Climate in late Oct, early Nov?

[ctroyc]

Hello,

I am an experienced Pacific Northwest mountaineer who will be in South California from 10/28-11/5. I have my eye on a couple mountains such as San Jacinto and Baldy, but I am unfamiliar with the high-elevation socal climate and can't find much on the web.

What conditions should I be expecting - will there be enough snow for snowshoeing, need ax or crampons, will the access roads be closed/have issues, etc?

Thanks!

[hvydrt]

Very unlikely we will have snow on the ground then, but it does happen occasionally. Most likely you can expect cool and dry fall weather.

[Hikin_Jim]

There will be some road and campground closures starting around Nov. 15. If you're looking at a particular route, you might check the applicable USFS site.

There should be zero snow on the ground at that time of the year although every few years we might get a dusting. Once about 10 years ago there was enough snow to ski on by Halloween, but that's very rare.

The access road to the main routes to Baldy is also the road to a local ski area, so even if there were snow, the road would most likely be open.

If you're thinking of the more challenging northern route to Baldy via the Blue Ridge Road, definitely check the route's status beforehand. However, even if the Blue Ridge Road is closed, the northern route is still accessible via the 2mi Acorn Trail which starts right in Wrightwood.

Maybe you're already seen it, but the San Gabriel Mountains Disscussion Forum generally has pretty good info on Baldy.

If it's San Jacinto Peak that you're after, then the tram is normally open (barring the unforseen earthquake or something of that nature) late Oct/early Nov. If you want the real challenge, Cactus to Clouds (10,000+ gain), you're coming at the right time of year. C2C is probably one of the toughest hikes in S Cal if not the toughest. From the desert floor at Palm Springs to the top of the peak.

The San Gorgonio Wilderness is where the majority of the peaks above 10,000' are located, including San Gorgonio Mountain (11,502'), the highest point in S Cal. I love Baldy, but that's a far more prosaic hike (in my opinion) than San Gorgonio Mountain. The South Fork - Dry Lake - Dollar Lake loop (22 miles?) is a personal favorite. There's also a more specific forum for the San Gorgonio Backcountry Board.

Hope that helps,

HJ

[esu]

I am doing the skyline trail this winter solo. It sounds like a huge deal compared to baldy. You can easily do baldy in a single day. In the winter months the snow does get up to 7 feet deep there.

[Nick-SJM]

A couple of suggestions for esu regarding hiking up the Skyline Trail solo for the first time in winter. First, don't do it. There is a good chance that if there is snow and someone who really knows the trail has left an obvious path, you will not end up on the trail. Carrying and knowing how to use crampons and an ice ax is essential. When I say knowing how to use an ice ax, I really mean it. The ice chutes that can develop across the high Skyline Trail will kill you. Good ice ax skills take a long time and a lot of practice to learn. Don't underestimate how cold it might get. Carry a cel phone. Last, but most important, notify your next of kin where RMRU should start looking for a body in case you do not report in when expected.

[ctroyc]

HJ -

Thanks for the great information! I've been scouring boards, trip reports, pestering rangers. This sounds like a great area that I essentially knew nothing about 7 weeks ago; not as much snow/ice/glaciers as the northwest (obviously but more cardio challenging at consistently higher elevations (and the northwest will be in full-on miserable monsoon/snowstorm mode at that time).

Plan - Day:
1: LAX> camp @ Manker Flats
2: Cucumonga via Icehouse; camp @Barton Flats
3: San Gorgonio & Dragonhead via Vivian Creek camp @ BF
4: San Jacinto via Tram camp @ Joshua Tree
5+ Joshua Tree

Looks like there is some interesting scrambles around too, but I'd want more familiarity with the area before soloing those. I'd love to try the C2C when I have more time; all reasons for returning (with full rack for Joshua Tree, too).

Thanks!

[zippetydude]

Hi ctroyc. Welcome!

Hey, now that's an itinerary I can appreciate! Hope you have some fun out there!

z

[hikehigh]

Not sure if you know, but the Angeles National Forest is closed due to fires. (Cucamunga Peak and Manker Flat Campground included) It will likely be open again by the time you visit, but could still be closed depending on how dry and windy it is over the next month. You might want to look into an alternative plan for day 1 and 2 just in case. Have fun.