snowpack on mt san jacinto

Cold clouds in the high country produced thick rime on the trees above about 10,200 ft elevation on 1st December (photo from 2nd below) but otherwise no meaningful precipitation. Snow on this east slope is drifted, and remains up to 12 inches deep in places. Both days I put spikes on at the Peak for the descent, on 24th keeping them on until about 8000 ft on Marion Mountain Trail, and on 28th until about 9900 ft on the Peak Trail, roughly one mile north of Wellman Divide. 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. South Ridge Trail has been broken from the top of South Ridge Road to Tahquitz Peak with a simple posthole track. This latest storm was again very mild, as expected from an atmospheric river system pulling moisture in from warmer latitudes. Snow Summit. Note that there are about a dozen stream crossings and sections of the trail with water flowing in them, at times for tens of feet. SAN JACINTO (MSJC1) Lat: 33.81528NLon: 116.64194WElev: 8616ft. The trail is largely clear of snow from Highway 243 to Strawberry Junction, and with about 60% snow cover from there up to 8600 ft. Marion Mountain Trail [updated 22nd December] has a well-defined but lumpy posthole track throughout. The steep escarpment of its north face, above Snow Creek, climbs over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in 7 miles (11 km). Steady melting of snow, especially on sun-exposed slopes, and freeze-thaw cycles will combine to change trail conditions and potentially the preferred equipment for the terrain. Conversely in some places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. Many thanks to Florian Boyd for bringing this to my attention. Early on cold mornings, the icy snow is grippy, and I did not find spikes necessary on 5th. Conversely in some places scouring by the wind means the depths are well below the average. However excellent well-traveled and compacted tracks are now in place for almost all major trails (details below). Spikes are not essential, but many hikers may find them useful depending on their comfort level hiking on thin icy snow. Precipitation has been steady at mid and upper elevations for the past few hours. On 21st I again barebooted (i.e. High near 21. Snow cover is shallow up to about 7000 ft, but relatively heavy above 8000 ft. Eli Lilly cuts insulin prices up to 70% amid federal pressure to lower costs of life-saving medication, 60 million under winter weather alerts as massive storms roll across US; New York finally gets snow: Live updates, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Spikes are useful but not strictly required for ascending, but most hikers will continue to find them very useful for descending. Humidity: 89%: Wind Speed: S 14 MPH: Barometer: NA: Dewpoint: 21F (-6C) Visibility: NA: Wind Chill: . The USFS gate at Humber Park remains closed. Snowshoes are not advisable due to the angle of the icy snow. Following an unusually warm weekend, multiple atmospheric river storms will bring cold, cloudy weather with variable precipitation from Tuesday 27th December well into the first week of January. On 14th, about 2.0 inches fell in Idyllwild, with an inch all the way down to 3500 ft (and a dusting even lower), but upper elevations received a similar amount, with 2.5 inches in Long Valley (8600 ft) and at Wellman Divide (9700 ft), and no more than three inches at San Jacinto Peak. As of this morning, I saw no other broken tracks on the high country trail system. From near Miller Peak I put in a track up the East Ridge, rather than continuing on the Peak Trail round to Summit Junction, but this track was being partially erased by spindrift within minutes. The second system may be more substantial, with precipitation expected most of the day and night of Saturday 31st December into Sunday 1st January. The system was cooler in the early hours of Friday morning, with a dusting of snow to 6000 ft and a covering of icy sleet below that in Idyllwild. The high country remained above the cloud for this one, with no fresh snowfall above about 8000 ft. Current air temperature at San Jacinto Peak is 17.8F (-8C) with a windchill of -5.6F (-21C) and a steady SW wind sustained at 19 mph gusting to 30.2 mph. Azalea Drive, the access road to Marion Mountain trailhead, has not been fully plowed (surveyed Tuesday 14th). Ernie Maxwell Trail [checked 23rd and 26th January] has good tracks to follow along its entire length, through the shallow icy snow (still >90% snow cover). IMPORTANT UPDATE Friday 13th January: back-to-back Pacific storm systems are forecast to impact the San Jacinto mountains this weekend, the first on Saturday 14th, immediately followed by another Sunday 15th-Monday 16th January. From the top of Marion, the route is well-traveled but pretty uneven, up into Little Round Valley. There is evidence of a relatively well-traveled track south from Saddle Junction on the PCT, but as of the morning of Saturday 17th this track did not make it through to Chinquapin Flat. The latter includes interpreting the snow/ice conditions, understanding your physical and mental abilities, and conservative decision making. In Idyllwild at 5550 ft, rainfall storm total today is 1.14 inches. Remarkably Tropical Storm Kay did not add any new treefall hazards to this trail. Although that day was not as cold and windy as 15th, I ascended in heavy cloud conditions with steady snowfall for the first three hours. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, mixed with slushy and icy patches. They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches. A few cleared patches are developing below 7000 ft. With at least two further snowfalls expected in the next few days, and strong winds in the high country expected for the next week causing substantial daily drifting of snow, much of the trail system will remain largely obscured by light to moderate snow until the second week of January. However the precipitation amounts and probabilities for both storm systems have varied greatly in recent forecasts, and the models seem to be especially uncertain about details of the second storm (approx. Forecasts the expected snowfall amount, snow accumulation, and with snowfall radar. UPDATE #2 for 10th November 2022: It was disappointing late this morning to see southbound PCT hikers trying to hike down Highway 243 from Idyllwild to Mountain Center. Note that tracks discussed are obscured quickly by heavy drifting of snow from strong winds, sometimes in days or even hours. Locations in between, especially those on the western and southern slopes, added more with up to five inches at Saddle Junction (8100 ft). "Here's the thing, who would realize it was an avalanche?" They are not however required, depending upon your comfort level hiking on shallow variable snow, potentially mixed with slushy and icy patches. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. Box 518 Idyllwild, CA 92549 1-909-382-2921 Mount San Jacinto State Park 25905 Highway 243 Idyllwild, CA 92549 Hikers who have an ice axe (and know how to use it) may find it useful in places on this short section of trail. Sign up for Alert San Diego notifications for all your telephone numbers. On multiple recent ascents of San Jacinto Peak I have generally ascended and descended via the east side (Devils Slide, Wellman, Peak, and East Ridge routes). Devils Slide Trail has an excellent compacted track to follow to Saddle Junction. Hikers should be prepared for temperatures below freezing in the high country, and far below freezing when considering wind chill effects (see below for my recent weather observations from San Jacinto Peak). 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. There is a compacted, well-traveled track on continuous light icy snow from Long Valley/Tram to Wellman Divide. On Thursday 15th I ascended San Jacinto Peak via the east side (Devils Slide, Wellman, and Peak trails) and descended the west side via Deer Springs Trail, while on Monday 19th we hiked to the Peak up and down the east side trails. . This rain produces huge masses of ice in the trees, including chunks I have estimated as weighing 40-100 lb this winter, which can dislodge dramatically once direct sunlight warms the trees. At the on Monday 5th December 2022 at 0840 the air temperature was 24.1F (-4C), with a windchill temperature of 2.8F (-16C), 20% relative humidity, and a bitter WSW wind sustained at 18 mph gusting to 33.0 mph. Spikes are not needed yet, but that will change soon with increasing compaction and freeze/thaw cycles. Mt. 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. The PCT on the south-facing slope (Angels Glide) for about 1.0 mile north of Saddle Junction is largely clear of snow (spikes not required). Three significant trees are now down across the trail, including two major hazards (one new in gale force winds on 26th) that are not easy to hike around both roughly halfway along the trail. Currently the USFS gate at Humber Park is closed. New treefall hazards on Devils Slide Trail, South Ridge Trail, and Spitler Peak Trail, have all been reported. Note that average depth is given; due to strong winds there has been drifting, often particularly accumulating in the trails. San Jacinto Peak (10810 ft): 45-48 inches (includes about 24 inches snow in latest storms), heavily drifted to 60 inches in places, especially on the East Ridge. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. Rainfall in Idyllwild (at 5550ft) has also maintained a steady pace, with close to 0.7 inch so far today. Windy, with a west wind 45 to 55 mph decreasing to 35 . All trails above about 7500 ft are currently remain lightly (or above 9000 ft, moderately) snow-covered. Currently crampons, always with an ice axe, and advanced knowledge of how to use this equipment, are required. With such strong Santa Ana winds on Thursday 26th causing extensive drifting, and a light snowfall early on 30th, by the 30th prior tracks had been thoroughly erased and I was once again breaking trail the entire way from Humber Park to San Jacinto Peak, largely through relatively shallow powder. If you have found this Report useful, please consider using this link to the Donate page. The Thursday system will be significantly warmer, with a freeze level not dropping below about 7000 ft. Precipitation at the elevation of Idyllwild should therefore be rain (0.5-0.7 inch currently forecast), which may therefore largely melt and remove the snow that had fallen earlier in the week at that elevation. and snow conditions. 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