Winter Recreation
Welcome to wintersports on the Mt. Pinos Ranger District. Before Enjoying the snow, please take a few minutes to acquaint yourself with the area and some winter safety tips.
Our snow season is normally December 15 to April 15 although this varies greatly from year to year. The average snowpack is four to six feet at the height of the season.
Weather Conditions
Call the 24-hour recreation line for information about road and snow conditions - (805) 245-3449.
Before coming, check weather forecasts to avoid being caught in heavy and sometimes sudden storms. If the weather does turn bad, visibility is reduced, or the area is unfamiliar, follow your tracks back out.
Information Services
Forest Service Information is available from the Mt. Pinos Ranger Station. It is located just off Lockwood Valley Road, 1 mile west of the Frazier Park Mountain Road. Information is also available from the National Ski Patrol at Chula Vista (elevation 8300 feet).
Where To Go
Most of the winter sport activities on the Mt. Pinos District occurs between McGill Campground (elevation 7500 feet) and the summit of Mt. Pinos (elevation 8831 feet). The 2,000 acre area between McGill and the Chula Vista Parking Lot contains most of the marked Nordic ski trails. Although there are no particular trails from Chula Vista Parking Lot to the summit, this area is open to wintersports. Some areas have restrictions. These include motorized vehicle closures, avalanche area closures, and hazardous roads. Also note that private property exists throughout the Forest. Please respect the property and privacy of others during your visit.
Parking, Stopping and Chains
Icy roads are a fact of life. Please carry tire chains. California Highway Patrol does enforce chain control on the mountain. When stopping to put chains of, make sure you are well off the traveled portion of the roadway. Park in a safe area off the main thoroughfare. Make sure the parking spot is on solid ground. Snow can hide ditches and dropoffs.
*Do not park at any location where signs are posted prohibiting parking. Parking is permitted only on the downhill side of the Mt. Pinos Highway.
*Do not park where snow has narrowed the highway so that only traffic lanes are open.
*Do not park where you will block snow-removal equipment. If it storms after you've left your vehicle, and it blocks the equipment, you vehicle is subject to being towed away.
Clothing And Equipment
Dress For a variety of conditions. Wearing several layers will allow you to easily adjust your clothing as the weather and your body heat changes. A good quality windbreaker jacket and wind pants are excellent. Avoid tight-fitting clothes and boots which might restrict circulation. Woolen clothing is best in wet weather because it retains its insulating value even when it gets wet. Cotton and down are nearly useless wet. Take extra socks, gloves or mittens, and a warm cap.
On any wintersports outing, one person in your party should take an emergency kit in addition to your regular gear. This kit should contain the following: matches in a waterproof container, candle, fire starter, 50ft of nylon rope, general purpose knife, high energy food, plastic tarp, space blanket, signal mirror, compass, map, first aid kit, wide tape for repairs, metal container for melting snow, folding-handle saw, and a survival manual.
Litter And Sanitation
Litter and debris can mar the quality of a recreation experience, particularly when viewed against a mantle of snow. Help others enjoy winter travel in the National Forest by carrying out what you carry in.
Nordic Skiing
Nordic skiing (also known as cross-country skiing and ski touring) is the fastest growing wintersport in California. It has long been popular in the colder parts of Europe, and Californians are beginning to realize the freedom this winter sport offers. It takes less commercial investment (no ski lifts) and fewer beginning skills. All you need is an area with some snow cover and flat ground and a little training in techniques. Forest roads are good to begin with. You also might want to take advantage of some of the defined trails marked as "easiest", "more difficult", and "most difficult".
Snowplay
Tobogganing, sledding, innertubing and general cavorting are all considered "snow play." This is a sport which involves a little caution, a change of clothes, and imagination. Innertubes and toboggans should be used with care. Innertubes don't have any steering or guiding mechanism, and unless you chart where you are going before you commit yourself, you ride could end abruptly against a tree trunk or off a bank onto a road. Sleds are somewhat more maneuverable. All snow play should be guided by good sense as well. When young children are involved, adults should watch for signs of fatigue and make time for a rest period and energy snacks.
Snowmobiling
Snowmobiling is allowed only on designated routes in the Mt. Pinos area. Check with the Forest Service to learn which areas are open. Don not take anyone who is not fit enough to make it back in case of a breakdown. Travel in a group with at least three people and two snowmobiles. Although deep powder is the skier's dream-come-true, it can mean trouble for snowmobiles. If an area is too dry and fluffy to support the weight of a snowmobile, you may have to seek an alternate route. Also heed avalanche warnings.
Winter Hazards
Hypothermia: Be alert to the danger of hypothermia. This is the lowering of the internal temperature of the body, and it leads to mental and physical collapse. Hypothermia is caused by exposure to cold, and it is aggravated by the moisture, wind and exhaustion. If someone in your party becomes exhausted or goes into persistent or violent shivering, don't ignore the symptoms. Get the victim out of the cold as soon as possible.
Hyperventilation: High altitudes can cause too-rapid breathing and a decrease in the carbon dioxide level of the blood. The victim might feel lightheaded and cold, and may be apprehensive and excited. To treat the victim, keep the victim calm and have the victim breathe into a glove, bag or hat until normal breathing is restored.
Dehydration: Adults require two quarts of water daily, and up to four quarts for strenuous activity at high elevations. There is a 25% loss of stamina when an adult loses one and a half quarts of water. To avoid dehydration, simply drink water as often as you feel thirsty.
Frostbite: Frostbite may occur when inadequately protected flesh is exposed to subfreezing temperatures. Tissue damage can result from reduced blood flow to the extremities. The symptoms of frostbite include loss of feeling and a dead, white appearance in the exposed portion of the body. Treatment involves restoring body temperature as rapidly as possible, preferably by immersion in a water bath of less than 110 degrees F. or by other means. If it is necessary to continue moving, the affected part should be kept covered, and the victim moved to a location where effective treatment and vehicle evacuation can be obtained.
Avalanche:
If you are a survivor of an avalanche, do not deserve victims to go for help, unless help is only a few minutes away. Remember you must consider not only the time required for you to bet help, but the time required for help to return. After 30 minutes, the buried victim has only a 50% chance of surviving.
Overdue Party: When someone is overdue, keep calm. Notify the county Sheriff or District Ranger in the trip area. They will take steps to alert or activate the local search and rescue organization. If the person returns later, be sure to advise the Sheriff or Ranger.
For more information or maps, please contact the Mt. Pinos Ranger Station at (805) 245-3731. We are open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
U.S. FOREST SERVICE
LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST
MT. PINOS RANGER DISTRICT
34580 LOCKWOOD VALLEY RD.
FRAZIER PARK, CA 93225
24 hour Recreation Line for information on road and snow conditions, etc. (805) 245-3449