Water at Strawberry Junction

[LarryC]

From what I have seen in the past couple of weeks water is pretty scarce on the mountain. On June 3, I did a loop day hike from Hwy 243 up Deer Springs to the summit, down Wellman's, across Strawberry Cienega, and back to Hwy 243 with an added side trip to Suicide Pk. The only three usable sources of water I found (assuming a filter and/or iodine) were the creek about a half mile before LRV (North Fork SanJac River, not Deer Springs), Wellman's Cienega, and the Marion Creek crossing on the Suicide Pk trail. Deer Springs was virtually dry and LRV was dry (at least at the trail crossing when you enter the valley). The week before (5/26) while in Round Valley I asked the rangers about the current water situation near the summit. At that time they said Deer Springs, North Fork, and LRV all had water. I did not ask about Laws Camp or the Tahquitz Valley area. Assuming their information was current, any remaining water sources may be drying up very quickly. I would strongly recommend calling the ranger station within a day or so before your trip and get the most recent information available. Information that is more than a week old may not be valid. I would be surprised if there are any water sources left by the beginning of July.

[Hikin_Jim]

Larry, are you saying their is water here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=33. ... &layer=DRG

But not here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=33. ... &layer=DRG

and not here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=33. ... &layer=DRG ?

Have I got that correct?

[Mike P]

Yikes!

We will defintiely haul some water. I have 8 strong scouts and one other adult with me so we will be water mules. Larry, I'm looking forward to your reply to Hikin' Jim. Also, I have been to Laws in previous years and would expect water there at this time.
You'll see the water report on Sunday or Monday.

Thanks again.

[LarryC]

Jim,

You are correct. There is water at the creek crossing (first link), but not at the second link (Deer Springs) or third link (LRV). Note I did not do an extensive check at LRV. My observation was based on the point where the trail crosses the creek as you enter the valley. I may have missed something as there was some very minor trickling at Boggy Meadows (the normally wet spot between the creek crossing and LRV).

Mike,

I forgot to mention that Strawberry Cienega (about 1.3 miles from Strawberry Junction) was basically a puddle with a little bit of water trickling, marginally usable if you are patient (it would take a while to fill a container). Unfortunately this observation is now a week and a half ago. I do not know the water conditions in Laws Camp, Tahquitz Valley, or Caramba as I have not been over there this year. On 4/29 I went through Willow Creek crossing and the flow looked more like late fall instead of mid-spring.

In any case I would try to get the most recent information possible from the ranger station as I may have missed a possible source. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news here, but given the warmer weather you do not want to make any miscalculations on your water requirements or available supplies. Best of luck this weekend.

Larry

[Perry]

Looking at all these streams is confusing me now. Does that sound right that Deer Springs usually lasts longer than the nearby ones, or is that the crossing just to the south? It's been awhile for me. Anyhow, it sounds like it might be different this year, and right before the thunderstorm season there might be no water except maybe Round Valley and maybe Caramba.

[Hikin_Jim]

Perry, if my memory serves me well, the point that Larry says still has water did in fact have more water than the Deer Springs area when I was up there last Fall. I'm just a little surprised that the little stream just before LRV as you ascend from Deer Springs is dry. Maybe I shouldn't be since this has been such a dry year.

On a side note, I've done a couple of trips in the San Gabriel Mountains in the last month, and the San Gabriels seem to be holding up a little better than the San Bernardinos (a highly anecdotal observation) with respect to water. I was in the Ice House Canyon area this past weekend and the creek was flowing in it's normal areas with very good flow and Columbine Spring (which is the last water source before you get into the higher country) was flowing quite well and was delightfully cool.

Last month, I went to Cooper Canyon, and the creek was flowing as were the falls, although the falls were not in their customary Spring glory.

I wonder if other people have feedback on that point -- that the San Gabriels may be fairing a bit better than the San Jacintos or San Bernardinos.

[Mike P]

Just back from San Jacinto- A great weekend was had. I'll post a water report in a few minutes.

As for the San Gabriels: We took the the Twin Peaks/Mt Waterman Trail (Three Points to Buckhorn) on June 2nd. Where water normally flows through the two or three small meadows, those places were dry. On May 5th we took a 20 mile hike from Eaton Saddle on the Mount Wilson Road over San Gabriel Peak & Mt Dis. to Red Box then out through the Arroyo Seco. The Arroyo had very low water levels. March 31 we went from Mt Wilson to Shortcut Saddle: The Devore trail down Strayne's Cyn was bone dry. The water from the tank at West Fork Trail Camp was flowing normally but the West Fork itself was VERY low. There was barely a trickle coming out of Shortcut Cyn.

My overall impression of the San Gabriels is that they are extremely dry, too.