We all started out great except for we (my sister, two friends and myself) hit the trail at 8:40 am as opposed to the scheduled 7:15. We had lunch at Manzanita Springs which already puts us further behind schedule. The realization hits our other hiking partners that they are not in the shape they thought they were in.
We run into a great guy Agustine at lunch and we talk for a while before he continues on. Sometime just before Limber Pine Springs the snow is pretty solid. The spring is difficult to get to but we get the needed water and say hi to Augi again. The snow is quite heavy but patchy all the way to Washington Monument (except for West facing slopes). Now we are on the ridge and we can see the snow drifts that everyone is talking about. At first you can maneuver around them but they get big enough that you have to walk over them.
A few of the deep sun cups are 5'-6' deep. It is very slushy. We get around the corner and run into Augi, just about right on top of San Bernardino peak. He found a nice flat spot off trail that we all decide to stay for the night. Dropped down to 32 that night.
In the morning Agui let for Frosee Creek Trail and we followed shortly behind him to get water. The drifts and north slopes were easy to travel now that everything was frozen solid and at all the saddles there was significant areas of exposed dry dirt. Forsee Creek trails springs was running quite strong.
Now the snow has gotten soft again and some of the north side slopes were getting dangerous. I don’t care what others said we had Kathoola spikes and trekking poles and still had trouble sliding, especially on Anderson peak. Moving on we finally made it to Shields flat out intended camping spot, it was completely snow free. We had lunch here and moved kept going.
Passing by Alto Diablo it looked like a warzone. About every other tree was down some as recent as this month it looked. At least 10-15 were over the trail. Coming out just about Dollar Lake just before the saddle we ran into our first day hikers coming up from Barton Flats/South Fork? He had another snack at the saddle and took off.
At the Dry Lake View camp side we hit snow again crossing up toward Jepson Peak. Enough hikers had cut a like in the snow and it was less treacherous but still a missed step could mean injury or worse. One around the corner there was no snow until 10,800. There was a patch climbing up to 11,000 where we finally decided to turn around and go down Vivian Creek at 4:30. No 9 peaks today just 8.
It took us 5 hours to get down and the last 1.5 was in the dark. Not a sole on the trail the entire descent. The snow only snow we ran across on the descent were the two east facing slopes near the top. One also had a good path in it but was much more sloshy. My buddies were silent the entire descent. I think the mountain beat them. One of them puked in Yucaipa when we were switching cars. We made it to the Forest Falls parking lot at 9:30 pm
People have and were going up the trail with just regular boots but to be safe spikes and poles are very recommended. No wildlife on the trail but the weather was very pleasant, probably high 50's. I would think by the end of the month most of the trail would be snow free but there were still quite a few drifts over 10'-0".
Pictures to follow shortly.
TR 9 Peaks (San Gorginio)
Here are the pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12210819@N ... 836294739/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12210819@N ... 836294739/
We did all 9 last year in September the opposite direction. My sister had a hard time at the end so she wanted redeption. She did great this time. My buddies would rather make this a 3 day trip 
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Next up will be Baldy, Whitney and the 6 peaks of Baldy. Got to get ready for skyline+ in October.
.Next up will be Baldy, Whitney and the 6 peaks of Baldy. Got to get ready for skyline+ in October.