Snow Creek Village To Aerial Tram Mountain Station

[smiles]

Greetings all,

Time for my first trek out to the San Jacintos for this fall season. After doing the full C2C numerous times last fall/winter, I want to take my hiking buddy on a different challenge this time around.We plan on doing a long route for a day hike, I believe around 30.6 miles based on the research I have done. The plan is to park at the entrance to Snow Creek Village this Saturday, November 15th, and start up the Pacific Crest Trail at 2:30 am. We would continue up through Fuller Ridge and switch to the Deer Springs Trail, summit San Jacinto, and then drop down to the tram -- grabbing a taxi back to the car. I am very familiar with the PCT as far as the 6,400 foot level where you hit the pine forest and a fire road. I am not sure of how many miles that distance is from Snow Creek Village, but I have hike that as an out -n - back numerous times. I am watching the weather forecast closely, and it appears we will remain dry trough next weekend. I understand there was some snowfall in the higher mountains back on Halloween night -- but does anyone know if there any issues yet with snow/ice up on the higher parts of this hike. I assume probably not. I am trying to avoid any excess weight for this long haul, so deleting micro spikes would save a few ounces. I plan on bringing 6 litres of water, which is gunna weigh enough! If anyone has any tips / suggestions / knowledge to share, please do

[halhiker]

Shouldn't be any ice. I wouldnt bring microspikes. Also, six liters seems a bit much. There should be water at Little Round Valley and you'll be in the shade most of the morning. Fun hike. Here's my TR from 2009. I had ice that year but I went right after a storm.

http://hikeeveryday.blogspot.com/2009/1 ... a.html?m=0

[bytebit]

That's a great hike! Wonder if you or anyone else has the gpx tracks for it. I may try it for an overnight trek. Thanks, David

[bytebit]

Congratulations with doing C2C few times. My first time was yesterday! What did you mean by doing a "Full C2C?"

A good hiking buddy and I went up from Ramon Rd to the SJ Peak, starting at 1am and back to the Tram at 5pm. It certainly was our 1st major hiking achievement. I confess that we are probably the only hikers who walk like a three-toed sloth!



Be well, David

[zippetydude]

I've done that route a few times as a trailrun. It's not steep, as you know, so you can make it a whole lot easier/faster if you carry less weight. I usually cache water and Kerns nectar up at the Fuller Ridge Trailhead so that I don't have to carry much weight at all on that first half. BTW, it's fun to look straight back down from the peak to your car parked at Snow Creek. You can actually see your starting point from there. The 5.5 miles back to the tram seem to drag on since you've already reached the high point and are just returning to civilization. On the other hand, a cold beer at the end of the adventure is delicious.

Have you done the first section recently? I gets really overgrown some years. I may give it a go in the next couple of weeks myself, and I'm wondering how bad the trail is from, say mile 5 to mile 9? Any feedback will be appreciated.

z

[Ellen]

Howdy Smiles

Hiking from Snow Creek to the tram is one of my favorite hikes and I've only done it three times. I've been getting the itch to hike it again before we get significant snow. This hike takes me longer than Skyline > peak > tram (what I call the "full monty" or full C2C).

Zip's stash of water and peach nectar saved me the first time I did the hike in the fall of 2010. When I hiked it last fall, I carried four liters of water. Here's my trip report: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4433

Weather looks good for this weekend -- not too hot starting out or at the peak.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[davidalynn]

We're also planning to head up that route this saturday Nov 15. We'll be doing it as a "run" as a point-to-point finishing in Idyllwild via Deer Springs, planning to hit the trail around 630ish.

Glad to hear the trail conditions are still good, we've been watching the weather.

As others admonish on this route, bring 5x the amount of water you think you need...

@zippetydude, you're welcome to join us, I think you gave me some tips on this one years ago the first time we did it (and yes, dumb enough to go back again)

[bamm321]

Just want to say Grats to JIm and Dave!

[IdyllJon]

Hi smiles,

I did a similar route on Thursday, starting at Snow Creek DWA gate, going up the PCT to the south end of Fuller Ridge, on up to San Jac Peak via LRV, descending on the east side via Wellman's, Saddle and Humber, back to home in Idy (a couple of miles from Humber), a total of about 35.1 miles. I left at 0545 (start time dictated by when my wife was heading to the airport on business) and was back home at 1905, summiting at 1525.

The peak and west side had about 1-1.5 inches of snow on Nov 1st down to 8000ft, but there is little sign of it now, so no worries about snow or ice at all.

LRV is dry (and has been for many months), but there is a little water at the various springs just below it. The crossing of the North Fork of the San Jacinto River at the southern end of the Fuller Ridge Trail had plenty of water, but was frozen solid! Of course everyone's consumption is different, but I have to say 6L of water sounds like a lot to me. The sun is pretty weak up here now, and even though I had it on me from 2700ft upwards on the PCT, I was never hot at all. Above about 7000ft much of that route is in shade. I started with 2L, and had 2L cached at the Fuller Ridge campground. Above 7000ft it was cool enough that I wanted to keep moving, and the temps are predicted to be cooler this weekend than then. If you are willing/able to drink/filter from the water sources mentioned, you could likely get away with a fair bit less, but I understand that is very much an individual decision. Always better to have too much than not enough.

Distance to about the 6400ft level and the first sight of the Black Mountain Truck Trail is about 15 miles from the Snow Creek DWA gate (it is 16.90 miles from the gate to the Fuller Ridge Campground, despite what the maps say).

By my reckoning, from the Snow Creek DWA gate (at 1170ft) to San Jacinto Peak, with the 600+ feet of elevation you lose and re-gain switchbacking along Fuller Ridge, via this route you have a total elev gain of nearly 10,500ft, the same or a fraction more than on the C2C. But on the plus side the S2S (Snow Creek to San Jacinto) is only 9 miles longer!

Good luck, and safe hiking.

[guest]

Hi Guys & gals,
Conditions should be good this wkend, although it's blowing hard around Cabazon / Snow Creek at this time, but should subside, as the colder, winter air moves the Santa Ana dry heat out.
Park After the power station building off Snow Creek Rd, (by old wooden triangle sign, (just before Falls Creek Rd.), this way DWA won't think your heading up Snow Creek / North Face, as there's a camera at that parking area.

The 1st few miles of the PCT aren't too overgrown, (haven't been beyond that lately), but some erosion from summer flash floods occurred.
Remember there's a water fountain where you have to turn right onto PCT & leave the paved rd, (1st couple miles of hike), so you can get a big drink there.

As far as I know, the pipe at Round Valley is dry, not sure about Little Round Valley area.
Snakes should be hibernating, (haven't seen one in weeks), but watch for tarantula's, especially on the road, as to not run over them.

Congrats to Jim & David, C2C is no easy undertaking!

Have fun, be safe,

ss