Temperatures are forecast to remain near or below seasonal averages for at least the next week, with freezing conditions every night above about 4000 ft elevation. By 1st February there was a somewhat meandering snowshoe track from Round Valley (and presumably Long Valley) up to San Jacinto Peak, ultimately using the East Ridge route from near Miller Peak, that generally followed lower angle terrain and avoided the traversing slopes of the Peak Trail. South Ridge Road is clear of ice and snow. At the Peak on Monday 30th January 2023 at 1110 the air temperature was 15.5F (-9C), with a windchill temperature of -0.4F (-18C), 98% relative humidity, and a light SSE wind sustained at 3 mph gusting to 8.4 mph. However a couple more inches of snow are expected this afternoon, and also on 2nd and 5th January. South Ridge Trail from the top of South Ridge Road to Tahquitz Peak has a well-traveled track to follow through the very light and patchy 1-3 inches of icy snow. Spikes are recommended at least for descending upper Deer Springs Trail. This is expected to be a seasonal closure until next year. Altitudes are approximate. They are not currently recommended for moderate angle slopes above 9000 ft that have challenging ice underlying shallow powder. While fresh snow may be optimum for snowshoeing for the next couple of weeks, snow at all elevations will become increasingly firm and icy following multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and compaction by increasing hiker traffic in places, and I cannot overemphasize the importance of having both appropriate equipment and the right skill set for the terrain. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Wednesday 18th January 2023 at 1115 the air temperature was 16.8F (-8C), with a windchill temperature of -3.6F (-20C), 27% relative humidity, and a frigid NNW wind sustained at 10 mph gusting to 25.8 mph. Altitudes are approximate. My posthole/glissading track between LRV and San Jacinto Peak is very direct and steep, and of limited help to an ascending hiker. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. Spikes will likely become more increasingly useful over the next few days as established trails become consolidated by hiker traffic and undergo freeze-thaw cycles. On the morning of Friday 6th January, getting an Alpine start, I broke trail the entire way from Humber Park to San Jacinto Peak via Devils Slide, PCT, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge trails. However the remaining snow patches are icy in the morning. My route down to Little Round Valley will not be especially helpful to ascending hikers, as I made the most of conditions to take a direct glissading route. Above that elevation, icy snow cover is about 60% to Saddle Junction. All have been reported to US Forest Service. Provisional forecasts suggest the later storm systems, around 25th-27th February, could produce much more significant snowfall, potentially 10-12 inches in Idyllwild and 24+ inches at the highest elevations. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches. On cold mornings the trail will be icy and some hikers will find spikes are useful, however on warmer days and afternoons spikes are not required. Southwest Montana snowpacks rebounded in February after storms dumped an impressive amount of snow on the area's river basins, according to a Natural Resources Conservation Service report . The fourteenth and fifteenth storm systems of winter 2022/23 impacted the San Jacinto mountains back-to-back on 13th and 14th February, as discussed in the previous Report available here. 10 inches on 9th), Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 0-1 inch (was 4 inches on 9th), Annies Junction/approx. At San Jacinto Peak (10,810ft/3295m) on Tuesday 6th December 2022 at 1530 the air temperature was 19.9F (-7C), with a windchill temperature of 3.8F (-16C), 18% relative humidity, and a sharp due West wind sustained at 7 mph gusting to 13.2 mph. Your contribution keeps the Report available to all, free from advertising or paywalls, and independent from agencies. In Idyllwild for several days both overnight low and daytime high temperatures will be more typical of March or even April than of late December. The total snow accumulation was ultimately very close to the predictions given by forecasts in the days prior to the storm, and notably it was the heaviest snowfall in the first half of November for at least a decade. Often spikes are especially valuable for descending even when they are no necessarily needed for ascending. 51mi . Prior to this storm, conditions had been extremely unsettled for about ten days, with four storms in a week, although only one of those was a significant snow-producing system. About 6-10 inches of snow are forecast for the high country on Saturday 14th, with 1-2 inches possible at the elevation of Idyllwild (preceded by 1-2 inches of rain). Spikes are recommended at least for descending upper Deer Springs Trail. Holden said he could not recall the last time there had been an avalanche on Mount San Jacinto. There is disagreement between the forecast models where the freeze level will be for most of Sunday 11th which may alter the potential snowfall amounts (versus rainfall) at mid elevations. Every year seems to have its unique challenges and 2022 has been no exception. A few minor patches exist close to the top. Black Mountain Road also closed on 7th November to vehicle traffic at the gate 1.7 miles up from Highway 243. In general conditions in the remainder of January will be much more settled than for the first half of the month. Thankfully, no one is believed to have been on the mountain at the time. Hikers should expect to encounter new treefall hazards due to the enormous weight of ice from freezing rain currently in the trees and the high winds associated with the storm. However avalanche risk may become significant over the next week if we receive a major wind-loaded snowfall on top of the deep, hardened base of snow currently in place. A major warming trend will significantly change conditions on the trail system in the next week or two. Skyline Trail has a good track to follow through light icy snow above about 7200 ft (the Traverse to Grubbs Notch). Little Round Valley (9800 ft): 45 inches, heavily drifted, Wellman Divide (9700 ft): 40 inches (45 inches), Annies Junction/PCT Mile 180.8 (9070 ft): 44 inches (45-48 inches), Tahquitz Peak (8836 ft): 25 inches, heavily drifted to 40 inches in places (measured 20th January), Seven Pines Trail junction with Deer Springs Trail (8700 ft): 36 inches, Strawberry Junction/PCT Mile 183 (8100 ft): 15 inches, Saddle Junction/PCT Mile 179 (8070 ft): 19 inches (21 inches), Suicide Rock Trail junction with Deer Springs Trail (6950 ft): 1-3 inches, Devils Slide trailhead at Humber Park (6550 ft): 2-4 inches (5-6 inches), Idyllwild (at 5550 ft): 0-2 inches (3 inches). Hikers should be prepared for temperatures generally below freezing in the high country, and well below freezing when considering wind chill effects (see below for my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak). As mentioned last week, current trail conditions are oddly reminiscent of spring, with snow distribution and iciness typical of April rather than December. However the combined effect of the two minor storms, in combination with wild gusty winds pushing spindrift snow all over the high country, had completely erased the few tracks that were in place by the morning of Wednesday 15th. Consequently cautious navigation is recommended everywhere. This morning Anabel and I broke trail up Devils Slide Trail to Saddle Junction. The holiday weekend had temperatures far above seasonal until Tuesday 27th. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. Altitudes are approximate. Unusually for me, I followed the entire route of the established trail down to Little Round Valley. Forecasts are inconsistent regarding the amount of snowfall in this next storm, but those that I trust suggest 12+ inches in Idyllwild over the next 24 hours, with 1-2 feet in the high country. Climb the remaining 5,100 feet of snow and or ice in one of the several chutes. The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. New treefall hazards on major trails have been reported to relevant agencies, and those on Spitler Peak Trail have already been cleared by the Trail Report. Note that tracks discussed can be obscured quickly by drifting of snow from strong winds, sometimes in days or even hours. There are layers of hard ice and firm icy snow beneath the fresh powder, and crampons are ideal at present everywhere above 9000 ft, potentially lower in places. That said, it has just started gently snowing in both locations, so storm totals may increase slightly over the next couple of hours. Two new trees were down on the upper trail, unsurprising given the huge weight of ice from freezing rain plastered all over the trees. Given the importance of this trail for the safety of northbound PCT hikers in particular, it is one of several trails adopted by the Trail Report. They tend to be especially valuable for descending trails. There are two new treefall hazards to pass on the upper trail. Details of snow depths measured at various locations on the trail system are given at the foot of this posting. If the Report is useful to you in any way, please consider using this link to the Donate page. "My friend noticed the clouds and the snow on the mountains and we started looking at it and taking pictures of it and then she said, 'that's an avalanche,'" said Schwartz, who called the sight a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nevertheless Seven Pines remains a genuine wilderness trail unlike the relatively wide, bare, and obvious routes of, for example, Devils Slide or Marion Mountain trails. At the Peak on Friday 6th January 2023 at 0930 the air temperature was 25.7F (-4C), with a windchill temperature of 14.7F (-10C), 44% relative humidity, and a chilly NNW breeze sustained at 5 mph gusting to 10.6 mph. Seven Pines Trail has one set of hiker tracks through the snow since the storm in early November 2022. PALM SPRINGS, Calif. As if Southern California blizzard warnings and snow-dusted yuccas werent already surreal enough, some eagle-eyed interstate travelers saw another rare sight Sunday that mightve left them wondering if theyd made a wrong turn into the Rockies. Vehicles not parked in these spaces may be ticketed and/or towed. Forecast precipitation is currently only a dusting of 1-2 inches of snow at upper elevations, but combined with strong winds this will be sufficient to complicate route-finding. Another tree came down near the start of this trail close to Saddle Junction in Tropical Storm Kay. Forest Service campgrounds at Boulder Basin, Marion Mountain, and Fern Basin are now closed for the season. We removed nine treefall hazards on 18th November and the trail is now completely clear again, bringing to 56 the number of trees we have removed from this trail since mid 2021. Altitudes are approximate. I measured 1.5 inches of fresh snow at Saddle Junction early this morning, with about one inch at Humber Park, and 0.8 inch of snow (following 0.7 inch of rain) at 5550 ft in Idyllwild. Forecasts the expected snowfall amount, snow accumulation, and with snowfall radar. Overall, melting is proceeding faster than expected, especially with warmer than forecast temperatures, but this weekend trails will be very icy. With a rapidly changing climate in the region in recent years, it has become increasingly common for there to be little or no difference in snow quantities at mid and higher elevations, often because the high country remains above the cloud, and this system was no exception. Average snow cover is 60%, but is nearly continuous near Humber Park. Note that averages are given; due to strong winds accompanying storms there is extensive drifting. The rainfall totals at mid elevations were unremarkable, especially compared to those of the storm in early November (discussed here). Currently few major trail routes have been traveled and even those may become partially obscured by drifted snow and fresh icefall. There is an average of 9-10 inches of fresh powder so far today at San Jacinto Peak, and about 5 inches in Long Valley. Snow Play at Mount San Jacinto Park Easily accessible from Palm Springs, this snowy mountain top is only a short ride up the mountain. Currently the USFS gate at Humber Park remains open and the parking area has been largely plowed. Currently the snow is relatively powdery; this will steadily change over the next few days and weeks. Windy, with a west wind 45 to 55 mph decreasing to 35 . Marion Mountain Trail [updated 22nd December] has a well-defined but lumpy posthole track throughout. With the light fresh powder the previous evening, accompanied by very strong winds causing extensive drifting, prior tracks, including my own from 13th, had been totally erased everywhere so I was again breaking trail the entire way. The eighteenth storm, due this evening, is an unusual atmospheric river combined with very cold air again, expected to produce heavy snowfall for 24th-25th February. Hikers who have an ice axe (and know how to use it) may find it useful in places on this short section of trail. The forecast for the last ten days of December differs radically from what was predicted just a week ago, and a major warming trend is expected rather than another cold Pacific storm. Mount San Jacinto State Park. This is the second heaviest rainfall period in the past decade for Idyllwild (behind the almost unbeatable Great Valentines Day flood event of 2019, when we recorded 7.8 inches in just 20 hours!). Note however that snow depth itself is rarely indicative of the difficulty (or otherwise) of hiking a particular trail. South Ridge Trail (surveyed 19th November) is largely clear of snow from the top of South Ridge Road to Old Lookout Flat at about 7600 ft, with just 5% cover of icy snow. All, free from advertising or paywalls, and of limited help to an ascending hiker is. In general conditions in the morning icy patches Saddle Junction in Tropical storm Kay at Humber Park available to,. 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