Trail update 4th May 2025

UPDATE Tuesday 6th May 2025: We returned to San Jacinto Peak this morning, and as anticipated, almost all the snow from yesterday is gone. Although a patchy thin covering remains in sheltered areas above 9900 ft, most trails have already cleared, and those that haven’t will be functionally clear of new snow in the next 24 hours. Consequently, conditions as described below from prior to 4th May are now functionally accurate again. Spikes are not required anywhere, although some hikers may find them useful in places, as described under Trail Conditions.

UPDATE Monday 5th May 2025: the minor snow storm yesterday evening and overnight was more significant than forecast, with two inches of snow above 9000 ft, three inches at 10,000 ft, and nearly four inches at San Jacinto Peak. Idyllwild recorded 0.18 inch of rain. I broke trail this morning via the Wellman and Peak trails, and recorded a short video from the Peak (linked here). Below 9000 ft the snow barely settled, trails are still readily visible, and no additional traction devices are required. PCT hikers remaining on the trail (i.e. not going up to the Peak) will not find navigation is significantly impacted. Conditions will change dramatically again in the next 1-2 days with temperatures climbing very rapidly, and trail conditions will quickly return to those described below.

UPDATE Sunday 4th May 2025: An extremely rare combination of weather phenomena is impacting the San Jacinto mountains today. A thick marine cloud layer up to 8000 ft – obviously coming in form the west – is covering the west slope (not in itself unusual), while very cold thunderstorm cells are circulating from the opposite direction (from the east this morning, now more northerly). The cloud base of these cumulonimbus formations was at about 12,000 ft. On my descent from San Jacinto Peak this morning I had the very strange experience of descending through foggy marine layer cloud on Devil’s Slide Trail, while steady graupel snow was falling from the much higher thunderstorm clouds through the lower cloud onto me. On the east slope, it has now locally dusted about 0.25 inch of snow (e.g., in Long Valley) early this afternoon.

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The San Jacinto mountains caught the southern edge of a minor storm system on Saturday 26th April. Very fine snow started as low as Idyllwild at 1145 that morning and continued on/off into the evening. Total accumulation across most of the high country was one inch, with the highest peaks being above the cloud for some of the storm and/or melting underway even as the snow fell, as I described in a short video report recorded at San Jacinto Peak (linked here) late on 26th. With mild temperatures, that fresh snow melted within 2-3 days, and trail conditions have now returned to a comparable condition to last week.

To assess the changing conditions, I hiked to San Jacinto Peak on the afternoon of 26th through the bulk of the storm, then returned on the morning of 27th following further very light overnight snow. In the process I documented a remarkable morning for cloud formations (see under Weather below). We hiked to Tahquitz Peak, mainly to assess the snowbound north side, on the morning of 28th.

In Idyllwild, about 0.4 inch of rain earlier in the day turned to snow on the evening of 26th, accumulating to a patchy 0.5 inch at best. Most areas at elevations ranging from Humber Park (6500 ft) to San Jacinto Peak (10,810 ft) accumulated only about one inch of snow. However snow depth at Saddle Junction (8100 ft) was 1.5 inch, with about two inches accumulating in sheltered areas between 8500-9500 ft, notably below Little Round Valley on Deer Springs Trail, around Tahquitz Peak, and either side of Annie’s Junction (9020 ft, roughly PCT Miles 180-181). The snow did drift and accumulate deeper (3-4 inches) in the trails especially in areas that had prior icy snow remaining from earlier in the season. Spikes remain useful, but are not generally required.

During the course of this week, trails below 9000 ft will generally clear of snow (except the most sheltered areas) with even the highest peaks rapidly clearing on all but their most sheltered slopes. The Pacific Crest Trail has heavily-traveled tracks in the limited areas – described below – where snow remains on the trail in the San Jacinto mountains.

Dark Canyon Road (4S02), the access road to the Seven Pines trailhead, is expected to be closed for the year due to staffing/budget reasons (the trail and road remain open for hikers however). USFS gates at Humber Park and South Ridge Road both reopened in late March after brief closures.

Survey hikes by the Trail Report every single day throughout the year in the San Jacinto mountains include varied routes to the high peaks including San Jacinto Peak typically 2-3 times per week (more frequently during storms), Tahquitz Peak and area 1-2 times per week, plus a wide variety of other trails on intervening days.

WEATHER

The rollercoaster of temperatures that has been a feature of this year so far is forecast to continue for the foreseeable future. The remainder of this week warms to temperatures above seasonal in the first couple of days of May.

Passage of another minor system to our north leads to rapid cooling and the possibility of further minor precipitation – drizzle at mid elevations and a dusting of snow in the high country – on 4th and 5th May. Current forecasts suggest the majority of the precipitation will be late afternoon and overnight on Sunday 4th, with any high country snow most likely early on Monday 5th.

Temperatures then promptly rise yet again to above seasonal by Wednesday 7th May. On 8th-11th temperatures will more closely resemble midsummer, with both highs and lows as much as 10-20°F above seasonal for early May, especially at mid (rather than upper) elevations.

The recent video discussion from National Weather Service San Diego (linked here) includes data that confirm that this winter in Southern California has been one of the driest and warmest on record – with observations back to 1850 – especially for our area of montane central Riverside Country. Projections for the next few months suggest a hotter-than-average summer, with no clarity at this time on the likelihood of monsoonal moisture reaching us before late summer, if at all.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Sunday 4th May 2025 at 0825 the air temperature was 29.1°F (-2°C), with a windchill temperature of 18.7°F (-8°C), 78% relative humidity, and a light due East wind sustained at 3 mph gusting to 8.5 mph.

At the Peak on Thursday 1st May 2025 at 0810 the air temperature was 34.8°F (2°C), with a windchill temperature of 20.3°F (-7°C), 42% relative humidity, and a cool ESE wind sustained at 15 mph gusting to 20.5 mph.

At the Peak on Sunday 27th April 2025 at 0920 the air temperature was 14.3°F (-10°C), with a windchill temperature of -7.1°F (-22°C), 73% relative humidity, and a sharp due West wind sustained at 15 mph gusting to 24.5 mph.

As I ascended the Wellman and Peak trails on the morning of Sunday 27th, I was extremely fortunate to document the generation of a spectacular lenticular cloud formation over the Santa Rosa Mountains. Scroll right through the five images below, each captioned with the time the photo was taken. Lenticular clouds form only in specific atmospheric conditions when moisture-laden air is forced by a strong, steady wind over a very prominent peak – in this case Toro Peak – creating a unique wave pattern of airflow (there is a much better explanation at the NWS page linked here).

TRAIL CONDITIONS

Snowmelt has been rapid this week, both of the minimal fresh snow and old remaining snow from March. Everywhere above about 9000 ft carrying spikes can be useful where old snow patches are generally firm, but most hikers are now finding spikes unnecessary.

The Pacific Crest Trail is now largely clear of snow through the San Jacinto mountains, with the exception of a few areas described below. Miles 151 (Highway 74) to about Mile 175 are clear. Snow cover from Miles 175 (Red Tahquitz) to 177.7 (Chinquapin Flat) is about 30% with a very well-worn track. Snow cover is minimal between Miles 177.7 to Saddle Junction (about Mile 179). The south-facing slope of Miles 179-180 is clear, while from Mile 180 (elevation 8900 ft) to about Mile 181 just past Annie’s Junction snow cover has dropped dramatically in recent days to just 20%. Miles 181-184.5 are sun-exposed and clear. Snow cover increases around Mile 185 in the sheltered area near the Deer Springs crossing, but again there is a well-traveled boot track. Fuller Ridge (Miles 185.5-191) now averages just 20% snow cover, with Miles 186-186.5 and 187.5-188.3 in particular being sun-exposed and snow-free. Most hikers will find spikes are useful in places throughout this section, but they are not required as the track is well-defined with good steps. The trail is clear of snow from Mile 191 northwards.

Although the situation improved somewhat in 2024, treefall hazards remain a significant problem along parts of the Pacific Crest Trail, most notably between Antsell Rock and South Peak. About 60 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. Further logging and trimming work is scheduled for this section in May and early June this year.

Devil’s Slide Trail [surveyed 4th May] is clear of snow.

The Wellman Trail [surveyed 4th May] is now almost snow-free, with just 20% snow cover confined to the forested 0.3 mile section immediately north of Annie’s Junction. Wellman’s Cienega is now unfrozen but flowing poorly for so early in the season.

The Peak Trail [surveyed 4th May] now averages only 10% snow cover, almost all of which is in the north-facing and sheltered section at 9900-10,100 ft that is always slow to clear in spring. Rocks around San Jacinto Peak [surveyed 4th May] are now functionally clear of snow and it is possible to ascend the Peak without stepping on snow patches.

The East Ridge Trail route [surveyed 4th May] to San Jacinto Peak starting at 10,400 ft near Miller Peak has cleared rapidly in recent days and has only 40% snow cover. The old trail can be seen and followed in places.

South Ridge Trail [surveyed 3rd May] is now clear of snow to Tahquitz Peak. South Ridge Road is lumpy but readily passable in any moderate clearance vehicle.

The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail between Chinquapin Flat/PCT Mile 177 and Tahquitz Peak [surveyed 3rd May] is now largely clear of snow and has a reliable boot track to follow through the remaining small snow patches. Some hikers may find spikes are still useful, but most are finding they are no longer required.

Spitler Peak Trail is clear of snow. Storms in February-March brought down another 34 trees across this trail. All but one were removed in late March, bringing to 162 the total number of trees removed by the Trail Report from this route in the past six years. A very large burned cedar remains which can be a little tricky to pass, next to the first crossing of Spitler Creek (3.2 miles up from the trailhead, 1.6 miles down from the PCT).

Marion Mountain Trail [surveyed 1st May] is clear of snow, with just a couple of limited patches of old icy snow remaining at the PCT junction.

Deer Springs Trail [surveyed 1st May] is almost entirely clear of snow up to 9200 ft (above the Fuller Ridge Trail junction) and is largely clear of snow to Little Round Valley. A few limited areas of extended icy snow patches remain, notably in the most sheltered areas either side of the Deer Springs crossing and again in the drainage of the North Fork of the San Jacinto River. Nevertheless the well-traveled track is easy to follow to Little Round Valley. In Little Round Valley, snow cover averages only 50%, most continuous in the central, most forested section. Above Little Round Valley the trail has only 20% snow cover, but can be tricky to follow, with large icy snow drifts in a few key places around switchbacks. Spikes remain useful at least for descending parts of upper Deer Springs Trail.

Seven Pines Trail [surveyed 24th April] is clear of snow to 8200 ft, with about 30% cover of soft snow drifts from there to the PCT/Deer Springs Trail. Seventeen downed trees were removed in April 2025, and significant progress made on removal of accumulated winter debris in the trail up to about 8000 ft (example photo below). The Trail Report “adopted” Seven Pines as a priority for maintenance work years ago due to a disproportionate number of lost hiker rescues in the previous decade, with neither State Park nor Forest Service having shown significant interest in maintaining the route for many years. Since 2019 we have removed 92 downed trees and the trail is generally trimmed and cleared at least annually. About six trees remain to be cut above the current snow line to restore the original trail route, plus one very large recently downed tree lower down. Although our work has largely restored this trail, note that 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 invaluable for those without considerable experience of hiking this trail. Also note the trail becomes most obscure in its uppermost mile – especially at present due to snow drifts – i.e. closest to the Deer Springs Trail/PCT junction.

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 (and potentially dangerously) described by the Forest Service as “not maintained”. In reality both trails have been abandoned and no longer exist. They are so heavily overgrown, largely with dense whitethorn which obscures dozens of downed trees, that hikers should not attempt to follow them (regardless of how much you may trust an app). An informal use trail to Laws is much more direct, generally well maintained, and avoids the bushwhacking of the unmaintained trails (some 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). One huge tree fell in late 2024 across the King Trail about midway down and requires a minor scramble underneath (that tree will not be cut soon), while another fell in January 2025 close to the bottom of the trail that is relatively easy to cross over. Another five recently downed trees were either removed or worked around in January 2025, when the trail was thoroughly trimmed and cleared. From Laws east to Caramba the original Caramba Trail has been cairned by myself and others and can largely be followed with careful route-finding. My February 2025 survey counted about 120 trees down on this 2.1 miles of trail. It is extremely obscure for the first 0.5 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.

In late 2024 Willow Creek Trail was nearing its 2020 condition, the last time the original trail route was fully cleared and passable. Four new trees came down on the Forest Service section in January, two of which are large and tricky for hikers to pass. In addition to trees being cut in 2024, whitethorn trimming was largely completed, mainly by volunteers, on the Forest Service side in late summer. On the State Park side localized trimming of the worst patches was undertaken in 2024, and the minor treefall hazards new in 2023/24 were removed, leaving just two major long term downed trees (both easy to pass for hikers).

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 a genuine enjoyment of bush-whacking are all strongly recommended.

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