Hike on Sat 12/27/08

[Ranboze]

I read from another thread that a couple of you might be up there on Sat. Ive got some friends who also are planning on going up the Tram and doing some snow shoeing on Saturday and I plan to join them.

Cy and Kathy... what time do you think you'll be headed up?

I have intentions of going only as far as what feels comfortable. Since I don't have any winter mountaineering experience on SJ, I do not know areas that pose a particular risk during a winter ascent. Can anyone chime in as to any particular spots that are troublesome... either for avy or ice (altho the latter shouldnt be a problem Sat with the new snow coming?!?!?)

[KathyW]

I might not be on one of the earliest cars on Saturday. I have a new tent I need to play around with, so I'm headed up for an overnight trip and won't need a full day on Saturday just to get Round or Tamarack Valley.

Sunday looks like it will be the warmest day of the weekend.

It's pretty gentle all the way to the summit of San Jacinto; so there aren't too many dangers or difficulties you'll encounter except exhaustion if you have to break trail in the winter up in that area. It's the perfect area for snowshoeing. Sometimes the packed trail to Round Valley gets a bit icy, but you'll probably only fall on your butt if you fall down because the trail is so gentle all the way to Round Valley.

If there's freezing and thawing going on it can get icy up near the summit, so there are times when crampons can be helpful up in that area. My guess is that you won't need them this weekend, but I could be wrong. I'm just going to bring the snowshoes and hiking poles with snow baskets on them. (If you don't have snow baskets for your poles, they are a good investment).

I think it's important in the winter is to be aware of the weather forecast and to try not to head out too far when there's a storm coming in and also to remember that the days are short; so the turn-around time should be early enough to allow you to get back to the trailhead before it's too late. A GPS with the trailhead and other important locations marked is good to carry in the winter because it gets confusing if you end up in white-out conditions.

Sometimes the route to the summit in the winter is different than in the summer - more direct. Often people will veer toward Tamarack Valley and then up to Miller Saddle. From Miller Saddle it's a straight shot to the summit. If you're not headed to the summit, the hike out to Wellmans Divide is really nice - a great view spot to have lunch before heading back to the Tram Station.

[Ranboze]

Thanx Kathy! I was thinking that the winter route went by Tamarack Valley, based on reports Ive read and looking at the topo. It's going to be chilly, that's for sure. Good luck with your new tent; I think I'll be buying the MH EV2 pretty soon here in preparation for a winter overnighter next month. Maybe we'll see you on our way back towards the tram.

[KathyW]

Those MH EV2's look real nice. I have an Integral Designs MK1 Lite that I love - it's a great mountaineering tent, but it's a one-man tent and I need to share a tent on a trip I'm doing next week.

The tent I'm hauling up to Round Valley this weekend isn't really a mountaineering/4-season tent - it's a Black Diamond Lighthouse, but it's built just like the Bibler tents but with lighter fabric; so I'm hoping it'll work for most of what I want to do in the snow when I need to share a tent (which isn't real often because I won't share a tent until it gets real important to do so).

Hopefully, I'll run into you and your group if I get up there tomorrow, but I might actually end up going up on Sunday and staying overnight Sunday night when it's predicted to be just a bit warmer.