Devils Slide or Deer Springs best to Jacinto?

[kjmc]

Greetings
We are prepared for the snow and intend to hike to the Jacinto summit and back this coming Saturday starting at 6 or 7 AM. Would prefer Devils Slide as the shorter route. Given the current posts regarding losing the trail in the Wellmans Divide area, would the Deer Springs/Round Valley approach be a wiser choice? We are used to long day hikes (ie Gorgonio), so we would consider Deer Springs it if it is a safer route.
Thanks for your comments.

[Mountaingoat]

Hi kjmc,

I did Marion Mtn to little round valley 4/13. Had to turn around about 1 mile below little round valley just about 1/2 mile after the trail intersects with the deer springs trail.

There was complete coverage of very hard and icy snow (I didn't have my crampons with me). But the main reason I turned back, was nobody had been up that far in weeks. No tracks. And I didn't want to get lost!! Very easy in those conditions.

Anyway don't know if the conditions have improved. The weather has been very cool down here in San Diego.

Good luck to you, Berne Mettenleiter

[kjmc]

Thanks for the reply. I am assuming you turned around due to the snow not allowing you to pick up the trail. Seems that folks are having problems with this on either side of the approach to the summit.

I think we will try Devils Slide. Deer Springs is just too long. Who wants to do 19.5 miles in a day anyway?

I don't hear much about the Seven Pines Trail. Is that because its officially closed this time of year like the Marion Mtn Trail?

[Hikin_Jim]

I think the Devil's slide up to the top via Wellman's is the way to go. If you had to, you could follow the ridgeline to Jacinto/Jean saddle if and when the trail was no longer followable and then up to the top of San Jac.

The approaches from the west have a lot of shade in spots that I think would lend themselves to snow. Not that going via the DST won't have snow, but it's better travelled, has more southern exposure, and has generally a bit less cover.

[kjmc]

Jim and Berne

Thanks very much for your posts.

Kevin