2018 SNOW - it shaping up to be a low snow year

[Miner]

No. The issue with the San Jacintos isn't the side trip over the peak. It's hiking Fuller Ridge after the peak when it's still buried in snow. The trail tends to run along the north side of a ridgeline with steep slopes. Sliding down in the snow can be very dangerous. Last year a hiker reported sliding down several hundred feet but fortunately didn't get a serious injury. Their have been a few deaths and bodies that weren't found till years later. In a normal snow year, snow can linger there till sometime in May. No idea this year since we are still at a rainfall deficit, but if a storm has dumped recently there will be snow. You do have the option of skipping the ridge walk by taking the highway down to the dirt road Black Mountain Rd which takes you to the trailhead just after Fuller.

Big Bear after the I-10 will have snow (Skiing is one of the biggest income producers for the town) though it's not as bad as Fuller Ridge and the terrain isn't too bad for the most part even when it has snow. Near Wrightwood after the I-15, is Mt. Baden-Powell which is over 9000ft (highest place on the actual trail since the San Jacintos) which usually has snow through May. This can be dicey in places if there is a enough of snow lingering. In really bad snow years, hikers hike along Hwy 2 to bypass it. I can think of a couple of different years where it snowed in early June on hikers as they left Wrightwood.

Near the border is Mt. Laguna, if will have snow if a storm hits, but it will melt off very fast. I remember a one large storm hitting in the 3rd wek of April that put 6 to 10 inches near the store on top, but it was mostly melted off after 2-3 days.

That said, if it hasn't stormed recently in those places, with the current rain totals, you can assume there will be less snow than usual so those places won't be as bad as a normal year unless you are traveling through early. But if this wet weather continues, that may change in the future.

[notdeadyet]

Thanks for the updates and insights. I will monitor the areas mentioned. I was hoping with it being a low snow year and with the warmer temps I’ve been hearing about that I might not need to worry about snow until the Sierra. Apparently that may not be the case.

[notdeadyet]

Is there traditionally avalanche danger on Fuller Ridge? Slipping and falling is one thing, having a wall of snow come down on you is another matter entirely. Micro spikes and ice axes don’t make avalanche prone slopes any safer.

[Miner]

Is there traditionally avalanche danger on Fuller Ridge? Slipping and falling is one thing, having a wall of snow come down on you is another matter entirely. Micro spikes and ice axes don’t make avalanche prone slopes any safer.

When hiking on Fuller Ridge, you are either on top or near the top so there isn't much snow to fall down on you. I can't remember ever hearing of an avalanche related incident involving a hiker actually on the PCT through there. You can potentially have them in some of the areas around the peak, but typically they aren't along the normal paths of travel when someone actually wants to hike there.

[Dogwood]

No. The issue with the San Jacintos isn't the side trip over the peak. It's hiking Fuller Ridge after the peak when it's still buried in snow. The trail tends to run along the north side of a ridgeline with steep slopes. Sliding down in the snow can be very dangerous. Last year a hiker reported sliding down several hundred feet but fortunately didn't get a serious injury. Their have been a few deaths and bodies that weren't found till years later. In a normal snow year, snow can linger there till sometime in May. No idea this year since we are still at a rainfall deficit, but if a storm has dumped recently there will be snow. You do have the option of skipping the ridge walk by taking the highway down to the dirt road Black Mountain Rd which takes you to the trailhead just after Fuller.

Big Bear after the I-10 will have snow (Skiing is one of the biggest income producers for the town) though it's not as bad as Fuller Ridge and the terrain isn't too bad for the most part even when it has snow. Near Wrightwood after the I-15, is Mt. Baden-Powell which is over 9000ft (highest place on the actual trail since the San Jacintos) which usually has snow through May. This can be dicey in places if there is a enough of snow lingering. In really bad snow years, hikers hike along Hwy 2 to bypass it. I can think of a couple of different years where it snowed in early June on hikers as they left Wrightwood.

Near the border is Mt. Laguna, if will have snow if a storm hits, but it will melt off very fast. I remember a one large storm hitting in the 3rd wek of April that put 6 to 10 inches near the store on top, but it was mostly melted off after 2-3 days.

That said, if it hasn't stormed recently in those places, with the current rain totals, you can assume there will be less snow than usual so those places won't be as bad as a normal year unless you are traveling through early. But if this wet weather continues, that may change in the future.

Long post to read but well worth it. Every couple of yrs even in a "low snow yr" we hear of PCTers having encounters as Miner stated in those areas.

I've seen continuous icey 2 ft+ deep snow cups ascending Baden Powell twice during low snow yrs and was not in the front of the NOBO pack starting in Campo early April.

[Coffee]

Having hiked fuller ridge in the very dry spring of 2015, I can definitively say that I'd never want to be there if a lot of snow was on the ground. There is a well documented alternate that many hikers take. Fuller ridge and San Jacinto were a couple of highlights of the SoCal pct but not worth taking serious risk of bodily harm imo.

[notdeadyet]

Thanks for all the insights. I wasn’t going to worry about carrying micro-spikes until I got to Kennedy Meadows. I may have to rethink this. Should I be carrying them from Campo or IDY this year. I’m starting April 3.

[colorado_rob]

Thanks for all the insights. I wasn’t going to worry about carrying micro-spikes until I got to Kennedy Meadows. I may have to rethink this. Should I be carrying them from Campo or IDY this year. I’m starting April 3.

I'll report in, as I'm leaving March 29th. I am not carrying any additional traction device, but there may be some news from south bounders that will prompt ô me to reconsider after a week or so.

[Dogwood]

I'm excited for you folks. PCT is a wonderful experience. Y'all be safe and happy in your travels.

[Gabigabs]

We're watching the snow closely. Last year we chose to skip Sierra. This year so far looks more promising. But it's still quite early to tell. many things can happen between and June.

[notdeadyet]

I was considering a thru hike last year but with the snow pack innthe Sierra Mtns last year I vetoed my plans and put it off to this year. I’m much more comfortable with the way things are looking. I have spent most of my life in the Canadian Rocky Mtns and I did not want to tackle the snow in the Sierra Mtns last year. This is a tough enough undertaking without adding that element to the equation. Tnx for any updates you can provide Colorado_rob. I will be right behind you.

[Sasquatch!]

If you wait until late April or early May to hike San Jacinto there should be virtually no snow or ice. It could storm and drop a few inches, well into May, but it will melt quickly. In this event one usually waits in Idyllwild for a day or two.

Here is my experience:

2013 - May 13th - Zero snow on the PCT in San Jacinto
2014 - April 23rd - Zero snow on PCT in San Jacinto
2015 - March 19th - Six miles of snow roughly along Fuller Ridge.
2016 - April 1st - Lots of snow, didn't go.

[colorado_rob]

Going over San jacinto tomorrow, I'll report in over next couple days.

[colorado_rob]

Hiked up San jacinto peak yesterday, no need at all for traction devices. Hiking back down to PCT on other side had most annoying snow, but still, easy enough in shoes. If I had been carrying micro spikes, I still would not have bothered putting them on.

Big climb from idyllwild up San jacinto! Bigger drop today to I10, yikes.

[Coffee]

The hike down to the I-10 seemed interminable. It didn't help that I could see the highway for hours and hours as I descended. I had Ziggy & The Bear to look forward to, since closed down.