I just got back from a run a lil' while ago, and it started raining around 6pm... gets my hopes up.
If this works, I'm looking towards a trip up to the Baldy area. Figure I'd go (arrive, rather) around 4pm and hike up near Icehouse, going up Telegraph or something that looks good, if this ends up being good stuff.
I see we have snow in the San Gabes now. I was thinking of doing a couple peaks in the Cucamonga Wilderness this month and was wondering what you folks thought the snow would be like? I was hoping not to need snowshoes. Is it too late for that?
From my back porch, looking at the south side of Baldy, there appears to be very very little snow. I'd say crampons might be an option, though I really doubt it. Dawson Peak also seems to have some, anything north facing etc etc.
Not likely you'll need snowshoes for awhile. We're supposed to get some snow this coming friday through saturday night, and at least on paper, it's more significant of a forecast than this past week.
Where did you plan on going? Which trails? Chances are that unless you're the first person on a certain trail, you won't need snowshoes. The other time is if you're breaking trail and going somewhere off the trail grid, as it were.
I was thinking about doing Cucamonga or Ontario, maybe the weekend before Christmas.
One of these days I would like to start snow hiking, with snowshoes and/or crampons, but not without some help. In the meantime I was hoping the dryfoot season wasn't already ending.
Another storm coming this week. Had a hike up Mt Lowe scheduled for Saturday, and so far see no reason to postpone it. But I guess it will be dumping more snow across the San Gabes.
simonov wrote:Had a hike up Mt Lowe scheduled for Saturday, and so far see no reason to postpone it.
Which route are you going to take to Mt. Lowe? Last Sunday I was up that way and the middle sam merrill trail (from Echo Mt. to near Inspiration Pt.) was badly rutted by mountain bikes (on the lower half) and was like an interstate for bikes. They were all courteous but there were a LOT of them. The Castle Canyon Trail on my way down was bike free and in pretty good shape. Also, there were a lot of bikes on the trail from inspiration pt. up to the east side of Mt. Lowe so perhaps the upper sam merrill trail on the west side would be a less crowded route.
TacoDelRio wrote:Ontario early-on will probably be a good place for snowshoes. I think they got rid of the dead trees blocking the trail, making it a bit friendlier.
Maybe the weekend before Christmas is the one when I pop my showshoes cherry. I'll plan on doing Ontario or Cucamonga that weekend and rent some snowshoes at REI just in case I need them.
FYI - The trail to Ontario was definitely cleared of fallen trees a while ago (except for 1 biggie you can go around), although there were a couple of small ones that came down recently. It is a nice, gently climb and probably idea for snow shoes. Maybe we'll get that snow this weekend!
The pow was so light and fluffy this weekend that snowshoes and even crampons were useless in the Gorgonio Wilderness.
The light powder wouldn't compress enough to be practical for snowshoes.
Rob's TR today indicated the same for the Backbone ..