Icy trails, treacherous roads linger amidst winter storms

By: North County Times wire services - | Saturday, February 2, 2008 8:03 PM PST ∞

IDYLLWILD - With another winter storm on the way and challenging conditions already a potential hazard, rangers are cautioning visitors today against visiting ice- and snow-covered trails unless they have expertise in bitter-cold alpine conditions.

"The trails are still covered, and still icy," said Forest Service Ranger Dave Jason, based in Idyllwild. "You're going to need crampons to get up to where you can use snowshoes."

Avalanche warnings remained in effect today near Mount Baldy in the Cucamonga Wilderness, said Rachel Mendoza, who works at the visitors center in Mt. Baldy Village. The warnings are for trails including Icehouse Canyon and the approaches to Cucamonga Peak and Ontario Peak, Mendoza said.

Alpine-trained volunteers were sent to look for a hiker earlier this week, when rescuers from Sierra Madre, San Dimas, Altadena and Riverside County helped a young man who got lost in low-lying cloud conditions near Icehouse Canyon.

The backpacker was prepared for the ordeal, rescuers said. He had a personal locator beacon, he had overnight gear, and once he switched on the beacon he set up camp and stayed put, Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit members Rick Maschek and Patrick McCurdy reported.

Rescuers located the hiker Monday and walked out with him.

Major snowfall in parts of the Angeles National Forest, especially in the higher, east end of San Gabriel Mountains, continue luring city dwellers to play in the snow in the Baldy Village and Wrightwood areas, said Forest Service spokesman Stanton Florea.

But with plowed piles of snow up to nine feet high in places, roadside parking is extremely limited near Big Pines and the west Wrightwood area, Florea said. Motorists coming to visit should dress for the weather and carry extra food, water and blankets, Florea said.

More than 50 inches of snow have fallen in the east San Gabriels in the past two weeks, Florea said. Avalanches last week killed three skiers, including two off-duty ski patrol members, who ventured out-of-bounds near the Mountain High Resort.

Further east in Riverside County, rangers in the San Jacinto Mountains were also bracing for the coming storm.

"You can drive up to Humber Park," Jason said, referring to one of the highest paved mountain trailheads in Southern California. "But you shouldn't come up here without chains. You might make it right now, but there are icy spots and it can change in an instant."

Over in Long Valley, near the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway's upper mountain station, state rangers have already helped a few visitors who slipped on ice this week, said Mount San Jacinto State Park spokeswoman Franceen Unwin.

"The ramp outside the building at the top of the tramway is icy," Unwin said. "Our rangers have been over there at least three times this week helping people up off their behinds."

The forecast high for this afternoon near Long Valley is 34 degrees, with winds gusting to 45 mph, Unwin said.

"So the wind is going to make 34 degrees feel like 24," Unwin said. "Tonight the winds could gust up to 50 mph, so we might get sub-zero conditions with the windchill."

Unwin estimated there are 45 inches of frozen snow today at Long Valley.

"Definitely, people need crampons, and you could possibly use snowshoes, but it's icy," Unwin said.

Earlier this week, members of the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit and a tactical helicopter crew flew at night to evacuate three men who got stranded by ice on the Skyline Trail near the tramway, officials said.

A full moon aided visibility Monday night, but clouds pushing in the from the west forced the rescuers to work fast, RMRU member William Carlson said in a report. The three men were cold but uninjured.

Unwin said she and other state rangers encourage visitors to avoid the Skyline, in spite of its popularity.

"That's not even a trail you can follow, really," Unwin said of the faint track that leads from Palm Springs to the tramway's upper station. "That part of the mountain is iced up, and it's not a designated trail. We don't encourage anyone to use it."