Southern California - Winter Wonderland

Who else saw the sights of the local mountains capped with snow late this afternoon? I saw it around 3pm while heading to the valley on Topanga Canyon Rd. I've never seen the snow levels so low. I'll guess 3500 feet. I didn't have a camera with me at the time or I'd be posting them for sure! If any of you did get some pics of that, please post them. The scene should be pretty much the same tomorrow morning, so get your cameras ready. I'll try and do the same.

Some of us saw it up close and personal at Boulevard....

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2221/164/44/2508105/n2508105_44983397_2057.jpg

Some of us saw it up close and personal at Boulevard....

I'm not seeing a lot of smiles in that pic;) So where was this?

One of my favorite places on the web for checking weather and seeing video is the local channel 7 site. Here. (http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/channel?section=weather/forecast&id=5750134)

Check out the video of the conditions in the San Bernadino Mtns!

Boulevard road race, east of San Diego on Hwy 8.

More pics (http://ironstring.zenfolio.com/p897017348/hcddd358#hcddd358)

Boulevard road race, east of San Diego on Hwy 8.

More pics (http://ironstring.zenfolio.com/p897017348/hcddd358#hcddd358)

Those pics are great! Thanks. Looks like most of you were prepared for the wet weather. So did the wet and snow make it fun? My guess is no because of the cold hands and feet.

I see Floyd Landis in there. Beginning on pic 65 he sits up on a climb and reaches for something in his back pocket.

I think you're right about 3500 feet, but it has been there earlier this winter. It has snowed in the valley before, as well. When I was a kid we actually had a snow day in Sylmar.
In the early 80's the freeways in the north valley were all closed for a couple days because of snow.
And one of my coldest days on the bike was on the back of the ridge above Sylmar when it was snowing and I had no jacket for the 8 mile descent on the dirt.

Boulevard road race, east of San Diego on Hwy 8.

More pics (http://ironstring.zenfolio.com/p897017348/hcddd358#hcddd358)

Cool pics! (pun intended)

The San Gabriels behind Big Tujunga Cyn.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w177/imspec/cycling/BigT2-9-09.jpg

Actually, snow level gets down to about 1800 ft on a relatively regular basis, and, as John indicated, down to the SF valley floor on rare occassions.

Those pics are great! Thanks. Looks like most of you were prepared for the wet weather. So did the wet and snow make it fun? My guess is no because of the cold hands and feet.

I see Floyd Landis in there. Beginning on pic 65 he sits up on a climb and reaches for something in his back pocket.

Lets put it this way... It was a 3 hour race and I could feel my hands, feet, and face for approx the first 2 minutes.

The San Gabriels behind Big Tujunga Cyn.

BigT2-9-09.jpg

Actually, snow level gets down to about 1800 ft on a relatively regular basis, and, as John indicated, down to the SF valley floor on rare occassions.

Nice shot of the San G's. Here in Topanga I'm at 1100 feet, and last year on Jan 17th it snow/sleeted up here. I thought the world was coming to an end! Not in 20 years since I've been here in LA have I seen that.

I think you're right about 3500 feet, but it has been there earlier this winter. It has snowed in the valley before, as well. When I was a kid we actually had a snow day in Sylmar.
In the early 80's the freeways in the north valley were all closed for a couple days because of snow.
And one of my coldest days on the bike was on the back of the ridge above Sylmar when it was snowing and I had no jacket for the 8 mile descent on the dirt.

Way back in the 80's when you had to walk to and from school, uphill both ways!:p I can't even imagine snow in the valley, and so much of it that freeways were closed!

Growing up in OH and PA, we certainly saw our share of heavy snowstorms (at least two snow days per year), but the worst I experienced was during January of 84. I was actually planning on driving to Arizona from PA right after the new year. Leading up to that point it had been a very mild winter, with very little snow. My plan was to first do some car repair work at my friend's fiberglass manufacturing business, a former auto body and paint facility in rural country outside the city. His business was closed for the holidays and wouldn't start back up for another week, so I had the place to myself. I could sleep on the office couch and watch satellite TV at night to my heart's content. I had a bathroom with a shower, but for meals I'd have to drive into town.

I arrived there early in the day as it began to snow, and while inside working I had no idea just how bad it was getting outside. I tried to leave for a bite to eat later that night and couldn't even make it out the driveway. I had to call my friend who brought me something to eat in his 4 wheel drive truck. Between the snow, the frigid blizzard conditions that followed, the snow drifts and icy roads, I ended up stuck in that office for 5 days! To entertain ourselves we drove around in his truck, marveling at the huge 20-30 foot snow drifts everywhere.

Way back in the 80's when you had to walk to and from school, uphill both ways!:p I can't even imagine snow in the valley, and so much of it that freeways were closed!

Two different incidents. When I had the snow day it was probably 1962! I actually quit drinking, then smoking, in the 80s.
I lived in the mountains near Frazier Park with my ex-wife from 1993-97 and we had snow there. I did a lot of snow biking on an old Trek hardtail and would go through brake pads, rims, and drivetrain parts quickly. Those were the days.

Great Mt. Wilson webcam to check the conditions before riding up there:

http://www.astro.ucla.edu/%7Eobs/towercam.htm

Looks beautiful today:

I went up Big Tujunga yesterday, over Angeles Forest to Angeles Crest and on up to Upper Big T. I started seeing remnants of snow (and plenty of ice) on Big T between Stonyvale Overlook and the bridge, which, if I'm using Google Earth correctly, is just over 2000 feet.

Lots of rock slides up there right now. The Crest was particularly bad and chewed up my tires so badly that I blew out on the way home, and I'll have to replace both before I go out again. I was stressing out amid the rocks, ice, and runoff, which was in stark contrast to the happy families at the turnouts building snow men.

Upper Big T was totally iced over and closed.

Thanks for the report, Curbendo. I guess this weekend isn't looking good up there? Maybe I could drive up to Chilao and ride the mtb.

Way back in the 80's when you had to walk to and from school, uphill both ways!:p I can't even imagine snow in the valley, and so much of it that freeways were closed!

Growing up in OH and PA, we certainly saw our share of heavy snowstorms (at least two snow days per year), but the worst I experienced was during January of 84. I was actually planning on driving to Arizona from PA right after the new year. Leading up to that point it had been a very mild winter, with very little snow. My plan was to first do some car repair work at my friend's fiberglass manufacturing business, a former auto body and paint facility in rural country outside the city. His business was closed for the holidays and wouldn't start back up for another week, so I had the place to myself. I could sleep on the office couch and watch satellite TV at night to my heart's content. I had a bathroom with a shower, but for meals I'd have to drive into town.

I arrived there early in the day as it began to snow, and while inside working I had no idea just how bad it was getting outside. I tried to leave for a bite to eat later that night and couldn't even make it out the driveway. I had to call my friend who brought me something to eat in his 4 wheel drive truck. Between the snow, the frigid blizzard conditions that followed, the snow drifts and icy roads, I ended up stuck in that office for 5 days! To entertain ourselves we drove around in his truck, marveling at the huge 20-30 foot snow drifts everywhere.

I remember that. That was the year my parents bought their first house...I was 6 and they moved everything from the condo to the house through the night. After that they swore never to move again. So the family stayed in Valley Forge even now that my sister and I have grown up and I came out to CA.

Thanks for the report, Curbendo. I guess this weekend isn't looking good up there? Maybe I could drive up to Chilao and ride the mtb.

I'm skipping the Crest this weekend. Even if the ice and rocks recede in the next couple days, weather reports have more rain in store for Friday, which will wreck it all over again.

It was like the hills were atrophying before my eyes. I witnessed maybe 4 or 5 fresh rock slides happen in the five hours I was up there.

Wednesday, 2/11/09, looking NW from the top of Topanga Canyon
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/michsis/localsnow209.jpg

CHP closed off I-5 (the grapevine both ways) today from the 14 to Fort Tejon...snow and ice road conditions.

Palomar yesterday.

4000'
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk178/obie549/palomar2209023.jpg

Near the top
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk178/obie549/palomar2209032.jpg

^ Quite a bit different than what it normally looks like. It's going to look much like that next Sunday when the ToC does that route.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/michsis/paloride14.jpg

I'm sure most of you got it too, but it sure dumped a lot of rain on us here in Topanga early this morning! Now (noon) it's start and stop, with intense bursts of rain and high winds.

The storm was pretty intense this a.m. in Newport Beach. I stayed in bed till 7:30 - things banging around outside and PLENTY of rain.

BTW: Are you going to ToC? The forecast is for sun, 60's. I know of a parking lot near South Grade and a spot halfway up the climb but, if the crowd is going to be out I'm wondering if showing up at even 5:30am Sunday morning will be enough to assure me of the parking and spot on the Mtn?

hmmm the streets have started drying since noon and i live in the valley.. i thought it was supposed to pour a lot? hmm

Here's a few shots outside my window today just after the big rains stopped. First a peek of blue.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/michsis/21609rain.jpg

then a little while later...

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/michsis/21609rainbow.jpg

So who's up for a ride to Mt. Wilson? Wow. Nice! Please take pics if you do ride up this week. I wonder how much of this will be around during stage 7 of the ToC. They crest around 5K (http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/Route/map/stage7.html), so there should be some snow still around. Palomar will be a wild scene when they roll over that!
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/michsis/MtWilson21809.jpg