Morbus posted:

I believe you are correct about the permits, but it's been awhile since I went there.

For trail conditions/reports you can look at:
http://sgwa.org/forums/forum/trail-conditions/

So Cal Snow Avalanche Center is in general good to look at for SoCal peaks in winter, but I very much doubt there is any avalanche concern on San Gorgonio or in SoCal in general. Even in in the high sierra right now, there has generally not been enough snow accumulation or recent snow for serious avalanches to be a concern. Due to the very warm temps we've been having, any risk that does exist is for small loose wet "avalanches" or slides. There is no almost risk of being buried pretty much anywhere in California right now, and definitely not in San Gorgonio. If descending in the afternoon, steep slopes may be awkward due easily sliding snow, but as long as you aren't in terrain where a short slide would be perilous you should be OK. Despite the warmth we have been having, any snow that is present may be hard or icy in the morning, and can get crunchy pretty fast as the sun goes down.

For what it's worth, I haven't been to SoCal this year but I was in the Hoover wilderness / Sawtooth range in January and around Castle Peak and Round Top / Sisters this last weekend. Avalanche risk was pretty much zilch on all of these outings.

As the weeks go by and we get more hours of sunlight, if these very warm temps persist, then loose/wet avalanches may become more of a concern. Right now though, I wouldn't worry about it especially in SoCal. As always, conditions may change so check for a recent avalanche forecast before going up any mountain.