Minor storms on consecutive nights between 29th November and 1st December resulted in a thin covering of snow everywhere above about 6000 ft and a light dusting down to 5400 ft. On our hike up Marion Mountain and Deer Springs trails on 1st, the snow depth was remarkably consistent from 1.5 inches at the trailhead (6300 ft) to 2.0 inches at San Jacinto Peak, with only Little Round Valley (2.5 inches) having noticeably deeper cover. However drifting in the trails to a few inches deep did slow down hiking pace markedly.

As temperatures have risen in the first few days of December, snow has been melting steadily at all elevations, largely depending on sun exposure of the slope (see Trail Conditions below). However with freeze-thaw cycles and compaction by hiker traffic, remaining patches can be icy and some hikers may find spikes useful. With most of the next ten days forecast to have above seasonal temperatures melting of remnant snow will continue steadily at all elevations, and almost all snow may be gone by mid month.

Daily survey hikes in the San Jacinto mountains include various routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 27th and 30th November and 1st, 4th, and 7th December, Tahquitz Peak and area at least once per week, plus many other trails on intervening days. My recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given in the Weather section below.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs largely continue to flow steadily for the time of year, given the intensity of last winter plus various storms since August, and did not freeze in recent cold weather (example photos below). Many ephemeral water sources have finally dried, but campers and hikers will still generally find water wherever they are expecting it.

South Ridge Road (5S11) was graded on 15th October and reopened in mid November. May Valley Road (5S21) was fully graded in October, and is now much more user-friendly for both hikers and bikers. Dark Canyon Road (4S02) remains closed indefinitely, although the dirt section was partly graded in early October.

Black Mountain Road (4S01) was in its poorest condition for at least a decade by June this year. The partial grading undertaken on 17th July improved the situation somewhat, but it remains a bumpy drive. Seasonal campgrounds and fire lookouts are now all closed for the winter.

WEATHER

After a couple of cool, cloudy, and occasionally stormy weeks, temperatures are rapidly rising to above seasonal on 4th-15th December. Both daytime high and overnight low temperatures are forecast to be 5-10°F above seasonal at mid and upper elevations on most days, melting much of the remnant patchy, thin, snow cover.

There is currently no significant new precipitation in the forecasts prior to late December. This will likely leave the San Jacinto mountains in the rare state of having no significant depth of settled snow in the high country at the middle of December for only the second time in at least the past 15 years. The latest video review from NWS San Diego (linked here) suggests considerable uncertainty about when the first major snow storm may impact our area, and if this winter will prove to be wetter or drier than average.

For the next two weeks, air temperatures above 10,000 ft elevation are expected to be above seasonal, generally in the 30s-low 40s Fahrenheit (1-7°C), with windchill temperatures around or even above freezing.

At San Jacinto Peak (3295m/10,810ft) on Thursday 7th December 2023 at 0805 the air temperature was 35.5°F (2°C), with a windchill temperature of 19.4°F (-7°C), 8% relative humidity, and a wild WNW wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 39.7 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 4th December 2023 at 0840 the air temperature was 36.8°F (3°C), with a windchill temperature of 30.2°F (-1°C), 44% relative humidity, and a light due North breeze sustained at 4 mph gusting to 5.3 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 1st December 2023 at 0915 the air temperature was 24.8°F (-4°C), with a windchill temperature of 11.7°F (-11°C), 32% relative humidity, and a cool NNW wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 13.5 mph.

At the Peak on Thursday 30th November 2023 at 0835 the air temperature was 18.8°F (-7°C), with a windchill temperature of -1.9°F (-19°C), 77% relative humidity, and an icy due West wind sustained at 14 mph gusting to 24.1 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

There is no significant settled snow anywhere in the high country. However a patchy light snow cover persists in places, notably on slopes that at this time of year receive limited or no direct sun. Even very thin snow has become icy in places on well-traveled trails due to freeze-thaw cycles and compaction by hiker traffic. Generally warmer days over the next week or so will continue to clear trails steadily.

Deer Springs Trail below Strawberry Junction (8100 ft) is clear of snow, and is now largely clear of snow from there to the high peaks. The few remaining sections of snow are very icy in places however.

Devil’s Slide Trail is largely clear of snow, but a few short sections of icy snow remain in sheltered areas. The Wellman and Peak trails, both largely open and sun-exposed, are almost completely clear of snow, but small areas of snow remain in forested sections.

Trails on the north side of Tahquitz (photo below) and Red Tahquitz peaks, and around the Tahquitz area meadows, remain largely covered with thin snow due to their northerly exposure, drifting, and/or forest cover. South Ridge Trail south from Tahquitz Peak is almost clear of snow (surveyed 5th December).

Traction devices are not currently required anywhere but carrying them is recommended for at least the next few days. It is clear from my observations of tracks in the snow that no hikers are using spikes at this time, but those less experienced on icy trails may find them helpful.

Tropical Storm Hilary in late August resulted in one or two new treefall hazards on most trails, but 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. Of the seven that came down on the Forest Service section, five were removed in early November. One huge trunk remains just east of Willow Creek that most hikers will find challenging to pass. Of the 12 on the State Park section, eight were cut in late August, and there is 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 it was as recently as 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 will not happen this year, 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. 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 had a few treefall hazards removed by the State Park in the past month, but at least seven significant problems remain below the Fuller Ridge Trail junction dating back to last winter. Almost all of the 12 downed trees above Fuller Ridge on upper Deer Springs Trail date back some 6-10 years and have been reported to the State Park multiple times (never resulting in meaningful action).

Trails around the Skunk Cabbage and Tahquitz area meadows have some significant treefall hazards remaining from last winter (resurveyed November 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, and three on the Skunk Cabbage Meadow trail.

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, but one minor new one fell in November. The middle section of South Ridge Trail – between May Valley Road and the top of South Ridge Road – is now clear following removal of 20 trees in two sessions this season (15th July and 30th October).

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.

Ten new treefall hazards on Spitler Peak Trail, largely caused by Tropical Storm Hilary, were removed by the Trail Report in October and November. This brings to 95 the number of trees removed from this trail since July 2021 by the Trail Report. Several minor washouts from last 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 summer 2023. Large downed trees make for especially slow-going around Miles 172-175 (a section severely impacted by 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 N 33.7796, W-116.6590). The route descends largely following long-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 plus subsequent flood and treefall damage). The 11 trees down on the King Trail after last winter were removed in June, and the five trees brought down by Hilary were removed or diverted around in November 2023. The tread of the trail received some 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, more than 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

UPDATE 1st December 2023: yet another minor snow storm overnight, but this was the most significant of the winter to date. There is a consistent two inches of snow throughout the high country above 7000 ft (up to about 2.5 inches in Little Round Valley). Although it is not icy yet, carrying spikes is recommended for the next couple of days at least. Following several heavy hail storms overnight in Idyllwild, the snow dusted down to 5500 ft, but there is 1-1.5 inches at 6000-6500 ft in Pine Cove. With rapid warming in the next few days, melting is expected to be steady at all elevations. In the rain shadow on the eastern side of the mountains, Long Valley (8700 ft) received only a dusting of snow, already melted by this afternoon.

UPDATE 30th November 2023 at 1215: another very minor storm overnight produced 0.29 inch of rain in Idyllwild and a dusting of snow above 6200 ft. Snow depth is a sparse 0.25 inch, including around the highest peaks, but was a slightly deeper 0.5 inch between 8000-9500 ft, an elevation band that was presumably in the cloud for longer. Windchill temperature at San Jacinto Peak is -2°F (-19°C) so gear for cold weather is essential. By the time I descended late morning, most snow on Devil’s Slide Trail had already melted, as had significant sections as high as Wellman Divide (9700 ft).

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The most recent of several minor rain events in the past ten days occurred on the evening of 24th November, when a light rain at mid elevations (0.15 inch in Idyllwild) included a dusting of snow everywhere above about 7000 ft. The snow cover was thin but remarkably uniform, with 0.25 inch throughout the high country, but locally 0.5-1.0 inch, notably near and around Tahquitz Peak, which was enveloped in cloud for much longer than many other areas.

The light snows from that event and earlier dustings on 15th and 18th November (described in detail in the prior Report linked here) have now largely melted. Another minor storm system is tentatively forecast to impact the region across three days on 29th November-1st December. Details are given in Weather below, but light snow may occur across the high country and possibly including a very light dusting as low as Idyllwild.

Our survey hikes every day in the San Jacinto mountains include various routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 20th, 23rd, and 27th November, Tahquitz Peak and area at least once per week, plus a wide range of other trails on intervening days. My recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given in the Weather section below.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs largely continue to flow well for the time of year, given the intensity of last winter plus various storms since August. Many ephemeral water sources have finally dried, but campers and hikers will still generally find water wherever they are expecting it (see example photographs below and in the prior Report linked here).

Be bear aware. Although rarely reported, at least three Black Bears have been in the San Jacinto mountains since 2017, and I have had 1-2 sightings annually for the past six years. As I descended upper Marion Mountain Trail at about 8250 ft elevation mid morning on 14th September 2023 I had an excellent observation, 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).

South Ridge Road (5S11) was graded on 15th October and reopened in mid November. May Valley Road (5S21) was fully graded in October, and is now much more user-friendly for both hikers and bikers. Dark Canyon Road (4S02) remains closed indefinitely, although the dirt section was partly graded in early October.

Black Mountain Road (4S01) was in its poorest condition for at least a decade by June this year. The partial grading undertaken on 17th July improved the situation somewhat, but it remains a bumpy drive. Seasonal campgrounds and fire lookouts are now all closed for the winter.

WEATHER

Recent days have been pleasantly cloudy with below seasonal temperatures, and this pattern is expected to continue for another week.

A minor storm system is tentatively forecast to impact the region across three days on 29th November-1st December. The freeze level is expected to be lower than other minor storms earlier this month, and if it snows a dusting is possible down to 6000 ft or even lower (i.e., potentially including Idyllwild). Otherwise mid elevations are expected to receive light rain, mainly from the afternoon of Thursday 30th and throughout the morning of Friday 1st. Forecasting snowfall for the high country has proven to be problematic, but currently 0-3 inches of snow are possible, spread thinly across the same time period.

Next week temperatures are expected to abruptly rise to well above seasonal on 4th-9th December at least. Both daytime high and overnight low temperatures are currently forecast to be as much as 10°F above seasonal at mid and upper elevations, melting any light snow that may have fallen in the preceding days.

Air temperatures above 10,000 ft elevation are now generally in the upper 20s-low 30s Fahrenheit (-5 to 1°C), with windchill temperatures well below freezing, at times far below freezing depending on wind speed (note temperatures will be warmer on 4th-9th December as described above).

At San Jacinto Peak (3295m/10,810ft) on Monday 27th November 2023 at 0825 the air temperature was 32.5°F (0°C), with a windchill temperature of 19.4°F (-7°C), 7% relative humidity, and a cool SE wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 13.9 mph.

At the Peak on Thursday 23rd November 2023 at 0810 the air temperature was 32.7°F (0°C), with a windchill temperature of 17.2°F (-8°C), 26% relative humidity, and a blustery due West wind sustained at 18 mph gusting to 31.7 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 20th November 2023 at 0810 the air temperature was 34.6°F (1°C), with a windchill temperature of 13.6°F (-10°C), 7% relative humidity, and a wild due North wind sustained at 20 mph gusting to 45.9 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

With multiple light rains over the past ten days, trails are pleasantly dust-free, with generally little or no ice (but caution is recommended around springs and water crossings).

There is no significant settled snow anywhere in the high country. However a very thin dusting persists in places, notably on the north side of Tahquitz and Red Tahquitz peaks. Traction devices are not currently required anywhere, but may be useful in the first few days of December above about 9000 ft depending on snowfall from the expected minor storm (see discussion in Weather above).

Tropical Storm Hilary in late August resulted in many minor washouts across the trail system, considerable treefall debris in the trails. 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. Of the seven that came down on the Forest Service section, five were removed in early November. One huge trunk remains just east of Willow Creek that most hikers will find challenging to pass. Of the 12 on the State Park section, eight were cut in late August, and there is 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 it was as recently as 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 will not happen this year, 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. 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 had a few treefall hazards removed by the State Park in the past month, but at least seven significant problems remain below the Fuller Ridge Trail junction dating back to last winter. Almost all of the 12 downed trees above Fuller Ridge on upper Deer Springs Trail date back some 6-10 years and have been reported to the State Park multiple times (never resulting in meaningful action).

Trails around the Skunk Cabbage and Tahquitz area meadows have some significant treefall hazards remaining from last winter (resurveyed November 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, and three on the Skunk Cabbage Meadow trail.

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, but one minor new one fell in November. The middle section of South Ridge Trail – between May Valley Road and the top of South Ridge Road – is now clear following removal of 20 trees in two sessions this season (15th July and 30th October).

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.

Ten new treefall hazards on Spitler Peak Trail, largely caused by Tropical Storm Hilary, were removed by the Trail Report in October and November. This brings to 95 the number of trees removed from this trail since July 2021 by the Trail Report. Several minor washouts from last 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 summer 2023. Large downed trees make for especially slow-going around Miles 172-175 (a section severely impacted by 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 N 33.7796, W-116.6590). The route descends largely following long-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 plus subsequent flood and treefall damage). The 11 trees down on the King Trail after last winter were removed in June, and the five trees brought down by Hilary were removed or diverted around in November 2023. The tread of the trail received some 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, more than 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

The second and third minor storm systems of winter 2023/24 have impacted the San Jacinto mountains in the past week. The more recent of the two, on Saturday 18th November, produced little rain, with 0.31 inch at Saddle Junction (8100 ft) and 0.24 inch in Little Round Valley (9750 ft), but it was cold enough to dust the high country with 0.25 inch of snow everywhere above about 9400 ft (see photo below). The thin snow melted very quickly and no traction devices are required.

The earlier storm on Wednesday 15th produced impressive rainfall totals, with roughly an inch in most mountain locations. Accompanied by relatively mild temperatures and intense thunder and lightning cells, it felt more like a midsummer monsoon than a mid November “winter” storm. Intermittent light rain started at about 1055 in Idyllwild, developing into localized vigorous thunderstorms by late afternoon before tapering off by about 2030 that evening.

With the system coming in from the south-west it was no surprise that the western side of the mountains received more rain than the east. Rainfall totals measured on 16th were (in order of volume): Little Round Valley (9750 ft) 1.30 inches, top of Marion Mountain Trail (8600 ft) 1.25 inches, San Jacinto Peak (10,700 ft) 1.20 inches, Wellman’s Cienega (9300 ft) 1.10 inches, Saddle Junction (8100 ft) 0.92 inch, Idyllwild (at 5550 ft) 0.89 inch, and Long Valley (8600 ft) 0.67 inch.

Temperatures did not fall below freezing at San Jacinto Peak until the precipitation had almost stopped, and there was only the lightest dusting of snow – not even measurable as a fraction of an inch – above 10,500 ft.

The lightning did generate at least one small wildfire at roughly 7000 ft in the Snow Creek drainage on the north side of San Jacinto Peak. Thanks to the help of great friends of the Trail Report Florian Boyd and Kyle Eubanks, I was able to get information about this fire to the relevant agencies promptly, and it was encouraging to see a CalFire helicopter working in the area later in the morning.

Our daily hikes in the San Jacinto mountains include various routes to/from San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 16th, 20th, and 23rd November, Tahquitz Peak and area at least weekly, plus many other trails on intervening days. Recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given in the Weather section below.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs largely continue to flow very well for the time of year, given the intensity of last winter plus Tropical Storm Hilary in August (see multiple example photos below). Consequently there has been no need to report water details for specific locations this year. Many ephemeral water sources have finally dried, but campers and hikers will still generally find water wherever they are expecting it.

Be bear aware. Although rarely reported, at least three Black Bears have been in the San Jacinto mountains since 2017, and I have had 1-2 sightings annually for the past six years. As I descended upper Marion Mountain Trail at about 8250 ft elevation mid morning on 14th September 2023 I had an excellent observation, 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).

South Ridge Road (5S11) was fully graded on 15th October and reopened in mid November. May Valley Road (5S21) was fully graded in October, and is now much more user-friendly for both hikers and bikers. Dark Canyon Road (4S02) remains closed indefinitely, although the dirt section was partly graded in early October.

Black Mountain Road (4S01) was in its poorest condition for at least a decade by June this year. The partial grading undertaken on 17th July improved the situation somewhat, but it remains a bumpy drive. Boulder Basin Campground closed early for the season on 23rd October. Marion Mountain and Fern Basin campgrounds closed in early November. Black Mountain Fire Lookout closed for the season on Sunday 12th and Tahquitz Peak Fire Lookout on Monday 13th November.

WEATHER

The mild, minor rain storms that impacted the San Jacinto mountains on 16th and 18th November are described in detail above. Temperatures briefly rise to above seasonal before rapidly dropping back to near or even below average from Friday 24th November into December. On 21st-22nd in particular temperatures around the highest peaks – forecast to be as high as 40-46°F (5-8°C) – will be well above seasonal for late November. Two Santa Ana events – winds predominantly from the north-east – are expected, the first on 20th-21st November, and then again on 25th-27th.

Some forecasts are tentatively suggesting the possibility of a snow storm around 1st-2nd December. As with the storms in mid November however it is proving hard to accurately predict what if any impacts the system will have locally, with high country snow estimates ranging from 0-12 inches at this time.

Air temperatures above 10,000 ft elevation are now generally in the upper 20s-lower 30s Fahrenheit (-5 to +3°C), with windchill temperatures well below freezing, the latter depending on wind speed (note temperatures will average warmer on 21st-22nd November as described above).

At San Jacinto Peak (3295m/10,810ft) on Thursday 23rd November 2023 at 0810 the air temperature was 32.7°F (0°C), with a windchill temperature of 17.2°F (-8°C), 26% relative humidity, and a blustery due West wind sustained at 18 mph gusting to 31.7 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 20th November 2023 at 0810 the air temperature was 34.6°F (1°C), with a windchill temperature of 13.6°F (-10°C), 7% relative humidity, and a wild due North wind sustained at 20 mph gusting to 45.9 mph.

At the Peak on Thursday 16th November 2023 at 0810 the air temperature was 34.2°F (1°C), with a windchill temperature of 24.3°F (-4°C), 17% relative humidity, and a cool WSW wind sustained at 6 mph gusting to 11.4 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

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. Of the seven that came down on the Forest Service section, five were removed in early November. One huge trunk remains just east of Willow Creek that most hikers will find challenging to pass. Of the 12 on the State Park section, eight were cut in late August, and there is 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 as recently as 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 will not happen this year, 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. 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 had some treefall hazards removed by the State Park in the past month, but at least seven significant problems remain below the Fuller Ridge Trail junction dating back to last winter. Almost all of the 12 downed trees above Fuller Ridge on upper Deer Springs Trail date back some 6-10 years and have been reported to the State Park multiple times to no avail.

Trails around the Skunk Cabbage and Tahquitz area meadows have some significant treefall hazards remaining from last winter (resurveyed early November 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. The middle section of South Ridge Trail – between May Valley Road and the top of South Ridge Road – is now clear following removal of 20 trees in two sessions this season (15th July and 30th October).

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 summer 2023. Large downed trees make for especially slow-going around Miles 172-175 (a section severely impacted by 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 N 33.7796, W-116.6590). The route descends largely following long-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 plus subsequent flood and treefall damage). The 11 trees down on the King Trail after last winter were removed in June, and the five trees brought down by Hilary were removed or diverted around in November 2023. The tread of the trail received some 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, more than 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

UPDATE 13th November 2023: the storm system predicted for later this week (discussed below) has proven very challenging to forecast accurately. While the coast may be much wetter, precipitation totals this far inland are now expected to be low. Most of the light rain will be in the evening and overnight on Wednesday 15th, but is now expected to be <0.5 inch at mid elevations. Only 1-2 inches of snow are likely around the highest peaks, with a freeze level at or even above 10,000 ft.

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The seasons are changing swiftly, and we may move quickly through autumnal conditions to wintry weather. Santa Ana winds forecast for 8th-12th November are expected to be strongest on 8th-9th, accompanied by low humidity, cold temperatures, and an elevated fire risk.

The first significant precipitation-producing storm system of winter 2023/24 is tentatively forecast for 15th-18th November. Rainfall is expected at mid elevations, with 0.2-1.5 inches of light rain forecast in Idyllwild (5000-6000 ft) spread across 3-4 days. Snow in the high country is possible but with a high freeze level around 9000 ft, and forecast snow accumulations remain very unclear and range widely from 0-12 inches above 10,000 ft.

Our daily hikes in the San Jacinto mountains include various routes to/from San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 3rd, 7th, and 10th November, Tahquitz Peak and area at least weekly, plus many other trails on intervening days. Recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given in the Weather section below.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs largely continue to flow very well for the time of year, given the intensity of last winter, plus Tropical Storm Hilary in August (see multiple example photos in previous Report linked here plus photo below). Consequently there has been no need to report water details for specific locations this year.

Be bear aware. Although rarely reported, at least three Black Bears have been in the San Jacinto mountains since 2017, and I have had 1-2 sightings annually for the past six years. As I descended upper Marion Mountain Trail at about 8250 ft elevation mid morning on 14th September 2023 I had an excellent observation, 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).

May Valley Road (5S21) was fully graded in October, and is now much more user-friendly for both hikers and bikers. South Ridge Road (5S11) was fully graded on 15th October but remains closed to vehicles. Dark Canyon Road (4S02) remains closed indefinitely, although the dirt section was partly graded in early October.

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 remains a bumpy drive that deteriorated further following Tropical Storm Hilary. Boulder Basin Campground closed early for the season on 23rd October. Marion Mountain and Fern Basin campgrounds closed in early November. Black Mountain Fire Lookout closes for the season on Sunday 12th November, and Tahquitz Peak Fire Lookout earlier than normal, in light of the weather forecast, on Monday 13th.

WEATHER

Temperatures were above seasonal for the entire first week of November. Temperatures are now dropping to roughly seasonal, initially associated with moderate Santa Ana winds on 8th-12th.

The first potentially significant storm system of winter 2023/24 is forecast for 15th-18th November. Rainfall is expected at mid elevations, with lees than an inch of rain forecast in Idyllwild, and light snow in the high country is possible, with a freeze level dropping (but remaining relatively high) at 8000-9000 ft on Friday 17th. Potential snow accumulations remain very uncertain in the forecast models – depending on if or when the system directly impacts our area – but could range from 0-12 inches above 10,000 ft.

Air temperatures above 10,000 ft elevation are now in the 30s Fahrenheit (-1 to 5°C), with windchill temperatures below freezing. Both air and windchill temperatures are expected to be lower associated with the anticipated passage of the storm system on 15th-18th November.

At San Jacinto Peak (3295m/10,810ft) on Friday 10th November 2023 at 0805 the air temperature was 30.8°F (-1°C), with a windchill temperature of 17.4°F (-8°C), 10% relative humidity, and a fresh NW wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 15.6 mph.

At the Peak on Tuesday 7th November 2023 at 0820 the air temperature was 35.6°F (2°C), with a windchill temperature of 22.6°F (-5°C), 13% relative humidity, and a blustery WSW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 22.9 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 3rd November 2023 at 0845 the air temperature was 44.4°F (7°C), with a windchill temperature of 35.0°F (2°C), 12% relative humidity, and a benign ENE wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 14.8 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 30th October 2023 at 0815 the air temperature was 34.4°F (1°C), with a windchill temperature of 18.3°F (-8°C), 3% relative humidity, and a potent NE wind sustained at 21 mph gusting to 28.5 mph. The astoundingly low 3.0% relative humidity is well below the previous record for San Jacinto Peak of 5%, recorded twice in July this year.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

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. Of the seven that came down on the Forest Service section, five were removed in early November. One huge trunk remains just east of Willow Creek that some hikers will find challenging to pass. Of the 12 on the State Park section, eight were cut in late August, and there is 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 as recently as 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 will not happen this year, 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. 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 last 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 November 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 expected to reopen until 2024 despite being fully graded in October. The middle section of South Ridge Trail – between May Valley Road and the top of South Ridge Road – is now clear following removal of 20 trees in two sessions this season (15th July and 30th October).

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, some 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

Temperatures for the last week of October were below seasonal and pleasantly cool at all elevations. Conversely the first week of November is forecast to be significantly warmer than seasonal, before temperatures drop dramatically around 7th to about seasonal for the second week of the month. The astonishingly low 3% relative humidity recorded at San Jacinto Peak on 30th October 2023, associated with a potent Santa Ana wind, was the lowest ever reliably recorded at the Peak, surpassing the 5% recorded twice in early July this year. It is hard to imagine it getting any lower. The previous morning at the same time the relative humidity was measured at a more typical, but still dry, 17%.

Ice is forming around water features in the high country in the morning (see photo below of Wellman’s Cienega on 29th October), but with springs and creeks flowing so well this season, it will be many weeks before freezing becomes a problem for water access.

Daily hikes in the San Jacinto mountains include various routes to/from San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 23rd, 29th, and 30th October, plus many other trails on intervening days. Recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given in the Weather section below.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs are generally flowing very well for the time of year, given the intensity of last winter, plus Tropical Storm Hilary in August (see multiple example photos in previous Report linked here). Consequently there has been no need to report water details for specific locations this year.

Be bear aware. Although rarely reported, at least three Black Bears have been in the San Jacinto mountains since 2017. As I descended upper Marion Mountain Trail at about 8250 ft elevation mid morning 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).

May Valley Road (5S21) was fully graded in October, and is now much more user-friendly for both hikers and bikers. South Ridge Road (5S11) was fully graded on 15th October but remains closed to vehicles. Dark Canyon Road (4S02) remains closed indefinitely, although the dirt section was partly graded in early October.

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 remains a bumpy drive that deteriorated further following Tropical Storm Hilary. Boulder Basin Campground closed early for the season on 23rd October. Black Mountain Fire Lookout closes for the season on Sunday 12th November, and Tahquitz Peak Fire Lookout on Sunday 19th.

WEATHER

Temperatures for the last few days of October were below seasonal, but should warm to well above seasonal for the entire first week of November. It is then forecast to rapidly drop back to cool, seasonal conditions starting 7th for at least the entire second week of the month. Air temperatures above 10,000 ft elevation are now generally in the 30s Fahrenheit (0-5°C), with windchill temperatures near or below freezing, but both may average a little warmer in the first week of November. There is no significant precipitation in the forecasts. Santa Ana winds are forecast for 2-3 days around the turn of the month.

Current expectations for the forthcoming winter, expected to be dominated by the prevailing El Niño weather phenomenon, may be broadly average for Southern California, according to the latest December-February projections from NOAA, as discussed in the most recent NWS regional video report (linked here). Precipitation may be near or above average, while temperatures are expected to trend somewhat above average.

At San Jacinto Peak (3295m/10,810ft) on Monday 30th October 2023 at 0815 the air temperature was 34.4°F (1°C), with a windchill temperature of 18.3°F (-8°C), 3% relative humidity, and a potent NE wind sustained at 21 mph gusting to 28.5 mph. The astoundingly low 3.0% relative humidity is well below the previous record for San Jacinto Peak of 5%, recorded twice in July this year.

At the Peak on Sunday 29th October 2023 at 0805 the air temperature was 25.5°F (-4°C), with a windchill temperature of 7.3°F (-14°C), 17% relative humidity, and a sharp NNE wind sustained at 18 mph gusting to 25.6 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 23rd October 2023 at 0845 the air temperature was 30.1°F (-1°C), with a windchill temperature of 15.3°F (-9°C), 48% relative humidity, and a fresh due West wind sustained at 13 mph gusting to 20.4 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

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 may not now reopen until 2024. The middle section of South Ridge Trail – between May Valley Road and the top of South Ridge Road – is now clear following removal of 20 trees in two sessions this season (15th July and 30th October).

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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

The earliest significant autumn snowfall in the San Jacinto mountains for a generation fell in the high country on the afternoon of Saturday 30th September, while I was at the Peak and then descending, between 1530 and 1710. One inch fell at San Jacinto Peak, with 0.5 inch all the way down to Wellman Divide (9700 ft), 0.25-0.5 inch to 9000 ft, and a dusting down to 8800 ft. Rainfall measured at Saddle Junction (8100 ft) was 0.22 inch, with a very similar 0.25 inch at 5550 ft in Idyllwild. I recorded a short video from San Jacinto Peak during the heaviest graupel on 30th, linked here.

Humber Park closed to all traffic on Sunday 1st October 2023 for at least two weeks due to major road restructuring work at the uppermost end of Fern Valley Road (see photos below). Note that the impacted trails – Devil’s Slide and Ernie Maxwell – remain open, although access to the upper end of the latter is partially obstructed by fill material (relevant agencies have been informed). Hikers have been requested to use the Ernie Maxwell Trail lower trailhead at Tahquitz View Drive to hike between Devil’s Slide Trail and Idyllwild.

Daily survey hikes in the San Jacinto mountains include several different routes to/from San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 26th and 30th September, and 1st October, plus many other trails on intervening days. Recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given in the Weather section below.

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 debris on trails, as summarized in Trail Conditions below.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs are generally flowing remarkably well for the time of year, given the intensity of the past winter, plus additional inputs from Tropical Storm Hilary in August, and the light rain and snow on 30th September. Consequently I will not be reporting water details for specific locations this season. The summer had already seen the most water on the mountain since at least 1998 (following the great El Niño winter of 1997/98).

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). This is clearly a different individual, based on colour pattern and size, from the “blond” one I saw on Devil’s Slide Trail in August 2020 and had previously filmed walking past our home in Idyllwild in 2018 (video here).

Be rattlesnake aware. Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes Crotalus (oreganus) helleri may continue to be active on warm, sunny days, currently forecast for 4th-12th October (see photos in a prior Report linked here). 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). Devil’s Slide and lower Deer Springs trails, near Strawberry Cienega, and trails around both Suicide Rock and Tahquitz Peak, tend to be 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 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 partially graded in the last week of September 2023. It remained closed as of 1st October but is expected to reopen imminently.

WEATHER

The remarkable rollercoaster of temperatures that has characterized the past four months of 2023 will continue in October. Following the genuinely wintery weather of 30th September-2nd October, a rapid warming is forecast to produce summer-like temperatures again on 5th-9th October, before then cooling somewhat to temperatures more typical for the first half of October. There is currently no significant new precipitation in the forecasts. Air temperatures above 10,000 ft elevation are now typically in the 40s Fahrenheit (5-10°C) with windchill temperatures generally close to freezing, depending on wind speed.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Sunday 1st October 2023 at 0835 the air temperature was 24.8°F (-4°C), with a windchill temperature of 7.2°F (-14°C), 97% relative humidity, and a bitter SW wind sustained at 14 mph gusting to 22.4 mph.

At the Peak on Saturday 30th September 2023 at 1510 the air temperature was 31.4°F (0°C), with a windchill temperature of 14.0°F (-10°C), 100% relative humidity, and a sharp WSW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 22.1 mph.

At the Peak on Tuesday 26th September 2023 at 0805 the air temperature was 51.4°F (11°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 49.6°F (10°C), 10% relative humidity, and a very light WSW breeze sustained at 3 mph gusting to 3.8 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The very light snow that fell on Saturday 30th September above 9000 ft elevation has melted rapidly and no traction devices are required.

See comments above regarding current restricted access to Devil’s Slide Trail and the upper trailhead for Ernie Maxwell Trail.

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 no problems are especially challenging for hikers. Most trails have one or two new treefall hazards, and only Willow Creek Trail seems to have been 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.

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. Most of the 12 downed trees above Fuller Ridge on Deer Springs Trail date back many years and have been reported to the State Park multiple times.

Fuller Ridge Trail (PCT Miles 185.5-190.5) has seven treefall hazards, including four on the State Park side. One major hazard near the campground (near Mile 190) can be challenging to pass.

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

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 expected to reopen until graded, probably not 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 four 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 can be easily walked under by hikers. 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.

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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

UPDATE Saturday 30th September: SNOW! In September! The earliest significant autumn snowfall in the San Jacinto mountains reported in a generation fell in the high country this afternoon, while I was at the Peak and descending between 1530 and 1710. One inch fell at San Jacinto Peak, with 0.5 inch all the way down to Wellman Divide (9700 ft), 0.25-0.5 inch to 9000 ft, and a dusting down to 8800 ft. Rainfall measured at Saddle Junction (8100 ft) and at 5550 ft in Idyllwild was remarkably the same, at 0.22 inch. The snow will not last long, with warm temperatures forecast in a couple of days, but it is fun to see while it lasts. I recorded a short video from San Jacinto Peak during the heaviest graupel, linked here.

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Autumnal weather has arrived in the San Jacinto mountains. On Thursday 21st September, I recorded the lowest windchill temperature – still just a modest 27.3°F (-3°C) – observed at San Jacinto Peak since late June. There was also a very light frost in Little Round Valley as we ascended shortly after dawn. On 22nd, a solidly overcast afternoon in the high country included a very light drizzle – 0.01 inch measured at San Jacinto Peak and 0.02 inch at Wellman’s Cienega – but misty cloud enveloping the peaks dissipated by early morning on 23rd (photos below).

A brief but intense cold front may bring wintry weather to the mountains on Saturday 30th September. Temperatures at the highest elevations will be around freezing, with strong winds leading to windchill values far below freezing. Light rain is forecast on Saturday afternoon at mid elevations (e.g., Idyllwild), and with a freeze level near 10,000 ft elevation, there is the possibility of an exceptionally early light snowfall (<1.0 inch) around the highest peaks. Cold temperatures will persist on Sunday 1st October.

Humber Park will be completely closed 24/7 to all forms of traffic, including pedestrian, for at least two weeks starting at 0600 on Sunday 1st October 2023 due to major road restructuring work at the uppermost end of Fern Valley Road. All hikers, notably PCT hikers, should use the lower Ernie Maxwell Trail access at Tahquitz View Drive to hike between Devil’s Slide Trail and Idyllwild.

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 debris on trails, as summarized in Trail Conditions below.

Daily survey hikes in the San Jacinto mountains include several different routes to/from San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 26th September, plus many other trails on intervening days. Recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given in the Weather section below. The trail system has been clear of snow since mid July.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs are generally flowing remarkably well for the time of year (see photos below and those in the previous Report linked here). Consequently I will not be reporting water details for specific locations this season. This summer has seen the most water on the mountain since at least 1998 (following the great El Niño winter of 1997/98), even prior to the additional input from Tropical Storm Hilary in late August.

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). This is clearly a different individual, based on colour pattern and size, from the “blond” one I saw on Devil’s Slide Trail in August 2020 and had previously filmed walking past our home in Idyllwild in 2018 (video here).

Be rattlesnake aware. Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes Crotalus (oreganus) helleri have remained active on the trail system even on recent cooler days (see photos in a prior Report linked here). 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). Devil’s Slide and lower Deer Springs trails, near Strawberry Cienega, and trails around both Suicide Rock and Tahquitz Peak, tend to be 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 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 partially graded in the last week of September 2023. It currently remains closed but is expected to reopen by 1st October (except in the event of a federal government shutdown).

WEATHER

Pleasantly cool (and periodically cloudy) autumnal weather has been the theme for most of September. Aside from moderate warming on 26th-27th, temperatures will generally remain near or below seasonal. Air temperatures above 9500 ft elevation are now typically in the 30s-40s Fahrenheit (0-10°C) with windchill temperatures generally a few degrees either side of freezing, depending on wind speed.

Much colder conditions are forecast to briefly accompany a minor cold front on 30th September and 1st October, with windchill temperatures well below freezing (near or below 10°F/-12°C) around the highest peaks on both days. There is currently no major new precipitation in the forecasts, but a possibility of light rain at mid elevations on the afternoon and evening of Saturday 30th, with some forecasts hinting at the possibility of an exceptionally early light snowfall (<1.0 inch) around the highest peaks. Temperatures are expected to warm quickly from Tuesday 3rd October.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Tuesday 26th September 2023 at 0805 the air temperature was 51.4°F (11°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 49.6°F (10°C), 10% relative humidity, and a very light WSW breeze sustained at 3 mph gusting to 3.8 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 21st September 2023 at 1850 the air temperature was 40.5°F (5°C), with a windchill temperature of 28.1°F (-2°C), 87% relative humidity, and a fresh WSW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 19.9 mph.

At the Peak on Thursday 21st September 2023 at 0900 the air temperature was 39.6°F (4°C), with a windchill temperature of 27.3°F (-3°C), 27% relative humidity, and a cool ESE wind sustained at 14 mph gusting to 22.0 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The trail system cleared of snow in July. One small icy snow patch has persisted in the Snow Creek drainage (near 9000 ft), but all others have now finally 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 no problems are especially challenging for hikers. Most trails have one or two new treefall hazards, and only Willow Creek Trail seems to have been 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.

Deer Springs Trail has about 18 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. Most of the 12 downed trees above Fuller Ridge on Deer Springs Trail date back many years and have been reported to the State Park multiple times.

Fuller Ridge Trail (PCT Miles 185.5-190.5) has seven treefall hazards, including four on the State Park side. One major hazard near the campground (near Mile 190) can be challenging to pass.

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

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 expected to reopen until graded, probably not 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 four 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.

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, and were worsened by Hilary; these are not problematic for hikers, but the trail is impassable to stock.

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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

Tropical Storm (formerly Hurricane) Jova passed roughly 1000 miles to the south-west of the San Jacinto mountains last weekend. Despite the great distance, cloud bands from the storm on Sunday 10th September produced some localized light rain, with 0.05 inch in Idyllwild (at 5550 ft), 0.03 inch at Wellman’s Cienega (9300 ft) and 0.04 inch at San Jacinto Peak, but none measurable at Saddle Junction (8100 ft).

Humber Park will be closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic for at least two weeks starting 1st October 2023 due to major road work at the uppermost end of Fern Valley Road. All hikers, notably PCT hikers, should use the Ernie Maxwell Trail access via Tahquitz View Drive to get to/from Idyllwild. In addition be prepared for potential disruption accessing trailheads near Idyllwild throughout September-October due to resurfacing work on Fern Valley Road and both North Circle and South Circle drives.

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 debris on trails, see Trail Conditions below.

Daily survey hikes in the San Jacinto mountains include several different routes to/from San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 8th, 13th, and 14th September, plus many other trails on intervening days. Recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given in the Weather section below. The trail system has been clear of snow since mid July.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs are generally flowing remarkably well for the time of year (see photos below and those in the previous Report linked here). Consequently I am not reporting water details for specific locations at this time. This summer has seen the most water on the mountain since at least 1998 (following the great El Niño winter of 1997/98), even prior to the additional input from Tropical Storm Hilary in late August.

Be rattlesnake aware. Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes Crotalus (oreganus) helleri have been active on the trail system up to 9300 ft, even on recent cooler days (see photos in previous Report linked here). 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). Devil’s Slide and lower Deer Springs trails, near Strawberry Cienega, and trails around both Suicide Rock and Tahquitz Peak, tend to be common locations for sightings.

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 appears to be 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). This is clearly a different individual, based on colour pattern and size, from the “blond” one I saw on Devil’s Slide Trail in August 2020 and had previously filmed walking past our home in Idyllwild in 2018 (video here).

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. Forest Service roads Dark Canyon Road (4S02) and South Ridge Road (5S11) remain closed to vehicles. Dark Canyon campground and the South Ridge yellow post sites remain closed.

WEATHER

Pleasantly cool (and periodically cloudy) autumnal weather has been, and will continue to be, the theme for most of September. This coming weekend, 15th-17th September, will briefly have above seasonal temperatures, before dropping to near- or below-average temperatures on 18th-23rd at least. Air temperatures above 10,000 ft elevation are now in the 40s Fahrenheit (5-10°C) with windchill temperatures typically a few degrees either side of freezing depending on wind strength. There is no significant new precipitation in the forecasts.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Thursday 14th September 2023 at 0815 the air temperature was 46.9°F (8°C), with a windchill temperature of 38.1°F (3°C), 72% relative humidity, and a cool ESE wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 12.2 mph.

At the Peak on Wednesday 13th September 2023 at 0830 the air temperature was 47.7°F (9°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 45.9°F (8°C), 17% relative humidity, and a very light due West breeze sustained at 1 mph gusting to 2.8 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 8th September 2023 at 1005 the air temperature was 56.1°F (13°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 51.4°F (11°C), 47% relative humidity, and a brisk WSW wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 11.2 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The trail system cleared of snow in July. A couple of icy snow patches remaining in the Snow Creek drainage (between 8500-9500 ft) have persisted into September, but others higher up were finally melted by the rains of Tropical Storm Hilary.

Hilary 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 particularly challenging for hikers. Most trails have one or two new treefall hazards, and only Willow Creek Trail seems to have been more severely 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.

Deer Springs Trail has about 16 significant treefall hazards 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.

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

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 expected to reopen until graded, probably not 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 four notable treefall hazards in the State Park (upper) half. One new huge stump came down in Hilary low down on the Forest Service section, but it is easy to pass. The State Park installed new signage near the USFS/State Park boundary on 23rd August.

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, and were worsened by Hilary; these are not problematic for hikers, but the trail is impassable to stock.

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 easily 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

Assessment of almost all trails has been completed since Tropical Storm Hilary passed directly over the San Jacinto mountains on 19th-20th August. Given the intensity of this past winter, and the additional wind and rain of Tropical Storm Hilary, hikers should anticipate encountering treefall hazards, minor washouts and debris on trails, as described in Trail Conditions below.

Daily survey hikes include many different routes to/from San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 1st and 5th September, plus other major trails on intervening days. A sample of my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak is given in the Weather section below. The trail system has been clear of snow since mid July.

In summer (and on 8th-11th September in particular) hikers should 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.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs are generally flowing very well (see example photos below). Consequently I am not reporting water details for specific locations at this time. This summer has seen the most water on the mountain since 1998 (following the great El Niño winter of 1997/98), even prior to the additional input from Tropical Storm Hilary.

Be rattlesnake aware. Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes Crotalus (oreganus) helleri have been active on the trail system up to 9300 ft, even on recent cooler days (photos below). 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). Devil’s Slide and lower Deer Springs trails, near Strawberry Cienega, and trails around both Suicide Rock and 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 improved the situation somewhat, but it remained a bumpy drive, now worsened by the rains of Tropical Storm Hilary. Forest Service roads Dark Canyon Road (4S02) and South Ridge Road (5S11) remain closed to vehicles. Dark Canyon campground and the South Ridge yellow post sites remain closed.

Due to major road work at the uppermost end of Fern Valley Road, Humber Park will be completely closed to all traffic for two weeks starting 1st October 2023 (exact dates tentative at this time). In general be prepared for disruption accessing trailheads near Idyllwild throughout September-October due to resurfacing work on Fern Valley Road and North Circle and South Circle drives.

WEATHER

Temperatures were pleasantly autumnal for the first five days of September, having dropped well below seasonal. They are expected to rise again to well above average from 8th-11th, before then dropping once again to about seasonal for September from Wednesday 13th. There is no significant new precipitation in the forecasts.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Tuesday 5th September 2023 at 0800 the air temperature was 51.2°F (11°C), with a windchill temperature of 45.0°F (7°C), 14% relative humidity, and a gusty SSW wind sustained at 4 mph gusting to 11.2 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 1st September 2023 at 0755 the air temperature was 47.7°F (9°C), with a windchill temperature of 39.2°F (4°C), 76% relative humidity, and a stiff SSW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 17.4 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The trail system cleared of snow in July. A couple of icy snow patches remaining in the Snow Creek drainage (between 8500-9500 ft) have persisted into September, but others higher up were finally melted by the rains of Tropical Storm Hilary.

Hilary 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 Trail seems to have been more severely impacted.

The route cleared along Willow Creek Trail in early August 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 many hikers may 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.

Deer Springs Trail has about 16 significant treefall hazards 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.

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

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 is 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 expected to reopen until graded, possibly not 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 four notable treefall hazards in the State Park (upper) half. One new huge stump came down in Hilary low down on the Forest Service section. The State Park installed new signage near the USFS/State Park boundary on 23rd August.

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, and were worsened by Hilary; these are not problematic for hikers, but the trail is impassable to stock.

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 easily 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 at least in spring and autumn. 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

The full impacts from Tropical Storm Hilary, with its impressive 8-12 inches of rain across the San Jacinto high country, are still being assessed, although almost all trails have now been hiked at least once since the storm. Many minor washouts and considerable treefall debris remain in the trails following Hilary, but frankly the impacts could have been much worse. The only trail with major treefall damage surveyed to date is Willow Creek Trail (details and photos below), which sadly had only two weeks earlier been cleared of 60+ downed trees accumulated over the previous three years. The rainfall from Hilary has thankfully helped suppress and shorten our fire season.

Daily survey hikes include many different routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 25th, 27th, and 29th August, plus many other trails on intervening days. A sample of my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak is given in the Weather section below. The trail system has been clear of snow since mid July.

On 29th-31st August hikers should be prepared for temperatures well above seasonal. Give considerable extra thought to route choice, start times, clothing, sun protection, and hydration requirements. Conversely, rapid cooling on 1st-4th September will lead to windchill temperatures below freezing above 10,000 ft elevation. Temperatures will then swing back above seasonal – for September – from 6th-9th.

Hikers should also be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions in the high country. Monsoon thunderstorms are always a possibility in summer and early autumn. 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.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs are flowing very well (see previous Report for some before-and-after storm photos) with flow rates well above the average of the last decade. Consequently I am not reporting water details for specific locations at this time. This summer has seen the most water on the mountain since 1998 (following the great El Niño winter of 1997/98), even prior to the additional input from Tropical Storm Hilary. Hidden Lake was refilled by Hilary, having been about 50% full by volume immediately prior to the storm (photo below).

Given the intensity of this past winter, and the additional wind and rain of Tropical Storm Hilary, hikers will encounter new treefall hazards and considerable fresh debris, 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 have been active on the trail system up to 9300 ft, mainly on warm, sunny days. 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 discussion here). Devil’s Slide and lower Deer Springs trails, Suicide Rock, near Strawberry Cienega, and trails around 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 improved the situation somewhat, but it remained a bumpy drive which has been worsened by the rains of Tropical Storm Hilary. Forest Service roads Dark Canyon Road (4S02) and South Ridge Road (5S11) remain closed to vehicles. Dark Canyon campground and the South Ridge yellow post sites remain closed. The State Park campgrounds, temporarily closed following Hilary, have reopened.

The annual maintenance closure of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is scheduled to end on Friday 1st September 2023. See the Tramway website for details.

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 September-October due to resurfacing work on lower Saunders Meadow and Fern Valley roads and North Circle and South Circle drives.

WEATHER

Temperatures have been on a rollercoaster ride since Tropical Storm Hilary passed directly over the San Jacinto mountains on 20th August. Conditions were pleasantly cool for several days following the storm, before a brief but potent heatwave arrived on 28th August, forecast to last until the end of the month. Temperatures will then rapidly plunge to well below seasonal in the first four days of September, before rising again to above average from 7th-11th at least. There is no significant new precipitation in the forecasts, but the possibility of a brief monsoonal thunderstorm on Saturday 2nd.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Tuesday 29th August 2023 at 0755 the air temperature was 56.8°F (13°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 52.2°F (11°C), 50% relative humidity, and a very gusty WNW wind sustained at 4 mph gusting to 13.6 mph.

At the Peak on Sunday 27th August 2023 at 0605 the air temperature was 50.9°F (10°C), with a windchill temperature of 43.3°F (6°C), 37% relative humidity, and a fresh SW wind sustained at 12 mph gusting to 19.9 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 25th August 2023 at 0730 the air temperature was 48.1°F (9°C), with a windchill temperature of 37.8°F (3°C), 45% relative humidity, and a blustery SSW wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 20.6 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The trail system is clear of snow. A couple of icy snow patches remaining in the Snow Creek drainage (between 8500-9500 ft) will last into September, but others higher up were finally melted by the rains of Tropical Storm Hilary.

Hilary 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 Trail seems to have been more severely impacted.

After three years of neglect by the Forest Service, Willow Creek Trail had a continuous route cleared through in early August, largely by California Conservation Corps, plus volunteers from multiple organizations. Regrettably that relatively clear route lasted only two weeks as Tropical Storm Hilary brought down 19 new treefall hazards, including several very large ones that can be challenging to pass. Seven of these are on the Forest Service section, with 12 on the State Park section, most of the latter near Hidden Divide and the High Trail junction (photos below). In several areas the whitethorn trimming done earlier in August is frankly scrappy but nevertheless the trail is more readily passable than before. Of the 68 trees that were across the trail following the winter (and prior to Hilary), eight remain to be cut on the USFS section for the original course of the trail to be fully restored.

Deer Springs Trail has about 16 significant treefall hazards 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.

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

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 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 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 treefall hazards in the State Park (upper) half. One new huge stump came down in Hilary low down on the Forest Service section. The State Park installed new signage near the USFS/State Park boundary on 23rd August.

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, and were worsened by Hilary; these are not problematic for hikers, but the trail is impassable to stock.

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. 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

Tropical Storm Hilary became the first such storm to make landfall in California in 84 years, and its impacts were felt across our region on 19th-20th August. Indeed the remnants of the eye of former Hurricane Hilary actually traveled northward directly over the San Jacinto mountains late on Sunday 20th, bulldozing heavy precipitation ahead of it, along with gusty winds.

Rain that had been forecast to start on Saturday morning ultimately did not impact most of the mountain range until Sunday 20th August. The notable exception was on the east side, where thunderstorms over Long Valley (8600 ft) produced 2.3 inches of rain on 19th, while Idyllwild, only a few miles away, recorded no rain that day.

The southern and western slopes did not receive any rain until the early hours of Sunday 20th, and the rain only intensified in the afternoon of 20th. Nevertheless, the final two day storm rainfall totals were impressive, with 4.30 inches in Idyllwild (measured at 5550 ft), 6.10 inches at Saddle Junction (8100 ft), 8.25 inches at San Jacinto Peak (measured at 10,700 ft), and a remarkable 11.74 inches in Long Valley (8600 ft). The rainfall from Hilary was much appreciated, and has certainly helped suppress and shorten our fire season.

Winds were much less impressive, and did not match those of Tropical Storm Kay that passed offshore Southern California in early September last year. Gusts at 50-55 mph were recorded in Apple Canyon, and just outside our area a gust of 61 mph was measured at Whitewater.

Daily survey hikes include many different routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 21st, 23rd, and 25th 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. The trail system has been clear of snow since mid July.

There is currently a large volume of water and treefall debris in the trails following Tropical Storm Hilary, although the impacts could have been much worse. All trails have minor washouts, but nothing unduly problematic. The only trail surveyed so far with major treefall damage is Willow Creek Trail (details below), which had only just been cleared of nearly 70 trees accumulated over three years of neglect.

Hikers in summer should be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions in the high country. Monsoon thunderstorms are forecast as a possibility on several days for the next two weeks. 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.

In the summer (and from 26th-30th August in particular) hikers should also be prepared for temperatures above seasonal in the high country. Give considerable extra thought to route choice, start times, clothing, sun protection, and hydration requirements.

Water sources such as creeks, pipes, and springs are flowing extremely well (see below for some “before-and-after” storm photos, and also photos in the prior Report linked here). Even after the brief boost from the heavy rainfall of recent days subsides, flow rates will continue to be well above the average of the last decade. Consequently in contrast to most recent years I am not reporting water flow details for specific locations at this time. This summer has seen the most water on the mountain since 1998 (following the great El Niño winter of 1997/98), even prior to the effects of Tropical Storm Hilary. Hidden Lake was refilled by Hilary, having been about 50% full by volume immediately prior to the storm (photo below).

Given the intensity of this past winter, and the wind and rain of Tropical Storm Hilary, hikers should expect to encounter new treefall hazards and considerable fresh debris, 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 were active on the trail system up to 9300 ft prior to Tropical Storm Hilary, and will likely reappear soon once temperatures warm again in the next few days. 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 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 improved the situation somewhat, but it remained a bumpy drive which will have been worsened by the rains of Tropical Storm Hilary. Forest Service roads Dark Canyon Road (4S02) and South Ridge Road (5S11) remain closed to vehicles. Dark Canyon campground and the South Ridge yellow post sites remain closed. The State Park campground at Stone Creek is temporarily closed due to maintenance issues following Hilary.

The annual maintenance closure of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is currently underway, with a scheduled reopening on 1st September 2023. See the Tramway website for further details.

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 possible disruption accessing trailheads around Idyllwild throughout August-October due to resurfacing work on lower Saunders Meadow and Fern Valley roads and North Circle and South Circle drives.

WEATHER

Tropical Storm Hilary produced the heavy rainfall that was widely forecast, and gusty (but not damaging) winds reminiscent of a typical Santa Ana event. The remnants of the eye of former Hurricane Hilary traveled south-north directly across the San Jacinto mountains late on Sunday 20th, bulldozing heavy precipitation ahead. Rain that had been forecast to start on Saturday morning ultimately did not impact most of the mountain range until Sunday 20th. The notable exception was on the east side, where thunderstorms over Long Valley (8600 ft) produced 2.3 inches of rain on 19th, while Idyllwild, only a few miles away, recorded no rain that day.

The southern and western slopes did not receive any rain until about 0200 on Sunday 20th, intensifying in the afternoon of 20th. The final two day storm rainfall totals were impressive, with 4.30 inches in Idyllwild (measured at 5550 ft), 6.10 inches at Saddle Junction (8100 ft), approx. 8.25 inches at San Jacinto Peak (measured at 10,700 ft), and a remarkable 11.74 inches in Long Valley (8600 ft).

Daytime high temperatures remain below seasonal averages for the next few days, although overnight “low” temperatures will be back well above average by Wednesday 23rd. A minor heatwave then follows on 26th-30th August with temperatures far above seasonal for late August. Monsoonal thunderstorms are possible starting Wednesday 30th August into early September. Temperatures are forecast to cool in the first few days of September, but remain above seasonal.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Friday 25th August 2023 at 0730 the air temperature was 48.1°F (9°C), with a windchill temperature of 37.8°F (3°C), 45% relative humidity, and a blustery SSW wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 20.6 mph.

At the Peak on Wednesday 23rd August 2023 at 0750 the air temperature was 50.7°F (10°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 43.5°F (6°C), 31% relative humidity, and a pleasant due South wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 16.2 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 21st August 2023 at 0920 the air temperature was 41.1°F (5°C), with a windchill temperature of 28.4°F (-2°C), 45% relative humidity, and a brisk due South wind sustained at 13 mph gusting to 23.6 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 icy snow patches remaining in the Snow Creek drainage (between 8500-9500 ft) will last into September, but others higher up were melted by the rains of Tropical Storm Hilary.

Hilary 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 especially challenging for hikers. Most trails have one or two new treefall hazards, and only Willow Creek Trail seems to have been more severely impacted.

Deer Springs Trail has about 16 significant treefall hazards. Water is flowing very well in Little Round Valley and in all of the springs and creeks along the Deer Springs Trail route.

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

After three years of neglect by the Forest Service, Willow Creek Trail had a continuous route cleared through in early August, largely by California Conservation Corps plus volunteers from PCTA, State Park, and USFS, among others. Regrettably that relatively clear route lasted only two weeks as Tropical Storm Hilary brought down 19 new treefall hazards, including several very large ones that are challenging to pass. Seven of these are on the Forest Service section, with 12 on the State Park section, most of the latter near Hidden Divide and the High Trail junction (photos below). In several areas the whitethorn trimming done earlier in August is frankly scrappy but nevertheless the trail is more readily passable than before. Of the 68 treefall hazards that were across the trail following the winter, eight remain to be cut on the USFS section 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 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 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 treefall hazards in the State Park (upper) half. One new huge stump came down in Hilary low down on the Forest Service section. The State Park installed a new sign at the USFS/State Park boundary on 23rd August.

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, and were worsened by Hilary; these are not problematic for hikers, but the trail is impassable to stock.

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. 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

WEATHER UPDATE 20th August 2023 at 2015: Heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary have mainly fallen this afternoon. In Idyllwild the storm total has reached 2.85 inches at 5550 ft. In Long Valley, at 8600 ft on the eastern slope, which was under major thunderstorms yesterday morning, the storm total is currently 10.45 inches, with an impressive 8.23 inches so far today. Winds have been gusty but otherwise generally unremarkable.

WEATHER UPDATE 18th August 2023: Hurricane Hilary continues to churn northwards just west of central Baja. Current projections have Hilary entering California as a Tropical Storm, the first to do so since 1939, on Sunday 20th. Heavy rain is expected to start on Saturday morning and continue into Monday 21st. Rainfall projections are currently 3+ inches for Idyllwild, and 5-6 inches for the high peaks.

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Despite occasional hotter days, August has generally been pleasantly mild and often cloudy, and certainly considerably cooler than July. That trend will largely continue with cool, cloudy, and wet weather forecast starting Saturday 19th and lasting for at least a week.

Tropical Storm Hilary expected to move north over Baja California is provisionally forecast to bring substantial rainfall to the San Jacinto mountains on 19th-21st August. Between 1-3 inches are forecast for mid elevations, e.g., Idyllwild-Pine Cove, with considerably more possible in the high country. If rainfall is at the upper end of these forecasts, the impacts could be severe, with localized flash flooding at all elevations and potential damage to mountain roads.

Hikers in summer should be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions in the high country. Monsoon (and currently tropical storm) thunderstorms are forecast as a possibility on most days for the next 10-12 days. 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.

In the summer (and on 15th-18th August in particular) 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 many different routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 11th, 14th, and 16th 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 well (see sample photos below and in prior Reports). Consequently in contrast to most recent years I am not reporting water flow details for specific locations at this time. Flow rates are of course now finally dropping, and some ephemeral water sources have recently dried. 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 (photo below). 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 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, but it remains a bumpy drive. 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 possible disruption accessing trailheads around Idyllwild throughout August-October due to resurfacing work, expected on lower Saunders Meadow Road in August, North Circle and South Circle drives in August-September, and Fern Valley Road in September-October.

WEATHER

Although the middle of this week (15th-17th) may have above-average temperatures, cool and cloudy weather is again forecast starting around Saturday 19th, with tropical monsoonal conditions likely lasting for a week or more. Spin-off from Tropical Storm Hilary moving north along Baja California on 19th-21st may bring substantial tropical moisture to the San Jacinto mountains. The forecasts currently vary greatly regarding quantity of possible rainfall, depending on the exact track of the tropical storm, but could be at least an inch or two at mid elevations, with 4-7 inches possible in the high country. A south-easterly airflow following passage of the tropical storm may bring in monsoonal thunderstorms for several days continuing to at least 25th August.

Monsoonal thunderstorms on Sunday 13th August produced good rains east and west of the San Jacinto mountains, but the intense cells sadly bypassed Idyllwild and the high country. Saddle Junction (8100 ft) received 0.12 inch, with 0.08 inch at Wellman’s Cienega (9300 ft), but only 0.02 inch was recorded both near San Jacinto Peak (10,700 ft) and in Idyllwild (at 5550 ft).

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Wednesday 16th August 2023 at 0825 the air temperature was 63.1°F (17°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 55.8°F (13°C), 52% relative humidity, and a very light ESE breeze sustained at 2 mph gusting to 4.7 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 14th August 2023 at 0740 the air temperature was 49.4°F (10°C), with a windchill temperature of 39.8°F (4°C), 70% relative humidity, and a gusty SE wind sustained at 10 mph gusting to 19.6 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 11th August 2023 at 0755 the air temperature was 46.4°F (8°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 42.3°F (6°C), 56% relative humidity, and a SSW breeze sustained at 2 mph gusting to 5.9 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.

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 in prior Report linked here).

Trails around the Skunk Cabbage and Tahquitz area meadows have some 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

UPDATE Friday 28th July 2023: The Wild Fire was held at <5 acres yesterday. However the San Jacinto mountains have been impacted today by smoke from the 900+ acre Bonny Fire, burning well to the south-west near Aguanga. Smoke started drifting across our area by about 0800, when I could smell it as I was descending through Round Valley, and a milky sun and smoky skies have continued all afternoon over Idyllwild.

UPDATE Thursday 27th July 2023: a fire started this afternoon immediately south of Idyllwild, in chaparral between the Transfer Station and Grinding Station, off Highway 243. Named the Wild Fire, I posted a short video of the fire activity as of about 1700 this evening (linked here) taken from the top of the Sunset Trail off May Valley Road. Briefly up to three water-dropping helicopters were in attendance, but that was down to one by about 1730. Held at 3-5 acres by dark.

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The San Jacinto mountains are forecast to remain in a protracted heatwave for several more days, although temperatures have ameliorated somewhat from the record highs of last week. At mid elevations (such as Idyllwild) daytime highs will remain several degrees above seasonal every day until 31st July, with overnight lows 8-12°F above seasonal. Temperatures are generally expected to fall to around seasonal for the first four days of August, although overnight lows will remain above average, before another heating trend starts on Saturday 5th August.

A minor monsoonal thunderstorm on Sunday 23rd July produced a little rain – 0.05 inch at San Jacinto Peak and 0.06 inch in Idyllwild – and a pleasantly cool cloudy day with some welcome humidity. Further monsoonal conditions are a possibility for the foreseeable future, currently most likely on or around Monday 31st July.

Fire risk is currently very high. The fifth anniversary of the start of the Cranston Fire is on 25th July. That destructive 13,140 acre fire, started by an arsonist (currently serving a lengthy prison sentence) burned right around the western and southern fringes of Idyllwild, destroying several homes, trails, and well-forested canyons, and to within feet, literally, of Tahquitz Peak fire lookout (photos below).

Hikers should be prepared for unseasonably hot weather in the high country, with temperatures above seasonal at all times of day and at all elevations until 31st July, and then again from 5th August. Give considerable extra thought to route choice, start times, clothing, sun protection, and hydration requirements.

Hikers in summer should also be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions in the high country. Monsoon thunderstorms are always a possibility, although storm probabilities are relatively low for the foreseeable future. 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.

The trail system has been clear of snow since mid July. A handful of tiny snow patches remain in the most heavily drifted areas that traditionally melt late, notably the East Ridge of San Jacinto Peak.

Daily survey hikes include a variety of routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 21st, 22nd, and 24th July, plus many other trails on intervening days. A sample of my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak is given in the Weather section below.

Currently perennial creeks, pipes, and springs are flowing well (e.g., see photos below and in the previous Report here), as are most ephemeral springs and creeks. Consequently I am not reporting details for individual water sources at this time. Given recent temperatures and record low humidity, this situation will start changing soon. 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 will encounter new treefall hazards on trails. Trails are steadily being cleared, largely by volunteers. Since the snow melted the Trail Report has cleared upper South Ridge and Spitler Peak trails (14 and 38 trees, respectively), the PCT between Saddle and Annie’s junctions (approx. PCT Miles 179-181, eight of nine trees), the informal trail descending from Willow Creek Trail to Laws (10 trees), and largely cleared Seven Pines Trail. Starting in June about 45 trees – from an initial total of 68 – have been cut from Willow Creek Trail by a variety of volunteers and agencies.

Be rattlesnake aware. Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes Crotalus (oreganus) helleri have become very active on the trail system in recent days up to at least 8800 ft elevation. Above about 5000 ft, the venom of this rattlesnake species in these mountains is predominantly neurotoxic, typically fatal for dogs and sometimes 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, but rattlesnakes have been recorded up to 9300 ft, generally favoring sun-exposed rocky outcrops and slopes.

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, all Forest and State campgrounds have now reopened.

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

Due to major road work at the uppermost end of Fern Valley Road, Humber Park parking area will be completely closed to all traffic, including cyclists and pedestrians, for two weeks in October 2023 (exact dates TBD). 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 the first half of August.

WEATHER

July has been a dramatic contrast to the six consecutive months of below average temperatures that started 2023. The most recent heatwave has been unusually protracted, with 11 of the past 12 days recording a daytime high temperature of 90°F or higher in Idyllwild, a trend expected to continue for several more days. A modest cooling starting 31st July will drop temperatures closer to seasonal averages, and may be accompanied by some monsoonal activity. Thunderstorms are currently most likely on Sunday 30th July to Tuesday 1st August.

As is increasingly the trend in the San Jacinto mountains, the overnight “low” temperatures in particular will be as much as 10°F above seasonal especially at mid elevations until the end of July, and are forecast to remain several degrees above average well into August.

The highest elevations have not escaped the heatwave, with temperatures well above average for the month throughout the second half of July, and possibly lasting into early August. The temperature I measured at San Jacinto Peak on Friday 21st July (62.6°F/17.0°C) is the second highest ever known to have been reliably recorded at that location.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Monday 24th July 2023 at 0800 the air temperature was 55.1°F (13°C), with a windchill temperature of 51.1°F (11°C), 41% relative humidity, and a light SW wind sustained at 5 mph gusting to 9.1 mph.

At the Peak on Saturday 22nd July 2023 at 0645 the air temperature was 60.1°F (16°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 55.9°F (13°C), 34% relative humidity, and a steady SSE wind sustained at 10 mph gusting to 16.4 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 21st July 2023 at 0720 the air temperature was 62.6°F (17°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 59.7°F (15°C), 34% relative humidity, and a warm ESE wind sustained at 4 mph gusting to 7.6 mph. This air temperature is the second highest ever reliably observed at San Jacinto Peak, although it is 5.0°F below the astonishing all-time high recorded on 12th July 2021.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The trail system is now clear of snow. San Jacinto Peak is now functionally clear of snow, with no significant snow patches on the trail routes up to the Peak. Snow cover remains about 5% on the East Ridge of the Peak, but the trail up that flank is functionally clear of snow.

Deer Springs Trail is clear of snow, but 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.

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 four down on the trail south from Saddle Junction to Chinquapin Flat.

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 is clear of snow but there are four notable new treefall hazards in the State Park (upper) half.

Trail maintenance crews will be working regularly on Willow Creek Trail in late July and early August. The trail remains a slow, messy hike for about two miles due to treefall hazards and whitethorn overgrowth, but thanks to the work of various volunteers and State teams the situation is steadily improving. As of 28th July 2023, about 23 treefall hazards remained across the trail, some of which are large and/or challenging to hike around (or over). There is only one large tree down between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and then a further 19 trees down on the next 1.5 mile Forest Service section until the State Park boundary. Only three trees remain down on the State Park section of trail up to Hidden Divide. The trail section with the most trees down – between the Willow Creek crossing and the State Park boundary – is also overgrown with thick whitethorn. With trail maintenance work, this may improve over the next few weeks. The work that Bill Rhoads and I undertook to clear whitethorn along this trail in 2020 was not completely in vain and parts of the trail would have functionally disappeared by now otherwise. The State Park has done an excellent job of trimming and clearing the trail on their section, with 90% of the whitethorn cut back in recent weeks, and just a few significant overgrown patches remaining closer to Hidden Divide.

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. Treefall hazards are a problem in many places but 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 2013 Mountain Fire).

Trails clear of both snow and treefall hazards include the Peak Trail, Black Mountain Trail, Ernie Maxwell Trail, Devil’s Slide Trail, and the Wellman Trail.

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 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 by the Trail Report, 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 snow. The crossing of the very swollen North Fork of the San Jacinto River at 1.5 miles on this trail (just after the State Park boundary) currently requires considerable caution. 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

The San Jacinto mountains remain in a protracted heatwave, along with much of the desert south-west. While local temperatures peaked last weekend – Idyllwild reached 99°F on Saturday 15th July surpassing the previous record high for that date by two degrees – temperatures above seasonal are forecast to persist until the end of July at least. At mid elevations (such as Idyllwild) daytime highs are expected to be several degrees above seasonal every day, with overnight lows generally 10-15°F above seasonal.

The highest elevations are equally impacted. Although an all-time record temperature is not now expected in the high country, by far the longest ever period of days >15°C (59°F) at San Jacinto Peak is likely, almost certainly of more than two weeks and potentially continuing into early August.

Fire risk is very high, as demonstrated by multiple significant fire starts in the grasslands of the nearby lowlands in the past week (described here). From San Jacinto Peak there was thankfully no visible sign of the Rabbit Fire by Monday 17th July, other than remnant smoke obscuring a very hazy Coachella Valley.

Hikers should be prepared for unseasonably hot weather in the high country, with temperatures well above seasonal at all times of day and at all elevations. Give considerable extra thought to route choice, start times, clothing, sun protection, and hydration requirements.

Hikers in summer should also always be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions in the high country. Monsoon thunderstorms are a possibility, although storm probabilities are currently low for the foreseeable future. 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.

The trail system is now clear of snow. A few snow patches remain in the most heavily drifted areas that traditionally melt late, notably the East Ridge of San Jacinto Peak.

Daily survey hikes include a variety of routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 17th, 19th, and 21st July, plus many other trails on intervening days. A sample of my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak is given in the Weather section below.

Currently perennial creeks, pipes, and springs are flowing well (e.g., see photos in the previous Report and below), as are most ephemeral springs and creeks. Consequently I am not reporting details for individual water sources at this time. Given recent temperatures and record low humidity, this situation may change soon. 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 will encounter new treefall hazards on trails. Trails are steadily being cleared, largely by volunteers. Since the snow melted the Trail Report has cleared upper South Ridge and Spitler Peak trails (14 and 38 trees, respectively), the PCT between Saddle and Annie’s junctions (approx. PCT Miles 179-181, eight of nine trees), the informal trail from Willow Creek Trail to Laws (10 trees), and largely cleared Seven Pines Trail. Starting in June 39 trees – from an initial total of about 68 – were cut from Willow Creek Trail by various volunteer and state teams.

Be rattlesnake aware. Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes Crotalus (oreganus) helleri are now present on the trail system up to at least 8800 ft elevation, although observations so far this year have been infrequent. Above about 5000 ft, the venom of this rattlesnake species in these mountains is predominantly neurotoxic, typically fatal for dogs and sometimes 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, but rattlesnakes have been recorded up to 9300 ft, generally favoring sun-exposed rocky outcrops and slopes.

Black Mountain Road (4S01) was in its poorest condition for at least a decade this spring. The mediocre grading job undertaken on 17th July improved the situation, but the Road remains lumpy and a high clearance vehicle is still recommended. Forest Service roads Dark Canyon Road (4S02) and South Ridge Road (5S11) remain closed to vehicles. Other than Dark Canyon, all Forest and State campgrounds have now reopened.

Tahquitz Peak fire lookout reopened for the season on 4th June. Black Mountain fire lookout will reopen for the season on Sunday 23rd July following (partial) grading of Black Mountain Road.

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

Due to major road work at the uppermost end of Fern Valley Road, Humber Park parking area will be completely closed to all traffic, including cyclists and pedestrians, for two weeks in October (exact dates TBD). 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.

WEATHER

Six consecutive months of below average temperatures to start 2023 ended abruptly at the beginning of July, and this month has seen two significant heatwaves already. The most recent of these is continuing at present and has been unusually protracted. At the elevation of Idyllwild daytime highs are forecast to average several degrees above seasonal every day into the last week of July. As is increasingly the trend in the San Jacinto mountains, the overnight “low” temperatures in particular will be as much as 15°F above seasonal especially at mid elevations.

The highest elevations will not be spared, with temperatures well above average for July for at least two, possibly three weeks, likely into early August. At San Jacinto Peak temperatures at or above 59°F (15°C) are predicted for 12-15 days; most years experience fewer than five days that warm at the Peak all summer.

There is no significant new precipitation in the forecasts, with no sign of monsoonal rains reaching the San Jacinto mountains before August. Despite the wet winter and cool first half of the year, vegetation moisture levels have rapidly dropped below average (per data in NWS San Diego video linked here). The fire danger locally is very high.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Friday 21st July 2023 at 0720 the air temperature was 62.6°F (17°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 59.7°F (15°C), 34% relative humidity, and a warm ESE wind sustained at 4 mph gusting to 7.6 mph.

At the Peak on Wednesday 19th July 2023 at 0645 the air temperature was 55.9°F (13°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 52.7°F (12°C), 46% relative humidity, and a light WSW wind sustained at 3 mph gusting to 7.0 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 17th July 2023 at 0710 the air temperature was 57.4°F (14°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 52.2°F (11°C), 54% relative humidity, and a pleasantly cool SSE wind sustained at 10 mph gusting to 19.2 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 14th July 2023 at 0705 the air temperature was 58.5°F (15°C), with no observable windchill, 34% relative humidity, and completely calm wind conditions (extremely rare at the Peak).

At the Peak on Friday 7th July 2023 at 0750 the air temperature was 52.7°F (12°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 46.3°F (8°C), 4.8% relative humidity, and a light but steady due West wind sustained at 11 mph gusting to 14.7 mph. This average relative humidity measurement (which briefly dropped as low as 4.2%) is the lowest ever reliably recorded at San Jacinto Peak, breaking the record of 5% set just two days earlier. Prior to 2023, I had only recorded RH as low as 7% on three occasions.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The trail system is now clear of snow. Snow cover averages about 5% around San Jacinto Peak, but with no significant snow patches on the trail routes up to the Peak. Snow cover remains about 15% on the East Ridge of the Peak, but the trail up that flank is functionally clear of snow.

Deer Springs Trail is now clear of snow, but has about 15 significant treefall hazards. Little Round Valley is now clear of snow. Water is flowing very well there and in all of the springs and creeks along the Deer Springs Trail route.

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, four major trees down across Willow Creek Trail between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and another four down on the trail south from Saddle Junction to Chinquapin Flat.

The Peak Trail is now clear of snow. The East Ridge Trail remains partly obscured under about 15% snow cover, but the remaining snow is heavily drifted and initially melted very unevenly forming “sun cups” (photo in prior Report linked here).

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 is clear of snow but there are four notable new treefall hazards in the State Park (upper) half.

Willow Creek Trail was a slow, messy hike for a couple of miles due to treefall hazards and whitethorn overgrowth, but thanks to the work of volunteers the situation has slowly improved since May. As of 21st July 2023, about 29 treefall hazards remained across the trail, many of which are large and some are challenging to hike around (or over). There is only one large tree down between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and then a further 25 trees down on the next 1.5 mile Forest Service section until the State Park boundary. Only three trees remain down on the State Park section of trail up to Hidden Divide. The trail section with the most (18) trees down – between the Willow Creek crossing and the State Park boundary – is also disappearing under thick whitethorn. The considerable amount of work that Bill Rhoads and I undertook to clear whitethorn along this trail in 2020 was not completely in vain and parts of the trail would have functionally disappeared by now otherwise. The State Park has done an excellent job of trimming and clearing the trail on their section, with 90% of the whitethorn cut back in recent weeks, with just a few significant overgrown patches remaining up high near the Divide.

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 now clear of snow throughout the San Jacinto mountains. Treefall hazards are a problem in many places but 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 2013 Mountain Fire).

Trails clear of both snow and treefall hazards include Black Mountain Trail, Ernie Maxwell Trail, Devil’s Slide Trail, and the Wellman Trail.

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 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 by the Trail Report, 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 snow. The crossing of the very swollen North Fork of the San Jacinto River at 1.5 miles (just after the State Park boundary) currently requires considerable caution. 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and 2023 has been no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

Saturday 15th July marks the 10th anniversary of the start of the Mountain Fire, one of the most impactful events in the modern history of the San Jacinto mountains, and certainly the most damaging fire to property, the forest, the local economy, and the trail system in living memory. About 27,500 acres and more than 20 buildings burned. Although some assessments have suggested the fire may have been beneficial to forest ecology (linked here) such positive impacts were confined to a relatively small area at the highest elevations where the fire burned. Elsewhere the fire was damaging to the forest, notably along the Desert Divide where the trails and surrounding vegetation will never be the same again. Many trails were shut for years, most require much more maintenance now than before the fire, and some remain functionally abandoned to this day.

A heatwave, more severe than the brief one at the beginning of July, is forecast to build and peak this weekend. Temperatures well above seasonal are forecast for all elevations on 14th-18th at least, and with near-record heat in the high country on 15th-17th. Above-average temperatures are expected to persist for 7-10 days. well into late July. Fire risk will be very high.

Hikers should be prepared for unseasonably hot weather at all elevations, with temperatures far above seasonal and early morning temperatures in particular expected to be about 15°F above average this weekend. Give considerable extra thought to route choice, start times, clothing, sun protection, and water requirements.

With the exception of heavily drifted areas that traditionally melt late (notably the East Ridge of San Jacinto Peak) the trail system is now clear of snow. The few snow patches that remain from this past remarkable winter will soon largely disappear in the forthcoming heatwave.

Daily survey hikes include a variety of routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 7th, 10th, and 14th July, plus a wide variety of other trails on intervening days. A sample of recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak is given in the Weather section below.

Currently perennial creeks, pipes, and springs are flowing well (e.g., see photos in the previous Report), as are most ephemeral springs and creeks, although some of the latter are starting to dry. 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 will encounter new treefall hazards on trails. Trails are steadily being cleared by volunteers. In recent weeks the Trail Report has cleared South Ridge and Spitler Peak trails (14 and 38 trees, respectively), the PCT between Saddle and Annie’s junctions (approx. PCT Miles 179-181, eight trees), the informal trail from Willow Creek Trail to Laws (10 trees), and largely cleared Seven Pines Trail. In June 33 trees – from a total of about 68 – were cut from Willow Creek Trail by volunteers, steadily making progress on the condition of that challenging trail (impacted by the 2013 Mountain Fire).

Be rattlesnake aware. Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes Crotalus (oreganus) helleri are now present on the trail system up to at least 8800 ft elevation. Above about 5000 ft, the venom of this rattlesnake species in these mountains is predominantly neurotoxic, typically fatal for dogs and sometimes for humans (see my article here for some 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, but rattlesnakes have been recorded to 9300 ft, usually favoring sun-exposed slopes.

Black Mountain Road (4S01) is in its poorest condition for at least a decade, but grading is scheduled to start in mid July. Until the road is graded 4WD and/or high clearance are recommended. Forest Service roads Dark Canyon Road (4S02) and South Ridge Road (5S11) remain closed to vehicles. Other than Dark Canyon, all Forest and State campgrounds have now reopened.

Tahquitz Peak fire lookout reopened for the season on 4th June. Black Mountain fire lookout is currently not expected to reopen until late July, once grading of the road is completed.

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

WEATHER

Six consecutive months of below average temperatures to start 2023 have ended abruptly. Following a minor heatwave in the first few days of July, a more severe heatwave is forecast for this week, starting on 14th and expected to last at least a week. Temperatures will peak well above seasonal averages on 14th-18th, with daytime highs approaching 95°F in Idyllwild at the weekend (15th-16th July) before cooling slightly next week, but expected to remain above seasonal. As is increasingly the trend in the San Jacinto mountains, the overnight “low” temperatures in particular will be as much as 15°F above seasonal at mid elevations.

The highest elevations will not be spared, with temperatures well above average for July for at least a week. Near-record temperatures are currently forecast around the highest peaks on 15th-18th July. At San Jacinto Peak temperatures above 60°F (15.5°C) are predicted for several consecutive days; most years there are only 1-3 days that warm at the Peak all summer.

There is no significant new precipitation in the forecasts. Despite the wet winter and cool first half of the year, vegetation moisture levels have already dropped below average. The fire danger in the San Jacinto mountains is currently categorized as high to very high.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Friday 14th July 2023 at 0705 the air temperature was 58.5°F (15°C), with no observable windchill, 34% relative humidity, and completely calm wind conditions (which are extremely rare at the Peak).

At the Peak on Monday 10th July 2023 at 0720 the air temperature was 49.6°F (10°C), with a windchill temperature of 40.1°F (5°C), 18% relative humidity, and a stiff SSW wind sustained at 15 mph gusting to 30.1 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 7th July 2023 at 0750 the air temperature was 52.7°F (12°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 46.3°F (8°C), 4.8% relative humidity, and a light but steady due West wind sustained at 11 mph gusting to 14.7 mph. This average relative humidity measurement (which briefly dropped as low as 4.2%) is the lowest ever reliably recorded at San Jacinto Peak, breaking a record set just two days earlier (see below). Prior to 2023, I had only recorded RH as low as 7% on three occasions.

At the Peak on Wednesday 5th July 2023 at 0745 the air temperature was 55.8°F (13°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 53.2°F (12°C), 5% relative humidity, and a light but steady SW wind sustained at 5 mph gusting to 6.3 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The trail system is now functionally clear of snow. Traction devices are no longer required.

Snow cover averages about 5% around San Jacinto Peak. With careful route-finding – such as ascending the Peak via southern rather than eastern routes – no snow hiking is required.

Deer Springs Trail is now clear of snow, but has about 15 significant treefall hazards. Little Round Valley is now functionally clear of snow (a handful of minor drifts remain). Water is flowing very well there and in all of the springs and creeks along the Deer Springs Trail route.

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, four major trees down across Willow Creek Trail between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and another four down on the trail south from Saddle Junction to Chinquapin Flat.

The Wellman Trail has a couple of tiny snow patches remaining on its southernmost sheltered 0.4 mile north from Annie’s Junction [surveyed 10th July], but is otherwise clear.

The Peak Trail has extremely limited patchy snow. The initial traverse north from Wellman Divide to 9900 ft is clear. For about 0.6 mile between 9900-10,100 ft snow cover is <10% and the trail is obvious. The ascending switchbacks above 10,100 ft are clear. The East Ridge Trail remains partly obscured under about 25% snow cover, but the remaining snow is heavily drifted and has melted very unevenly forming “sun cups” (photo in prior Report linked here).

Fourteen treefall hazards from this past winter on South Ridge Trail were removed by the Trail Report in May, and trail trimming is undertaken regularly. South Ridge Road remains closed to vehicle traffic and is not expected to reopen until graded, possibly in July.

Marion Mountain Trail is clear of snow but there are four notable new treefall hazards in the State Park (upper) section.

Willow Creek Trail remains been a slow, messy hike for a couple of miles due to treefall hazards and whitethorn overgrowth, but thanks to the work of volunteers the situation has improved in recent weeks. There are plans in place to cut the remaining trees on the Forest Service section in the next month or so, weather permitting. As of early July 2023, about 35 treefall hazards remain across the trail, most of which are large and some are challenging to hike around (or over). There are four large trees down between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and then a further 25 trees down on the next 1.5 mile Forest Service section until the State Park boundary. Another six trees are down on the State Park section of trail up to Hidden Divide. Some of the trail with the most trees down – between Willow Creek and the State Park boundary – is also disappearing under thick whitethorn. The considerable amount of work that Bill Rhoads and I undertook to clear whitethorn along this trail in 2020 was not completely in vain and parts of the trail would have largely disappeared by now otherwise, but the whitethorn does make some treefall hazards more complicated to negotiate.

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 now clear of snow throughout the San Jacinto mountains. Treefall hazards are a problem in many places but 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 2013 Mountain Fire).

Trails clear of both snow and treefall hazards include Black Mountain Trail, Ernie Maxwell Trail, and Devil’s Slide Trail.

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 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 by the Trail Report, 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). 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 now clear of snow. The crossing of the very swollen North Fork of the San Jacinto River at 1.5 miles (just after the State Park boundary) currently requires considerable caution. 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and 2023 is clearly no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

A heatwave in the first few days of July produced above seasonal temperatures at mid elevations, and well-above average temperatures at upper elevations. Daytime highs reached 80°F (27°C) at 8600 ft elevation in Long Valley for three consecutive days on 1st-3rd July, where there is considerable weather influence from the Coachella Valley.

After a brief cooling this week to temperatures a little below average for July, a more severe heatwave is forecast for next week, with temperatures well above seasonal at all elevations, and near-record heat in the high country. A sample of my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given below in the Weather section.

With the exception of heavily drifted areas that traditionally melt late (notably the East Ridge of San Jacinto Peak) the trail system is now clear of snow. Spikes are no longer required. Melting has been dramatic in Little Round Valley in the past week, and it is now largely clear (photos below). For readers interested in snow depths recorded in the San Jacinto mountains during this past remarkable winter, they were last listed in a recent Report available here.

Daily survey hikes include a variety of routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 4th and 5th July, plus a wide variety of other trails on intervening days.

Currently perennial creeks, pipes, and springs are flowing well (e.g., see photos below), as are most ephemeral springs and creeks, although some of the latter are starting to dry. 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 will encounter new treefall hazards on trails. Trails are steadily being cleared by volunteers. In recent weeks the Trail Report has cleared South Ridge and Spitler Peak trails (14 and 38 trees, respectively), the PCT between Saddle and Annie’s junctions (approx. PCT Miles 179-181, eight trees), and largely cleared Seven Pines Trail and the informal use trail from Willow Creek Trail to Laws. In June 33 trees – from a total of about 68 – have been cut from Willow Creek Trail by volunteers, steadily making progress on the condition of that challenging trail.

Be rattlesnake aware. Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus [oreganus] helleri) are now widespread on the trail system up to at least 8800 ft elevation. Above about 5000 ft, the venom of this rattlesnake species in these mountains is largely neurotoxic, typically fatal for dogs and sometimes for humans (see article linked 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, but rattlesnakes occur up to at least 9300 ft, often favoring warm, sun-exposed slopes.

Tahquitz Peak fire lookout reopened for the season on 4th June. Black Mountain fire lookout is currently not expected to reopen until the road is graded, possibly in July.

Black Mountain Road (4S01) is in its poorest condition for at least a decade and until the road is graded 4WD and/or high clearance are recommended. Forest Service roads Dark Canyon Road (4S02) and South Ridge Road (5S11) remain closed to vehicles. Other than Dark Canyon, all Forest and State campgrounds have now reopened.

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

WEATHER

Six delightful months of below average temperatures to start 2023 ended abruptly this past weekend with a brief heatwave, with temperatures, especially overnight lows, well above seasonal even for July.

After a brief cooling this week to temperatures a little below average for the month, a more severe heatwave is forecast for next week. Temperatures will be well above average for July at all elevations, with overnight “low” temperatures in particular at least 10°F above seasonal at mid elevations. The high country will not be spared, with near-record temperatures currently forecast around the highest peaks for 12th-17th July.

There is no significant new precipitation in the forecasts. The fire danger in the San Jacinto mountains is currently categorized as high or very high.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Wednesday 5th July 2023 at 0745 the air temperature was 55.8°F (13°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 53.2°F (12°C), 5% relative humidity, and a light but steady SW wind sustained at 5 mph gusting to 6.3 mph. This relative humidity measurement of only 5% is the lowest ever reliably recorded at San Jacinto Peak.

At the Peak on Tuesday 4th July 2023 at 0655 the air temperature was 47.1°F (8°C), with a windchill temperature of 36.0°F (2°C), 16% relative humidity, and a harsh WSW wind sustained at 20 mph gusting to 30.2 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 26th June 2023 at 0750 the air temperature was 41.6°F (5°C), with a windchill temperature of 29.3°F (-2°C), 37% relative humidity, and a very fresh SW wind sustained at 16 mph gusting to 27.5 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The trail system is now functionally clear of snow. Traction devices are no longer required.

Deer Springs Trail is clear of snow up to Little Round Valley (just a handful of easily traversed patches remain). Snow cover is now <10% through Little Round Valley following very rapid melting in the past week. The designated camping areas are now clear. Above Little Round Valley only a handful of drifted snow patches remain, but they have obvious tracks up and over, or they can be hiked around.

Snow cover averages about 20% around San Jacinto Peak, ranging from <10% on the south facing slopes to 40% on the north and east slopes. With careful route-finding – such as ascending the Peak via southern rather than eastern routes – spikes are not required.

Trails around the Skunk Cabbage and Tahquitz area meadows are clear of snow, but with significant treefall hazards throughout. There are seven treefall hazards across the trails between Little Tahquitz Meadow and Chinquapin Flat, four major trees down across Willow Creek Trail between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and another four down on the trail south from Saddle Junction to Chinquapin Flat.

The Wellman Trail has a couple of small snow patches remaining on its southernmost sheltered 0.4 mile north from Annie’s Junction, but is otherwise clear.

The Peak Trail has very limited patchy snow. The initial traverse north from Wellman Divide to 9900 ft is clear and the track now follows the trail route. For about 0.6 mile between 9900-10,100 ft snow cover is <10% and the trail is obvious but in a couple of places diverts around some icy drifts. The ascending switchbacks above 10,100 ft are functionally clear, with just a couple of minor snow patches to traverse. The East Ridge Trail remains partly obscured under about 40% snow cover, but the remaining snow is heavily drifted and has melted very unevenly (forming “sun cups”, photo above).

South Ridge Trail is clear of snow both north and south of Tahquitz Peak. Fourteen treefall hazards from this past winter on the trail were removed by the Trail Report in May, and trail trimming is undertaken regularly. South Ridge Road remains closed to vehicle traffic and is not expected to reopen until graded, possibly in July.

Marion Mountain Trail is clear of snow. There is significant water flowing in the trail in places in its uppermost mile, and there are four notable treefall hazards.

Willow Creek Trail remains been a slow, messy hike for a couple of miles due to treefall hazards and whitethorn overgrowth, but thanks to the work of volunteers the situation has improved in recent weeks. As of the end of June 2023, about 35 treefall hazards remain across the trail, most of which are large and some are challenging to hike around (or over). There are four large trees down between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and then a further 25 trees down on the next 1.5 mile Forest Service section until the State Park boundary. Another six trees are down on the State Park section of trail up to Hidden Divide. Some of the trail with the most trees down – between Willow Creek and the State Park boundary – is also disappearing under thick whitethorn. The considerable amount of work that Bill Rhoads and I undertook to clear whitethorn along this trail in 2020 was not completely in vain and parts of the trail would have largely disappeared by now otherwise, but the whitethorn does make some treefall hazards more complicated to negotiate.

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. Trail trimming is undertaken regularly. 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.

Overall, the PCT is now functionally clear of snow throughout the San Jacinto mountains. Treefall hazards are a problem in many places but most notably between Apache Peak and Red Tahquitz, where I counted 106 between Miles 169-175 in June 2023. Many large downed trees make for especially slow-going around Miles 172-175.

Trails clear of both snow and treefall hazards include Black Mountain Trail, Ernie Maxwell Trail, and Devil’s Slide Trail.

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 no longer exist. They are so heavily overgrown with dense whitethorn 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 by the Trail Report, and avoids the challenging bushwhacking of the unmaintained trails (some Idyllwild hikers dubbed it the “King Trail” when I established the route in 2019). It leaves the Willow Creek Trail exactly 1.0 mile from Saddle Junction (0.46 mile from the Skunk Cabbage turning), descending largely on established deer trails for 1.2 miles, meeting Willow Creek just upstream from the old Laws Camp. Of 11 trees down on the King Trail after this winter, ten were removed in June and the one remaining large trunk is easy to pass. 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 as it descends towards Caramba. Very cautious navigation is advised throughout the area.

Seven Pines Trail is now functionally clear of snow. The crossing of the very swollen North Fork of the San Jacinto River at 1.5 miles (just after the State Park boundary) is currently perilous and not recommended for most hikers. This will remain a tricky crossing into July. 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.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover operating costs. Every year seems to have its unique challenges, and 2023 is clearly no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you very much for your support.

Localized, patchy snow remains in parts of the high country, but with the exception of a handful of sheltered areas that traditionally melt late (see Trail Conditions below), the trail system is largely clear of snow. Hikers may find that carrying spikes continues to be useful especially if hiking off-trail above about 9800 ft elevation, but with judicious route-finding spikes are not generally required on-trail.

With so little snow remaining I am no longer reporting snow depths. For readers interested in the maximum snow depths recorded in the San Jacinto mountains during this past remarkable winter, they are listed in a recent Report (available here). Images of the winter snow at its most impressive are available in various prior Reports (perhaps best at the beginning and end of March, linked here and here, respectively).

The cool temperatures that have been the dominant theme of the first six months of 2023 in the San Jacinto mountains will soon be a distant but pleasant memory. At the end of this week hot summer temperatures finally arrive, and what snow remains will of course quickly disappear. A sample of my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak are given below in the Weather section.

Our daily hikes include multiple routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, most recently on 23rd and 26th June, plus many other trails on intervening days. With the snow rapidly disappearing, increasingly the focus of some volunteers, including myself, is on trail clearance and maintenance work, sorely needed after a wild winter.

Currently all perennial waters, pipes, springs, etc. are flowing well, as are most ephemeral springs and creeks (although a few are starting to dry up). This summer has seen the most water on the mountain since 1998, following the great El Niño winter of 1997/98.

With so much snowmelt, there is a great deal of water in (and where still snowy, under) the trails. A tolerance for wet feet, or appropriate footwear that is at least highly water resistant, is strongly recommended. Be cautious of the few remaining fragile snow bridges over water.

Given the intensity of this past winter, hikers will encounter new treefall hazards on trails, along with considerable amounts of debris, branches, cones, etc. Trails are steadily being cleared by volunteers. The Trail Report has cleared South Ridge and Spitler Peak trails (14 and 38 trees, respectively), the PCT between Saddle and Annie’s junctions (approx. Miles 179-181, eight trees), and largely cleared Seven Pines Trail and the informal use trail down to Laws, in recent weeks. Kevin Cadieux led a PCTA crew that cleared 24 trees south from Fobes Saddle along the PCT in late May. In June 33 trees – from a total of about 68 – have been cut from Willow Creek Trail, steadily making progress on the condition of that especially challenging trail.

Be rattlesnake aware. Despite comments in this Report regarding snow and cool temperatures, Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus helleri) have been seen on the trail system up to at least 8000 ft elevation since late May. The lower two-thirds of Devil’s Slide Trail, near Strawberry Cienega, and trails around Tahquitz Peak are three common locations for sightings, but rattlesnakes are possible anywhere up to about 9300 ft. Rattlesnakes will get much more active with hot weather in the next week or so.

Tahquitz Peak fire lookout reopened for the season on Sunday 4th June. Access via South Ridge Trail is clear from both directions, the PCT/Chinquapin Flat to the north, or South Ridge Road (5S11) to the south, but note the latter remains closed to vehicle traffic. Black Mountain fire lookout is not expected to reopen until the road is graded, in July at the earliest.

Black Mountain Road (4S01) is in its poorest condition for at least a decade and until the road is graded 4WD and/or high clearance are recommended. Forest Service roads Dark Canyon Road (4S02) and South Ridge Road (5S11) remain closed to vehicles. Other than Dark Canyon, all other Forest and State campgrounds have now reopened.

Ramona Trail remains closed due to prescribed burning operations on Thomas Mountain.

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

WEATHER

With only one or two exceptions, daily daytime high temperatures have been 5-20°F below seasonal averages for most of June, while overnight lows have been closer to, but still generally below, seasonal. The overnight low temperature in Idyllwild of 36°F (2°C) on Friday 23rd June came close to the historical record low for that date and location.

This cool trend is ending, with temperatures rapidly accelerating from below seasonal on Wednesday 28th June to above average – and hot summer temperatures for the first time this year – by Friday 30th. In three days daytime high temperatures may climb by 20°F, and overnight low temperatures by about 15°F. After a very hot first few days of July, temperatures will fall to about seasonal, before potentially rising again in the second week of the month. There is no significant new precipitation in the forecasts.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Monday 26th June 2023 at 0750 the air temperature was 41.6°F (5°C), with a windchill temperature of 29.3°F (-2°C), 37% relative humidity, and a very fresh SW wind sustained at 16 mph gusting to 27.5 mph.

At the Peak on Friday 23rd June 2023 at 0825 the air temperature was 38.6°F (3°C), with a windchill temperature of 26.6°F (-3°C), 14% relative humidity, and a cool due West wind sustained at 14 mph gusting to 19.9 mph.

At the Peak on Sunday 18th June 2023 at 0645 the air temperature was 41.6°F (5°C), with a windchill temperature of 28.2°F (-2°C), 52% relative humidity, and a stiff WSW wind sustained at 17 mph gusting to 28.4 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

Trails remain partly snow-covered above about 9700 ft. Trails below that elevation are now generally clear of snow, but elevations between 8800-9800 ft retain some snow patches in the most sheltered areas, rarely more than about 10% snow cover. Some hikers may find that spikes remain useful in a handful of high country areas, notably through Little Round Valley and on East Ridge, mainly for descending, but that they are no longer required.

Deer Springs Trail is clear of snow from the Highway 243 trailhead to near the Marion Mountain Trail junction, and functionally clear up to Little Round Valley (just a few easily traversed patches remain). Snow cover remains 40% and both very patchy but heavily drifted through Little Round Valley, but there is now a predominant boot track that largely follows the trail route. The designated camping areas are now largely clear. Above Little Round Valley snow cover averages about 10% and following the actual trail route has become much easier; the most significant drifted snow patches have obvious tracks up and over, or they can be hiked around.

Snow cover averages about 30% around San Jacinto Peak, ranging from only 10% on the south facing slopes to 90% on the north and east slopes. With careful route-finding – such as ascending the Peak via southern rather than eastern routes – spikes are not generally required.

Trails around the Skunk Cabbage and Tahquitz area meadows are clear of snow, but with significant treefall hazards throughout. There are seven treefall hazards across the trails between Little Tahquitz Meadow and Chinquapin Flat, four major trees down across Willow Creek Trail between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and another four down on the trail south from Saddle Junction to Chinquapin Flat.

The Wellman Trail has a very patchy 10% snow cover on its southernmost forested 0.4 mile north from Annie’s Junction, but is clear thereafter.

The Peak Trail has very limited patchy snow. The initial traverse north from Wellman Divide to 9900 ft is functionally clear and the track now follows the trail route. For about 0.6 mile between 9900-10,100 ft snow cover is about 10% and the predominant boot track diverts around some major icy drifts away from the trail route in places. The ascending switchbacks above 10,100 ft are functionally clear, with just a couple of extended snow patches to traverse. The East Ridge Trail boot track goes over largely continuous and very unevenly melted snow.

South Ridge Trail is clear of snow both north and south of Tahquitz Peak. Fourteen recent treefall hazards on the trail were removed by the Trail Report in May, and trail trimming is undertaken regularly. South Ridge Road remains closed to vehicle traffic and is not expected to reopen until graded, probably in July.

Marion Mountain Trail is clear of snow to the PCT/Deer Springs Trail. There is significant water flowing in the trail in places in its uppermost mile, and there are half-a-dozen notable treefall hazards.

Willow Creek Trail remains been a slow, messy hike for a couple of miles, but thanks to hard-working volunteers the situation has improved substantially in recent weeks. As of the end of June 2023, about 35 treefall hazards remain across the trail, most of which are large and some are challenging to hike around (or over). There are four large trees down between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and then a further 25 trees down on the next 1.5 mile Forest Service section until the State Park boundary. Another six trees are down on the State Park section of trail up to Hidden Divide. Some of the trail with the most trees down – between Willow Creek and the State Park boundary – is also disappearing under thick whitethorn. The considerable amount of work that Bill Rhoads and I undertook to clear whitethorn along this trail in 2020 was not completely in vain and parts of the trail would have largely disappeared by now otherwise, but the whitethorn does make some treefall hazards more complicated to negotiate.

The Trail Report removed all 38 treefall hazards from Spitler Peak Trail in late May and early June this year, bringing the total removed to at least 85 since July 2021. Trail trimming is undertaken regularly. 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.

Overall, the PCT is now functionally clear of snow throughout the San Jacinto mountains. Treefall hazards are a problem in many places but most notably between Apache Peak and Red Tahquitz, where I counted at least 96 between Miles 169-175 in May and June 2023. Many large downed trees make for especially slow-going around Miles 172-175.

Trails clear of both snow and treefall hazards include Black Mountain Trail, Ernie Maxwell Trail, and Devil’s Slide Trail.

Seven Pines Trail is now functionally clear of snow (a few patches remain in the uppermost 0.25 mile above 8500 ft). The crossing of the very swollen North Fork of the San Jacinto River at 1.5 miles (just after the State Park boundary) is currently perilous and not recommended for most hikers. This will remain a tricky crossing into July. 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 significant experience of hiking this trail.

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 no longer exist and are so heavily overgrown with dense whitethorn 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 by the Trail Report, and avoids the challenging bushwhacking of the unmaintained trails (some Idyllwild hikers dubbed it the “King Trail” when I established the route in 2019). It leaves the Willow Creek Trail exactly 1.0 mile from Saddle Junction (0.46 mile from the Skunk Cabbage turning), descending largely on established deer trails for 1.2 miles, meeting Willow Creek just upstream from the old Laws Camp. Of 11 trees down on the King Trail after this winter, ten were removed in June and the remaining large one is easy to pass. 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 as it descends towards Caramba. Very cautious navigation is advised throughout the area.

While all time and labor is volunteered, the San Jacinto Trail Report uses small private donations to help cover modest operating costs. Every year has its unique challenges, and a remarkable 2023 is clearly no exception. Your contribution keeps 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. Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal are all options. Thank you so much for your support.

With relatively little snow remaining – and what’s left now being very patchy – I am no longer reporting snow depths. However there is snow remaining in the high country, in places enough to be potentially hazardous. Trails above about 9700 ft (west side) and 9900 ft (east side) remain partly or mostly obscured by drifted icy snow. Trails as low as about 8900 ft elevation (on both flanks) have more limited patchy snow cover, mainly in sheltered areas that traditionally melt late. Cautious navigation remains valuable everywhere.

For readers interested in the maximum snow depths recorded at various locations in the San Jacinto mountains this past winter, they are listed in a recent past Report (available here). Images of this past winter’s snow at its most impressive are available in various prior Reports (perhaps best at the beginning and end of March 2023, linked here and here, respectively).

In keeping with the theme of 2023 to date, temperatures in June have been pleasantly cool and generally well below seasonal. They are finally forecast to rise, quite abruptly, to about seasonal for the month from Sunday 25th onwards, and then to well above average by the end of the month. Melting of remaining snow will accelerate markedly.

Our daily hikes include various routes to San Jacinto Peak multiple times per week, plus many other trails on intervening days. With the snow rapidly disappearing, increasingly the focus of some volunteers, including myself, is on trail clearance and maintenance work.

Spikes are no longer required for ascending San Jacinto Peak via the main east and west side routes, nor for other high country peaks. On Sunday 18th June for example, barebooting was relatively straightforward up to the Peak via Marion Mountain and upper Deer Springs trails, descending the Peak, Wellman, and Devil’s Slide trails back to Idyllwild (photos below). Some hikers will find that spikes remain useful in certain high country areas, notably through Little Round Valley and on East Ridge, mainly for descending, but that they are no longer required.

Currently all possible seasonal and perennial waters, pipes, springs, etc. are flowing well. I have not seen so much water on the mountain since 1998, following the great El Niño winter of 1997/98.

With so much snowmelt, there is a great deal of water in (and under) the trails, and this has also created some tricky stream and river crossings. Sections of Deer Springs Trail in particular will likely remain ephemeral streams for the next month or so. Appropriate footwear that is at least highly water resistant is strongly recommended. Be cautious of the few remaining fragile snow bridges over water.

Given the intensity of this past winter, hikers should anticipate encountering new treefall hazards on trails, along with considerable amounts of debris, branches, cones, etc. Trails are steadily being cleared by volunteers. The Trail Report has cleared South Ridge and Spitler Peak trails (14 and 38 trees, respectively), the PCT between Saddle and Annie’s junctions (approx. Miles 179-181, eight trees), and largely cleared Seven Pines Trail and the use trail to Laws, in recent weeks. Forest Service volunteers cut trees from the Ernie Maxwell and Devil’s Slide trails in late May. Kevin Cadieux led a PCTA crew that cleared 24 trees south from Fobes Saddle along the PCT in late May. Twenty small trees – from a total of about 68 – were cut from Willow Creek Trail on 8th June, not yet significantly improving the condition of that especially challenging trail, but progress is being made.

Be rattlesnake aware. Despite comments in this Report regarding snow and cool temperatures, Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus helleri) have been seen on the trail system up to at least 7500 ft elevation since late May. The lower two-thirds of Devil’s Slide Trail, near Strawberry Cienega, and trails around Tahquitz Peak are three common locations for sightings, but rattlesnakes are possible anywhere up to at least 9300 ft. Rattlesnakes will get much more active with warmer weather expected in late June.

Tahquitz Peak fire lookout reopened for the season on Sunday 4th June. Safe access is now possible via South Ridge Trail from both directions, the PCT/Chinquapin Flat to the north (crossing a couple of tiny snow patches), or South Ridge Road (5S11) to the south, but note the latter remains closed to vehicle traffic. Black Mountain fire lookout will not reopen until the road is graded, which is not expected until July.

Black Mountain Road (4S01) is in its poorest condition for at least a decade and until the road is graded 4WD and/or high clearance are recommended. Forest Service roads Dark Canyon Road (4S02) and South Ridge Road (5S11) remain closed to vehicles. Other than Dark Canyon, all other Forest and State campgrounds have now reopened.

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

WEATHER

With only one or two exceptions, daily daytime high temperatures have been 5-20°F below seasonal averages in the first three weeks of June, while overnight lows have been closer to, but still generally below, seasonal. This cool trend remains for much of this week, with temperatures finally rising to about seasonal for June from Sunday 25th, and then continuing to rise to above average at all elevations – to hot summer temperatures for the first time this year – for the final couple of days of the month. There is no significant new precipitation in the forecasts.

At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Sunday 18th June 2023 at 0645 the air temperature was 41.6°F (5°C), with a windchill temperature of 28.2°F (-2°C), 52% relative humidity, and a stiff WSW wind sustained at 17 mph gusting to 28.4 mph.

At the Peak on Monday 12th June 2023 at 0825 the air temperature was 46.0°F (8°C), with a “windchill” temperature of 43.8°F (7°C), 48% relative humidity, and effectively calm conditions with the lightest WSW breeze gusting to 1.2 mph.

At the Peak on Saturday 10th June 2023 at 0655 the air temperature was 40.5°F (5°C), with a windchill temperature of 30.9°F (-1°C), 19% relative humidity, and a moderate SSW wind sustained at 8 mph gusting to 14.4 mph.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

Trails remain partly or largely snow-covered above about 9800 ft. Trails below about 9800 ft are now generally clear of snow, but elevations between 8800-9800 ft locally retain some snow cover depending on aspect, drifting, and tree cover, but typically only 10-20% snow cover.

Both the Ernie Maxwell Trail and Devil’s Slide Trail are completely clear of snow.

Trails around the Skunk Cabbage and Tahquitz area meadows are functionally clear of snow, with just a few patches remaining in the most sheltered locations, but with significant treefall hazards throughout. There are seven treefall hazards across the trails between Little Tahquitz Meadow and Chinquapin Flat, four major trees down across Willow Creek Trail between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and another four down on the trail south from Saddle Junction to Chinquapin Flat.

The Wellman Trail has 30% snow cover on its southernmost 0.4 mile north from Annie’s Junction, but is clear thereafter. Note there is considerable flowing water in the trail in several places for a few tenths of a mile around Wellman’s Cienega.

The Peak Trail has very limited patchy snow. The initial traverse north from Wellman Divide to 9900 ft is functionally clear and the track largely follows the trail route. For about 0.6 mile between 9900-10,100 ft snow cover is about 40% and the boot track only partly follows the trail. The ascending switchbacks above 10,100 ft average only 10% snow cover and are clearing rapidly. The predominant boot track now follows the normal trail route around to Summit Junction. The East Ridge boot track remains obvious but goes over almost continuous and very lumpy snow.

Deer Springs Trail is clear of snow from the Highway 243 trailhead to near the Marion Mountain Trail junction. From there snow cover averages only about 10% up to Little Round Valley, with many lengthy clear sections. Snow cover remains 60% and heavily drifted through Little Round Valley, and there is no predominant boot track that accurately follows the trail route. Most of the designated camping areas are now largely clear. Above Little Round Valley snow cover averages about 40%, but with an extended central portion under 50% snow cover, and conversely the uppermost exposed switchbacks now less than 20% snow covered. Following the actual trail route is becoming easier. Cautious navigation is required on Deer Springs Trail, especially through and above Little Round Valley. Spikes can be useful (but are no longer required), especially for descending.

South Ridge Trail is clear of snow to Tahquitz Peak on the southern approach from South Ridge Road, and functionally clear of snow on the northern approach from Chinquapin Flat/PCT. The latter 0.4 mile section has two tiny snow patches remaining, but with excellent tracks with easy steps to follow through the snow and do not require spikes. Fourteen recent treefall hazards on the trail were removed by the Trail Report in May, and trail trimming is undertaken regularly. South Ridge Road remains closed to vehicle traffic and should reopen once graded, expected in the next month.

Willow Creek Trail is frankly a slow, messy hike for a couple of miles. At least 48 treefall hazards remain across the trail, most of which are large and some are challenging to hike around (or over) [multiple surveys in June 2023]. There are four large trees down between Saddle Junction and the Skunk Cabbage Meadow junction, and then a further 38 trees down on the next 1.5 mile Forest Service section until the State Park boundary. At least another six trees are down on the State Park section of trail up to Hidden Divide. Some of the trail with the most trees down – between Willow Creek and the State Park boundary – is also disappearing under thick whitethorn. The huge amount of work that Bill Rhoads and I undertook to clear whitethorn along this trail in 2020 was not completely in vain and parts of the trail would have largely disappeared by now otherwise, but the whitethorn does make some treefall hazards more complicated to negotiate.

Marion Mountain Trail is clear of snow to the PCT/Deer Springs Trail. There is significant water flowing in the trail in its uppermost mile, and there are half-a-dozen notable treefall hazards.

The Trail Report removed all 38 treefall hazards from Spitler Peak Trail in late May and early June this year, bringing the total removed to at least 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.

Black Mountain Trail is clear of both snow and treefall hazards.

Seven Pines Trail is clear of snow to 8500 ft elevation (about three miles up from the trailhead). The crossing of the very swollen North Fork of the San Jacinto River at 1.5 miles (just after the State Park boundary) is currently perilous and not recommended for most hikers. This will remain a tricky crossing into July. Patchy snow cover between 8500 ft and the junction with Deer Springs Trail/PCT (at about 8700 ft) averages about 10%. 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 significant experience of hiking this trail.

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 no longer exist and are so heavily overgrown with dense whitethorn 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, relatively well maintained, and avoids all of the very challenging bushwhacking of the unmaintained trails (some local hikers dubbed it the “King Trail” when I established the route in 2019). It leaves the Willow Creek Trail exactly 1.0 mile from Saddle Junction (0.46 mile from the Skunk Cabbage turning), descending largely on established deer trails for 1.2 miles, meeting Willow Creek just upstream from the old Laws Camp. Of ten trees down on the King Trail [surveyed 11th June 2023], three have been removed, but none of the remaining seven are significant hazards. 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 careful route-finding. My autumn 2022 survey counted 97 trees down on this 2.1 miles of trail. It is especially obscure 0.1-0.3 mile east of the Willow Creek crossing, becoming more obvious near Caramba. Very cautious navigation is advised throughout the area.

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