Jacinto -- snow conditions

[royhoo]

Thinking about hiking Jacinto this week or next, but not interested in bringing crampons or snowshoes this early in the season. I know I should be asking this question in about a week after the upcoming weekend (with potential snow), but has anyone been up to the peak in the last week or two? Is there any snow depth to speak of?

Thanks...

[Ellen]

Howdy Royhoo

Can't speak for the upcoming conditions but no snow equipment is needed to presently summit San Jacinto.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Ellen]

Howdy All

Looks like we'll get our first dusting of snow on San Jacinto:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... it=0&lg=en

Friday: Snow showers likely, mainly after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. Windy, with a west wind 40 to 45 mph decreasing to between 25 and 30 mph. Winds could gust as high as 70 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Friday Night: A 50 percent chance of snow showers before 11pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 20. North wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Northwest wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 29.

Miles of smiles and brrr...
Ellen

[stevemcgee99]

Sorry to drag up old posts - but I specifically am looking for information alluded to in this thread.

I'm interested in going up the north face of San Jacinto next week. From google earth recon, it seems that I can move up an 'upside-down trianglar' face right above the Isthus, and that will take me up relatively steep, rocky, and hopefully not-too bushwacky ridges to the summit.

Or, I could cross the drainage to the West after the Isthmus and climb much steeper and rockier ridges.

I assume it's dry. Is it nuts to go up this stuff dry? As in it's loose with lots of tumbling talus? Is the manzanita going to rip me to shreds?

(This is not the first time I've been in very similar (I think) terrain. Like Trona Blanco in Baja, for example).

Thanks for any info.

[stevemcgee99]

I did find this - however the answer to the questions of route start / end were never added:
http://mtsanjacinto.info/viewtopic.php?t=2453

Photos are good, though. It's what I expected.

Basically, as long it's not slabs (meaning there are good rests all over the place) or 4 feet or higher manzanita for hundreds of yards, I'll be happy enough.

Also, any recent news on parking / ticketing situation? I figured I could park at the Snow Creek / Fall Creek intersection at the PCT junction. Rather drive up closer but don't want to start problems for all of you.

[HH8]

route start / end

That last rock above the register can is a dusy

[Perry]

You probably wanna contact Bluerail (another Steve) and Fern for info. They might not have seen your post.

[Zé]

I did find this - however the answer to the questions of route start / end were never added:
http://mtsanjacinto.info/viewtopic.php?t=2453

Photos are good, though. It's what I expected.

Basically, as long it's not slabs (meaning there are good rests all over the place) or 4 feet or higher manzanita for hundreds of yards, I'll be happy enough.

Also, any recent news on parking / ticketing situation? I figured I could park at the Snow Creek / Fall Creek intersection at the PCT junction. Rather drive up closer but don't want to start problems for all of you.

I think you need to be more specific about what route you are trying to take. You linked to pics of the north ridge route which is different from climbing up Snow Creek.

Where are you trying to go?

[Perry]

It looks like that's off by one ridge. Big difference in terms of technical skills required (while wearing a backpack too). The ridge with the trees seen from Palm Springs (leatherneck, windy, rocky, or "north ridge"?) is mostly class 2 with occasional class 3. I think the ridge above the isthmus between snow creek and falls creek may require a significant amount of class 5 climbing between 4,000 and 9,000 feet. It's possible there's a class 3/4 way up there, but difficult to say without actually going there to check it out.

Snow Creek without snow has rock walls, and unless you spend a lot of time finding the 4th class ways around them, you either have to climb 5th class with a backpack, or turn around, or try a different chute. And there are places where you can't see the summit (your destination).