by zippetydude » Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:28 pm
Hi Spotz. The PCT going south out of Snow Creek may be a good choice that time of year. In the rainy season there is a stream about 6-7 miles up that flows and I have seen tents along the route. There are some beautiful hanging valleys up that way. That being said, if it is not a heavy rain year you stand a good chance of a reasonably comfortable December over-nighter even at higher elevations. The tricky part at high altitude is that it can be in the 50's one night and in the 20's the next, so I understand your caution. The San Gorgonio Wilderness is just under an hour drive away and it will offer much more reliable water sources at elevations that fit in between the desert extremes. Look up Vivian Creek Camp if you're interested. It's a little over 6000' elevation, has a very reliable water source, and offers amazing vistas with reasonably short dayhikes/xc routes. Hope this helps!
z