Snow conditions in the mountains?

[mcpuddin]

Hi all,

I've been searching online everywhere to find out the snow conditions in the San Jacinto mountains / Mount Baden Powell. Does anyone know any sites that directly lists this information?

Thanks!

[Perry]

Kathy started a thread on snowshoeing, with some reports. To get an official answer I would call the ranger stations.

[Cy Kaicener]

At the moment there is two feet of snow at Long Valley, so there would be a lot more higher up especially in the shaded areas. Quang Than is leading a group up from the museum this Friday, so I will let you know how much snow he finds when he sends me his trip report. I could not talk him out of it. Hopefully he will turn back when he sees for himself.

[KathyW]

Cy: Did you ride the tram up there this week? I'm headed up on Saturday morning with snowshoes, so I'm hoping not too much snow melts before then.

Kathy

[mcpuddin]

Thanks Cy,

I am actually also heading on Saturday morning. To get an overnight pass, do I need to go through Idyllwild first or can I pick one up at Long Valley?

James

[Cy Kaicener]

Kathy - I rode the tram after hiking up the road yesterday. I missed the Coachella Valley Hiking Club hiking on the PCT from Snow Creek. With the temperatures as low as they are very little snow would be melting.
James - You can get your permit at the Long Valley Ranger Station on the same day you go up. Bring your camera to take a picture of the North Face of San Jacinto from half way up the Snow Creek road.

[KathyW]

Cy:

Thanks so much for the info on conditions up there - I can't wait to get out in the snow on Saturday.

Kathy

[mcpuddin]

By Long Beach.. I hope you mean Long Valley :-p

[Cy Kaicener]

You are right. I meant Long Valley RS. (near the upper tram station). I corrected it. Sorry about that

[KathyW]

I love my tram pass - I rode the tram up this afternoon because I had been working out in the Valley in the morning. It was really nice up there - 45 degrees at 4 pm at the upper station. I walked around Long Valley a bit - the snow is packed down in Long Valley around the tram station but you don't have to go far if you want to make your own path. I only saw one set of foot prints at the top of the Skyline Trail and they were snowshoe prints from someone that came up the hill, so it looked like someone made it up from Palm Springs - the snow is still at the point where you can kick steps and get exhausted but probably not slip and fall down the hill to Palm Springs.

I walked out a little ways toward Round Valley and the trail was packed down. I think it's probably packed down all the way to Round Valley. There's still lots of snow up there and it's starting to get a hard crust, but not hard enough to prevent post-holing every step where it's not packed down.

They have opened the place where you can rent snowshoes and skis up, so if you don't have snowshoes or skis and need to rent them you can get them up in Long Valley.

I'm going to head up in the morning with my snowshoes and see how far toward Mt San Jacinto I can get.