Mt. Pinos Snow Hike, 3.8 miles RT, max elevation 8,848', 515' +/-, December 30, 2018

Today was a nice, low key snow hike around Mt. Pinos.  The weather was predicted to be in the upper 30s with wind gusts up to 30 mph.  We put on our layers and headed to Los Padres National Forest, which is just about an hour and thirty minute drive from Burbank.  We arrived at the Nordic Base around 9:30 am. This is actually a lot later then I usually like to be on the trail, but since this was going to be an easy day with not much mileage to cover, I didn’t mind sleeping in and waiting for the weather to warm up a few degrees.  Los Padres is absolutely beautiful in the snow. There was about 2 to 4 inches on the ground. We hiked the trail to the junction with the Vincent Tumamait Trail. The wind was pretty strong on the exposed switchbacks, and we did not continue on to Sawmill Mountain as we’ve done in the warmer months.  I took a lot of photos of the twisted limber pines in the snow and enjoyed the views and the crisp, winter air before heading back. It was a perfect winter day and great hike to close out the year.