Headed up yesterday with Indie Jack, Krai, Hiroko, Perry Andrus and Marilyn. It took over two hours to break in a route through the right side of the Sid Davis drainage to the sunny meadow in upper Tamarack. Then we headed up the traditional winter route, hoping that the new snow had covered the chinqapin.
We discovered quickly that although the snow covered the brush, the snow was not firm enough to keep us from post hole hell. We were sinking in up to our waists at times. Started looking for brush peeking through the snow so at least we could walk on that and not sink as much. We finally reached the little forest. Rather than heading up the gully to Miller Saddle (feared it would be full of soft snow over rocks and brush),
we headed up the left side of Miller.
This was a mistake. The snow just kept getting deeper as we ascended. It was very slow going. I would fall on the snow in front of me to flatten it a bit, then step on it to flatten it more. While this system worked, we were barely moving and creating a waist-high tench. After about five hours and only reaching 10 K, we called it. Headed back down to the little forest for a bite to eat before retracing our steps back to the tram.
If we'd had a crystal ball, we would have broken in the Ranger Overland route to the base of the gully that heads up to the ridge near Jean. Sally and I will head back out tomorrow and attempt to break in the route to the Miller saddle and summit of San Jacinto.
Miles of smiles,
Ellen