Went up to Jean and San Jacinto yesterday with a group of friends. We booted it up through the Sid Davis drainage to Tamarack, then headed up to the forested area where the main trail takes a big bend at about 10 K. Went up next to the gully that goes up to the ridge between Jean and San Jacinto.
Donned snowshoes on the ridge and summited Jean, then backtracked and headed on the ridge over to San Jacinto. After getting the requisite summit photos (it was 20 degrees and with the wind chill, even colder), we had a late lunch in the hut. Dropped down the side of the ridge and joined the main trail back to our boottrack from the morning. My bad ankle was screaming, so I took off the snowshoes before Tamarack.
Another good foot of snow and we should have enough coverage to go the regular winter route up to Miller Saddle and the peak. This was the best snow I've seen on San Jacinto since the 2010-2011 snow season.
Eric Su, Sung, Greg and a few other greyhounds with speedy alien DNA came up Skyline and caught us at Jean peak
Eric noted they started hitting fresh snow around Flatrock. Snow level on the traverse was reportedly between 6 and 12 inches. With potential melting and refreezing, the traverse could be very sketchy.
Miles of smiles,
Ellen
