San Bernardino Peak Trail and Road Conditions

[muttdog]

Does anyone happen to know what the road (Hwy 38 to Angelus Oaks)and trail conditions are that lead up to San Bernardino Peak?
I would like to take the San Bernardino Peak Trail from the Angelus Oaks trailhead on Saturday, 22 March. Thanks for any information.
Also if there is still too much snow and/or ice on the mountain are there any other mountain trail areas in the mountain range that are better?

[zippetydude]

The 38 is clear, but the final 1/2 mile up to the trailhead may be messy. I haven't been that way for a few weeks now, but I imagine the snow/ice becomes tricky in a couple of spots.

One is on an east facing slope just before you get to the Manzanita Flat - it's got some exposure and can be tricky. Also, after the Flat, once you pass the trail junction going on up to Limber Pine, there are a lot of places where the trail is often covered for several yards, and again, there's some exposure there.

I generally avoid the parts of the trail that seem dangerous to me until after almost all of the ice is gone. A little slushy snow will be messy, but not dangerous. Ice can be a problem.

Unless you're determined to make the peak, you'll probably have fun, then turn around at some point that begins to look dicey.

If you're looking for a longer, flatter trail, the South Fork trail that I always mention has virtually no exposure until you are within a few hundred feet of the summit. Of course, turning around at 11,000 feet is a bit demoralizing, but I've done it several times, and still had a wonderful day out in the wilderness. Hope this helps.

z

[simonov]

Hey, zippetydude, I was wondering if you could provide any information about the Forsee Trailhead. Next month I am supposed to lead a couple groups of noobs up to John's Meadow. Elevation is around 7,000 feet for most of the hike. Is there snow on the trail now? Will there be in three weeks, do you think?

I'll take a day hike up there the weekend before the first backpack trip to see everything first-hand, but I was hoping to get some advance information.

Cheers.

[Hikin_Jim]

Simonov:

Not sure what the snow looks like at 7000, but much of the trail to John's meadow is N facing and well shaded, which would be conducive to retaining snow/ice. I'm hearing that on the S Fork trail one does not need "gear" until after one leaves the S Fork Mdws area. If that's true, then John's meadow may be clear. If the trail is not clear, there are definitely some steep drop offs that would not be fun with ice for a Noob.

I went up via Johns Meadow to SB and E SB peaks the last weekend of April last year. The trail in late April '07 was pretty clear until I got above Limber Pine Springs.

One thing: the meadow will probably be dead and lifeless this time of year. It's a really pretty little meadow. I'd wait a couple of more months and see it when it greens up. Just a thought.

HJ

P.S. For what it's worth, here are some photos from my hike last year. I didn't include any photos of the meadow area because it was so dreary. http://picasaweb.google.com/jim.barbour/SanBernardinoPkAndESanBernardinoPkBackpackPhotos/photo#s5059705126757778018

[dhstein313]

Dreary would not be the word I'd use for it - I'd say, "Surreal!" That Avy in 05 really changed the drainage. Talk about an relentless 150 ft wide speeding freight train sliding into homeplate. Would have loved to have seen it from a distance.

D

[Hikin_Jim]

Yeah, I'd have liked to have seen that too -- from a safe distance! There were trees -- big trees -- 150 or more feet up the bank from the steam bed.

Fortunately, the avvy went through Forsee Creek proper. The meadow is on the other (west) side of Johns Meadow TC in a much smaller feeder stream of Forsee Creek. I visited the meadow last fall and last spring (last weekend in April). The meadow is intact, thank God, because it's really a nice little meadow.

I do remember going out there, I think it was fall of '05, and seeing a 20' snow bank on the W side of Forsee Cr. Snow in Sept at 7000'? I have to admit that I hadn't seen that before in the SGW.