Intense high pressure over the region will result in exceptional heat this week. Daily and monthly temperature records are forecast to be shattered throughout Southern California. Temperatures on 17th-22nd will far exceed seasonal for March in the San Jacinto mountains, but remarkably the temperatures forecast for 19th and 20th in particular will exceed even the seasonal averages for July and August, which is beyond astonishing for mid March.
Obviously melting of what little snow remains will be dramatic, and the extent of snow remaining on high country trails will literally decline daily. The San Jacinto mountains may be in the unprecedented state of being largely snow-free by late March.
Carrying spikes remains recommended for most trails above about 8600 ft (possibly lower in places) for the next week or so as, despite the weather, established tracks are well consolidated by hiker traffic.
Snow depths are no longer given in this posting. This certainly does not mean there is no snow in the high country, simply that snow is both generally localized to the highest elevations, and that it is rarely more than a few inches deep anywhere, especially on the established trails. As discussed elsewhere melting – which has already been steady for the past week – will be extremely rapid over the next week, so listing nominal snow depths that will change daily seems to serve little purpose.
The gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243 on Black Mountain Road (4S01) remains closed. Following superficial grading late in 2025 the road is in better condition than last summer, but remains far rougher than in June 2020, the last time it was thoroughly graded.
Daily survey hikes by the Trail Report year-round in the San Jacinto mountains include multiple routes to the highest peaks including San Jacinto Peak typically 2-3 times per week (but almost daily during winter storm weather), Tahquitz Peak and area at least once per week, plus a wide variety of other trails on intervening days.
WEATHER
The past six weeks, in common with the past six months, have seen a roller-coaster ride of temperatures and associated weather. Three snow storms in very quick succession impacted the region across four days on 16th-19th February, as described in detail in a prior Report (linked here).
Temperatures rose dramatically immediately after the passage of the last storm system, and were far above seasonal throughout the last week of February, before then cooling closer to seasonal in the first nine days of March. The latter was associated with the brief passage of a minor low pressure system on 6th-8th March, with accompanying strong winds and cold temperatures in the high country.
Temperatures rose yet again starting 11th March, briefly stabilized above seasonal on 12th-15th, and will rise even further, to near or even above midsummer averages, on 16th-22nd. A new all-time March record high for San Jacinto Peak was set last week on Friday 13th, but that is expected to be shattered later this week. With such a pronounced high pressure system over Southern California, unsurprisingly there is no precipitation in the forecasts.
NWS/NOAA data confirm that the four month period November-February this winter was the hottest for those four months combined on record for Riverside County (131 years of data). The same period was the second hottest all-time for the entire state of California, only behind November 2014-February 2015.
At San Jacinto Peak (10,810 ft/3295 m) on Friday 13th March 2026 at 0920 the air temperature was 47.3°F (8°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 40.8°F (5°C), 12% relative humidity, and a light NNW wind sustained at 6 mph gusting to 10.0 mph. The air temperature set a new all-time record high for the Peak in March – by two degrees of Fahrenheit – sadly a record that is almost certain to be broken again multiple times over the next week.
TRAIL CONDITIONS
Trails above about 9700 ft remain at least 70% snow-covered, and most have significant snow cover above 8600 ft (west side) or 9000 ft (east side). Most routes below 8600 ft are now largely clear of snow, or have excellent tracks to follow, and routes are completely clear below 7600 ft (details for specific trails below, where known).
Please consider that with temperatures rising dramatically then remaining hot (for March) over the next ten days, snow even at the highest elevations will not refreeze overnight, and melting will be remarkably fast and widespread, changing trail conditions almost daily.
Carrying spikes is recommended for the foreseeable future everywhere above about 8600 ft even as snow softens and melts dramatically over the next week or two, as established trails are now somewhat consolidated by hiker traffic and weeks of freeze-thaw cycles.
Hikers interested in more comparison photos of the trails from immediately after the previous fresh snowfall in late February, and the conditions 7-10 days later, will find these in the previous Report (available here).
Current snow cover on the PCT is minimal from Miles 151 (Highway 74) to about 175 (Red Tahquitz), largely confined to thin patches on the east slope of Spitler Peak (Mile 168) and the northerly aspects of Apache Peak (Mile 169.5), both areas that can be easily worked around. Some of the minor chutes in Miles 170-173 retain snow, but this will melt and soften dramatically in the next few days. Snow cover is 70% between Miles 175-177. Snow cover is thin and averages 50% between Miles 177 to 179, then barely 5% to Mile 180.5, but about 90% just south of Annie’s Junction at about Mile 180.8. Miles 181-183 average 10% snow cover. Snow cover is largely continuous from Mile 184 to 185.5, although spikes are not required on the well-traveled snow track. There are now visible tracks at this time on the Fuller Ridge Trail section (Miles 185.5 to 191.5), and snow is generally thin and increasingly patchy, especially on the sun-exposed parts of that trail. Stubborn sections remain around the crossing of the North Fork of the San Jacinto River (Mile 186), and on the northerly slopes (approx. Miles 187.5-187.8 and 188.6-190). North of Mile 190, the trail is functionally clear of snow.
Carrying spikes remains recommended for PCT hikers throughout the San Jacinto mountains at this time, although they are not essential for those hikers who (a) remain on the PCT and do not take the alternate route via San Jacinto Peak, and (b) have a high comfort level and considerable experience of hiking on patchy icy snow without traction devices.
The 0.4 mile section of South Ridge Trail from Chinquapin Flat to Tahquitz Peak [surveyed 10th March] currently has only a single posthole track to follow through some sections of steeply angled icy snow (photo below). The snow is slowly becoming more patchy, and melting will be rapid this week, nevertheless these icy slopes on the north side of Tahquitz Peak are notoriously treacherous. Currently spikes (preferably with an ice axe), and the requisite physical and mental skills to use this equipment in high angle terrain, are strongly recommended. Even then this section of trail will not be a safe option for most hikers.
Devil’s Slide Trail [surveyed 13th March] is completely clear of snow to 7700 ft, and functionally clear from there to Saddle Junction. Persisting minor patches of icy snow are so small and dirty that they do not require spikes at this time.
Wellman Trail [surveyed 13th March] has a moderately-traveled and often uneven posthole track through about 50% snow cover.
The Peak Trail [surveyed 13th March] has been well-traveled, although in places around 10,000 ft the most heavily traveled track does not accurately follow the trail route. There is a well-compacted posthole route from Wellman Divide to about 10,000 ft through rapidly diminishing 60% snow cover. This section of trail will functionally clear during the next week. Above 10,000 ft, snow cover remains almost 90%, and the track becomes more uneven. Most traffic has followed the uppermost traverse of the Peak Trail to Summit Junction (meeting Deer Springs Trail). Multiple tracks around the Peak all ultimately reach the top, although none quite manage to accurately follow the established trail route.
A lightly-traveled, but now unfortunately rather lumpy posthole track broadly follows the East Ridge Trail route [surveyed 13th March] through functionally continuous snow cover from near the Miller switchback (10,400 ft) to San Jacinto Peak, and is, as always, an excellent alternative to the uppermost Peak Trail.
The Round Valley Trail [surveyed 13th March] has a rapidly thinning 30% snow cover to Round Valley, and thereafter a well-traveled posthole track through 80% snow cover to Wellman Divide.
Deer Springs Trail [surveyed four times 2nd-13th March] is clear of snow to Strawberry Junction. Snow cover then averages barely 5% for one mile north of Strawberry Junction, increasing to 30% closer to the junction with Marion Mountain Trail, but is only 1-3 inches deep in most places. Thereafter, snow cover on the trail is 90% to San Jacinto Peak, although with an increasing number of bare patches are starting to emerge in the most sun-exposed sections, even as high as 10,400 ft. The somewhat uneven posthole track is largely accurate to the trail route as far as Little Round Valley (LRV). The most heavily-traveled track through LRV vaguely approximates to the trail route, but then at least four tracks ascend from LRV, none of which follow the true trail route for any significant distance, and all of which climb steeply through icy snow toward the Peak, as is traditional in winter. These tracks will become harder to follow as melting increases, as they run through vegetation and boulders, by which time the actual trail route should become more evident.
Marion Mountain Trail [surveyed 13th March] is clear of snow to about 7600 ft, and thereafter has a very well-defined track through increasingly patchy snow to its junction with Deer Springs Trail, that generally follows the true trail route. Remaining snow cover is so thin that this trail will largely clear of snow in the next week. There is already one lengthy sun-exposed section at 8200-8400 ft that is now snow-free. Spikes can be useful, at least for descending the uppermost trail.
As of 13th March there were no visible tracks through the discontinuous snow on Seven Pines Trail.
Strawberry Trail (PCT Miles 181-183) averages 10% snow cover.
South Ridge Trail to Tahquitz Peak [surveyed 10th March] is now functionally clear of snow to Tahquitz Peak. Four new blowdowns that came down on this trail in the mid February storms have already been removed by the Trail Report.
Spitler Peak Trail [surveyed 15th March] was sadly decimated by blowdowns in the strong winds that accompanied the last storm in mid February. About 55 new trees came down across the trail, and it will take weeks or even months to get the trail largely cleared (this trail has been seemingly unmaintained by the Forest Service since 2018). Since late February the Trail Report has removed 19 trees so far, the trail is clear as far as the main creek crossing 3.2 miles up from the trailhead, and work has begun further up (photos below; bringing to 193 the number of trees we have removed from this trail in recent years). Five large burned cedars and roughly 30 jumbles of fire-killed oak limbs remain seriously obstructing the trail in the 1.6 miles between that main creek crossing and the PCT.
The San Jacinto Trail Report celebrates ten years of operation in 2026. It is read by over 30,000 people each year, and will pass one million views in 2026. The Report has helped thousands of hikers, and saved multiple lives, both directly and indirectly. Since the Report became established online, snow/ice rescues in the San Jacinto Mountains have dropped 82%, also saving Riverside County tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars. While all time is volunteered, the Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Donations keep the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Thank you for your support.
San Jacinto Trail Report 