Backcountry Skiing -Southern California

Looking for updated snow conditions on San Gorgonio, Mt Baldy, other backcountry spots in Southern California. Any sites or direct recent experience ?

Thank you! 

Saturday 4/11 we did Charlton. dug in around 10k on a north aspect. no ECT propogation or any signs of instability on the way up - overall a very stable (and heavy) snowpack.  Nevertheless given the recent loading and covid situation we stuck to ~30 deg in trees. below 8k was total hell - sticky snow, downhill skinning to get back to the cars.  There was a chp officer giving people lectures in the parking lot at the end, but there was also a recent sign posted that clearly indicated trails were open for business and to maintain social distance. good luck out there and be safe.

Went in fri morning to Sunday to dry lake, was pounding snow all day Friday and Friday night, no winds.  Did the two left chutes on San G.  Got snuffed out by the clouds sat for the summit just 100 yards from the top but we skinned to the top Sunday and rode off it!  Been going there for 5 years now and that was a first, the upper part is always wind stripped and sketch!  As josh noted, stable snowpack!  Jepson looked dicey tho, lots of wet slides on it Sunday.  4 feet of new snow fell, should make spring corn conditions good!  Only saw a few slow shoers, heard Charelton was packed like mammoth on a powder day.

How accessible is the trailhead? Heard all trailhead parking is totally blocked off in the area, looking to head up that way regardless this weekend though since we live close by 

TH is accessible. As recently 4/15 it was skin from and ski to vehicle but that's most definitely not true anymore. Good skiing up high.

Was heading up to ski Throop Peak today but as I skied along the road I started seeing lots of slides, some looked pretty fresh.   This one looked like it was not to old as it covered some pretty fresh tracks.   It was the same aspect as the chutes on Throop Peak that I was planning on skiing and since I was solo I decided to ski some other aspects and leave Throop for another day.

Kevin Mokracek wrote: Was heading up to ski Throop Peak today but as I skied along the road I started seeing lots of slides, some looked pretty fresh.   This one looked like it was not to old as it covered some pretty fresh tracks.   It was the same aspect as the chutes on Throop Peak that I was planning on skiing and since I was solo I decided to ski some other aspects and leave Throop for another day.

Kevin, I was there Sunday morning and that slide was already there.  I got to the top of Throop by 12 and when I dropped, the upper 500 ft had not completely softened yet. At the road it was soft and grabby. There were a few old point releases below some rock and trees but overall it felt pretty stable. Based on some earlier pics I saw, some of those larger slides happened about a week ago, probably due to the rapid warming immediately after the epic April storm.  However, that was Sunday and it was a little cooler.

Ethan Ayer wrote:

Kevin, I was there Sunday morning and that slide was already there.  I got to the top of Throop by 12 and when I dropped, the upper 500 ft had not completely softened yet. At the road it was soft and grabby. There were a few old point releases below some rock and trees but overall it felt pretty stable. Based on some earlier pics I saw, some of those larger slides happened about a week ago, probably due to the rapid warming immediately after the epic April storm.  However, that was Sunday and it was a little cooler.

Good to know, it looked like pretty new but glad to hear it was old.  I ended up doing several lapse off the road down into the canyon just to get some turns in.  Was the bottom of Throop a mess or could you pretty much ski to the road?

It was real good down to the road! Did two laps top to bottom

Ethan Ayer wrote: It was real good down to the road! Did two laps top to bottom

Nice, maybe next week I'll walk in there and try it again.  The road was melting out fast but was still able to skin all but 100 yards of it.  

Any recent observations in the San G Wilderness?  Decent coverage for spring conditions?

Lately at 8500 it's been 65 F in the day, 55 F at night  does not make for good corn.
I haven't been there lately so can't say how consolidated it is, vs. chance for wet slides.
But the next 3 days might be ok.  10 degrees cooler, though still not real solidifying at night so it will soften quickly.
http://www.bensweather.com/benscamsang.php
Looks like patchy snow ~ 8400
mostly snow above ~ 8800
the peaks in that view are usually Grinnell  SanG  Jepsen  Charlton  10230  Shields-Anderson

Snow starts about half a mile past dollar/dry junction
Lot of snow but recently receding quickly...still amazing coverage for May
Skiing is quite excellent anytime after 12
I've been skiing at least a couple days/week during the last 6 weeks and it's honestly been the best spring I've every had out there
Just completed the 9 peak traverse 1 week ago and enjoyed excellent corn off Alto Diablo to about a half mile of poop out hill...as of a couple days ago however that avy path has receded quite a bit

Thanks a ton for the updates and photos Jake. Any thoughts on how it’s looking currently?  Any routes that are still good for a few laps?

Big Draw has great coverage. Corn like conditions at noon.

Yep, lots of snow still up high. Corn as early as 10:30 on east facing aspects and then just move around the ridge line to north facing aspects as the day goes on. Approach is getting longer and longer, basically most of the way to base of Jepson with skis on the back...maybe the last 500 yards or so to staging area at base is skinable.

North chutes on San G were deep slush by 9am, defensive skiing at its finest, before 9 was decent. 

Heading up to San Gorgonio this weekend.

Was originally planning to hike for 2 days but am now considering bringing the AT set-up for some corn skiing on the descent. 
Plan is to approach from Fish Creek, and get some skiing in near the summit and maybe around Dry Lake. Conditions still good enough to ski up there? Would really appreciate some pointers and a condition update. 

Hey there trying to get some Info and maybe some partners for this coming winter. Used to live in big bear now In Orange County and very new to splitboarding and backcountry riding hoping to learn about San G and sugarloaf. If anyone’s willing to show me the ropes and share some knowledge I would appreciate it very much.

Alex Allert wrote:

Hey there trying to get some Info and maybe some partners for this coming winter. Used to live in big bear now In Orange County and very new to splitboarding and backcountry riding hoping to learn about San G and sugarloaf. If anyone’s willing to show me the ropes and share some knowledge I would appreciate it very much.

Have you taken an AIARE 1 avy course? I'd start there if you haven't taken one. Socal Avalanche Center hosts an affordable one but you can also take on earlier in Eastern Sierras.  It looks like many are planning to tour this season so I'd reserve a spot as early as possible.  And get all the gear before it sells out.

Ethan Ayer wrote:

Have you taken an AIARE 1 avy course? I'd start there if you haven't taken one. Socal Avalanche Center hosts an affordable one but you can also take on earlier in Eastern Sierras.  It looks like many are planning to tour this season so I'd reserve a spot as early as possible.  And get all the gear before it sells out.

Already signed up for the class and have all the gear I need More looking for a guide/touring buddy in a way to show me the best routes and specifics of the local mountains