With my cross-country move last month, I’ve fallen way behind on editing photos and writing trip reports. With the recent snowfall in SoCal, I figured I should get these photos posted as someone headed to the area might find them useful. I’m hoping that I’ll come back at some point and add some details, but for now, here are my photos as well as some notes that I jotted down after the hike (January 23 2016):
Some friends and I joined S.C.H.P. for their 3rd peak in the SoCal Hiker 6 Pack of Peaks Challenge.
Our route:
We caught the first tram up and followed the San Jacinto Peak Trail until we reached the Sid Davis Route. We followed the Sid Davis Route until about 9,000 ft, then headed more directly towards Miller Peak. After a quick stop at Miller, we also summited San Jacinto. On our way back to Miller, we took a slightly different route, finding untouched snow for much of our trip down to 9200 ft. On our way back to San Jacinto Peak trail, we crisscrossed our tracks several times as we looked to get out of the weather and snow/terrain that would allow us to keep using our snowshoes.
Some notes on trail and snow conditions:
- From the end of the ramp for the tram until we reached an elevation of about 9200 ft, everyone in the group used microspike style traction(something that uses an elastomer harness – ie microspikes, trail crampons, yaktrax, ICETrekkers).
- At 9200 ft, we started postholing, so we used snowshoes. Snowshoes were used all the way to Miller Peak and across to San Jacinto. For most of the ascent, the snow was perfect for mountaineering/backcountry snowshoes; hard enough that our snowshoes had something to grip to, but not so hard we were sliding around. We did find some isolated areas of powder that made the climb a bit more difficult.
- On our descent, we used snowshoes all the way back to the ranger station. Since the snow has softened significantly, the snowshoes were useful at elevations below 9200 ft. To keep using our snowshoes, we stayed north of the lower sections of the Sid Davis Route.
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Gear
The conditions were excellent for testing the winter traction devices I’ve received over that last few weeks:
Winter Traction
- Yaktrax
- Run Traction Cleats
- Design of the straps kept the cleats where they’re supposed to be and they worked well on packed snow and ice.
- I didn’t slip, but for hiking, they could benefit from longer carbide steel spikes. I want to try them in wet snow to see if snow buildup is an issue.
- Run Traction Cleats
- ICETrekkers Diamond Grip Traction Cleats
- After using these last week, I bought a pair for my wife. A friend with small feet used them on this hike and they worked well. If they prove to be durable, they’re a good buy.
Other Gear
- Hillsound Armadillo LT Gaiter
- Another hiker used these on the hike. Since she had smaller legs than myself, they were much easier to put on. The sizing seems to be a little on the small side, so you if you have large calves, plan on wearing them with insulated pants or are in-between sizes, I would recommend sizing up.
- Katabatic Gear Helios 55
- I’m impressed with how well this pack carries the weight. On my last 3 trips I’ve had over 30 lbs and while I’m hiking, I haven’t thought about pack weight at all.
- Some detailed photos of this pack, as well as a short review are posted here – Under Review: Katabatic Gear Helios 55 Backpack.
- WoolPro
- This week, I started testing the Juno Merino T-Shirt, Agena Merino Longsleeve and Zond Merino Arm Warmers. I wore the t-shirt and arm warmers under the longsleeve and was able to regulate my temperature by altering how I used the arm warmers and sleeves on the Agena.
- Tubbs Flex VRT Snowshoes
- This trip really cemented my feelings on these snowshoes. I have a full review in the works, but here are some thoughts from this trip and after a season of use:
- Bindings – The DynamicFit Bindings feature the BOA closure system are amazing. EVA foam evenly spreads the pressure of the binding across the top of your foot, instead of creating pressure points as strap systems can. The BOA system is easy to tighten and loosen (this can be done with one hand) and is very secure. After adjustment, the heel strap locks into place. With other closure systems, I’ve found myself needing to adjust the bindings several times during a snowshoeing trip. With BOA and the locking heel strap, I found myself only touching the bindings twice per trip – once to put them on and once to take them off. I have been so impressed with BOA that I am researching trail runners and hiking boots that use the same system.
- Traction – The Torsion Deck, Traction Rails, and Viper 2.0 toe crampons combine to create the best traction system of any snowshoe I’ve used. The rails and crampons are the most aggressive I’ve seen on any snowshoe. The flexibility of the Torsion Deck allows the snowshoe to conform to the profile of uneven terrain, insuring the rails and crampons are making contract with the snow or ice and are allowed to do their job.
- While others were questioning their footing and stopping to re-adjust their bindings, those of us using FLEX VRTs were plugging along, making progress up the mountain and taking in the scenery. Several in the group became believers in the FLEX VRT’s design and made plans to purchase them in the future.
- This trip really cemented my feelings on these snowshoes. I have a full review in the works, but here are some thoughts from this trip and after a season of use:
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