12th December 2024 at 1300 the air temperature was 24.0°F (-5°C), with a windchill temperature of 3.7°F (-16°C), 25% relative humidity, and a frigid WSW wind sustained at 20 mph gusting to 27.6 mph.
TRAIL CONDITIONS
There is currently no settled snow anywhere in the San Jacinto mountains (sadly for the first time in recorded history this far into December).
Treefall hazards remain a significant problem along parts of the Pacific Crest Trail, most notably between Antsell Rock and South Peak. Some 56 trees are down across the trail between PCT Miles 170.5-174, with 37 of these, including several serious obstructions that make for slow-going, between Miles 172.5-174 (around and immediately south of South Peak). A further nine smaller obstructions are down from Miles 168.5-170.5 (Spitler Peak Trail to Zen Center Trail). Significant sections of Miles 168.5-175 are also badly overgrown with brush and are in urgent need of major trimming work (surveyed late November 2024).
On the Fuller Ridge Trail section of the PCT there are 12 trees down on the State Park section of the trail (Miles 185.5-189), which has not been maintained by that agency for many years. Several of these pose quite significant hazards for hikers. On the Forest Service section (Miles 189.3-190.5) five significant treefall hazards have been removed by USFS in the past month.
Trees down on the Strawberry Trail section of the PCT (Miles 180.8-183, Annie’s Junction to Strawberry Junction) have remained uncut by the Forest Service for nearly a decade. About six hazards on this section are thankfully all relatively easy for hikers to negotiate.
The Trail Report heavily trimmed the Wellman Trail in September-December 2024.
About 12 treefall hazards on Deer Springs Trail include 8-9 in the upper trail that have been down and reported repeatedly for nearly a decade but with no action from the State Park. All but two of the treefall hazards down between Strawberry Junction and the top of Marion Mountain Trail (roughly PCT Miles 183-185) were removed by the Trail Report in late June.
Willow Creek Trail is nearing its 2020 condition, the last time the original trail route was fully cleared and passable. Almost all significant treefall hazards on the Forest Service section were cut by mid August (several uncut trees remain that need to be removed to fully restore the original trail route). Whitethorn trimming was largely completed, mainly by volunteers, on the Forest Service side in August and early September. On the State Park side some localized whitethorn trimming of the worst patches was undertaken in September, and the minor treefall hazards new in 2023/24 were removed, leaving just two major long term downed trees (both have simple workarounds for hikers).
The 34 treefall hazards that came down across Spitler Peak Trail during ice storms earlier in 2024 were cleared by the Trail Report in June, with three further trees more recently removed. This brings to at least 123 the total number of downed trees removed by the Report from this trail in recent years. While another round of brush trimming work is required, in general the trail is currently in its best condition for more than a year. Spitler Creek continues to flow gently at its various crossings in the upper switchbacks (photo below), but Antsell Rock Creek adjacent to the trailhead has been dry for a couple of months.
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 an app). An informal use trail to Laws is much more direct, 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 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). Eleven trees down on the King Trail were removed in June-July 2023. The tread of the trail received some damage from Tropical Storm Hilary last year. 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 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.
The Trail Report “adopted” Seven Pines Trail as a priority for maintenance work as the trail had a disproportionate number of lost hiker rescues in the past decade, and both State Park and Forest Service have shown no interest in maintaining the route for years. Since 2020 we have removed 75 downed trees and the trail is thoroughly trimmed and cleared multiple times annually. As of September 2024 the trail is largely clear of treefall hazards, with three down across the trail in its upper section, all easily passable for hikers. A further half-a-dozen downed trees close to the PCT junction would need to be removed to fully restore the original route of the trail. Although the condition of the trail is hugely improved, Seven Pines remains a genuine wilderness trail unlike the wider, bare, 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. Be aware in particular that Seven Pines Trail becomes most obscure in the mile closest to its junction with Deer Springs Trail/PCT.
The Zen Center Trail continues its serious deterioration that started following the 2013 Mountain Fire, with a combination of vigorous regrowth and treefall hazards further obscuring the route with each passing season. The lower and upper thirds of this trail are partially cairned and not too bad for those who are very familiar with the former route, but even the experienced find navigating the central section tricky. Long trousers, scrambling gloves, and an enjoyment of bush-whacking are all strongly recommended.
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