After the “Pineapple Express” dropped six inches of rain on the PCT near Anza, the temperature dropped and the precipitation turned to snow. I dug my ancient snow shoes out of storage

and headed off up the trail.

Depending on location, there was 5-8 inches of snow. Mt San Jacinto showed a coat of white in the distance.

Some manzanita appeared to have bloomed a bit early.

(Manzanita is very hardy, so I bet this plant will rebloom once the cold recedes.)

My hiker oasis also sported a coat of white.

I was the only one on the trail, but, on the return leg, the snow was already starting to turn to mush on southern exposures, so we should be back to mostly bare soil within a few days.