Please keep in mind that conditions on the San Bernardino peak trail will be completely different this weekend
Sally and I started up a bit after 6 AM on Wed Jan 23 with the goal of taking the trail to Manzanita flats and then heading cross country via snowshoes up to San Bernardino peak. We hit ice on the main trail quickly and stopped to put on microspikes -- the rubber that holds the system on to boot completely ripped
Sally whipped out duct tape and I did a minimalist repair.
By the time we completed the switchbacks up the ridge and entered the forest, we started post holing. Not quite enough to need snowshoes, just enough to be a pain in the butt. We finally existed the forest and could see our objective -- San Bernardino peak and the San Gorgonio backbone. Donned snowshoes and stayed on the trail to the John's Meadow junction sign, then went up and over the little ridge (tried traversing around on the trail but it was too exposed for my taste).
On the other side of the little ridge, we started heading up and towards the left (east). This XC route goes a bit to the east of the wooden bench. There was some shrub-shoeing (dropping into the brush under the snow or having to step over exposed brush) but not enough to be maddening. Finally, we were headed up the left side of the ridge (the summer trail is on the right side of this ridge and goes to Limber Pine) to a saddle and little plateau.
From the saddle (about 9.3 K), we used our televators on our MSR Lightning Ascents and started going UP. This was my favorite part of the day -- I love aerobic snow climbs
By the time the ridge topped out and joined the San Gorgonio backbone, my legs were quivering -- we had been climbing fairly non-stop for 6 hours. It was 12:15 PM.
We'd had enough fun for the day and didn't want to head up San Bernardino peak. Had lunch at the little plateau past where the ridge tops out and enjoyed fabulous views (10.3 K). When we started down,, we initially side-stepped with our snowshoes due to the steepness of the route. The quality of the snow was great and before long we were back to the trail junction sign at Manzanita flats.
Took off our snowshoes and continued our descent. As I feared, the snow had really softened up and it took FOREVER to get back to the area where the trail starts switchbacking down to the TH. I don't think that snowshoes would have helped at this point -- not enough snow for them and too soft for microspkies. I felt like I was trying to swim through Jello. By the time we reached the TH and Sally's car, my shoulders and wrists were screaming from using the poles to stay upright.
It took us 11 hours. If we'd gone to the peak, we would have finished over a half hour later in the dark. Inhaled the food at El Mexicano before heading home.
Thanks to Sally for a good thrashing
I won't go back up SM peak trail until most of the snow at the bottom melts out. It takes too much time to slog through the snow on the trail to reach the enjoyable XC route.
Miles of smiles,
Ellen
