Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus
If I were making a list of things I never expect to do, skiing the SoCal backcountry in October would be close to the top. Well, scratch that one off the list!
Here's Mount Pinos, today, October 15, and yes, that is me skinning up just below the summit. While the Ventura County snowpack was a bit variable, for sheer delight this one was hard to beat.
I think of Pinos primarily as a Nordic destination, but there was a solid foot of snow from the parking lot to the summit, and that was more than enough to make it worth the trip for me.
If you're thinking about going, keep your expectations reasonable, and be aware it is going to melt out fast.
— October 15, 2025
Andy Lewicky is the author and creator of SierraDescents
Walter Kibler October 16, 2025 at 9:47 am
Looks like the Los Padres area got more coverage than the San Gabriels (at least from that photo). Those are some early turns either way!