By Mary O’KEEFE

Once again CVW reminds all those who love the outdoors to think twice, before going on a hike this weekend into the Angeles National Forest (ANF)—as well as other wilderness areas.

There is a storm coming. Rain is expected today through Saturday, but it is the cold and snow levels that are the real concern.

“The snow level has jumped up and down the last few days,” said Kristan Lund, a meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric  Administration (NOAA).

It was expected that snow levels were done to 1,500 feet from last night through this morning, then today and Friday increase to 2,500 to 3,000 feet. The upper elevations in the ANF, 8,000 to 10,000 feet, could see up to seven feet of snow.

It will be cold with highs in the low 40s to upper 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Rainfall totals are expected to be two inches in lower elevations, two to four inches in the foothills and possibly ten inches of snow/rain perception in the mountains.

Lund added roads that are not normally closed in the mountains will most likely be closed due to snow and ice conditions.

“We have concerns for the higher elevations, hopefully everyone will be off the mountains and the mountain roads,” said Sgt. John Gilbert, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department/Crescenta Valley Station, Montrose Search and Rescue coordinator,

Search and Rescue teams have been responding to several lost hikers in recent storms. Two hikers in San Bernardino County were recently rescued while hiking the Cucamonga Peak Trail. According to reports their ice equipment had failed. The body of 62-year-old hiker was found on Mount Islip on Feb. 18. He had been missing for about a month. Actor Julian Sands is still missing in Mt. Baldy area. He went missing on Jan. 13.

Storms will always affect the trails in the ANF and other wilderness areas however with the recent big storms that included high rainfall totals and snow, even those who are avid hikers can and will face challenges they never expected.

Gilbert said people often become complacent as they may have hiked the same areas 99 times, it is the “100th” time you can find yourself in a dangerous situation.

Small creeks can become fast moving rivers as the snow melts, or as more rain falls in higher elevations.

“And in the higher elevations in the mountains avalanche [conditions] are a concern,” he said. “With snow and ice at the right angle with the right conditions, we could see avalanches.”

But even in areas of the mountains that do not have a lot of snow, the rainfall can loosen the rocks which also become a hazard for hikers.

“You have to [ask yourself] if you want to go on a hike during this storm is this the risk you want to take,” he said.

In addition to hiking there is the issue with just driving into the ANF during the storm. As Gilbert and NOAA has warned, many roads could be closed due to ice and rain.

Gilbert has seen people driving into ANF when roads have ice and snow with vehicles that are not equipped for those conditions.

“Roads ice up quickly here,” he added. “This is not the weekend to go up to [ANF],”

  Mary Okeefe