What are the chances of doing C2C a week from now?

[zippetydude]

Yep.



Once you go up the ravine, you pop out and see this view. The red line is roughly the way I prefer. It tends to have more exposed dirt and rock at the top, which means even when it's a little icy, it's usually possible to thread your way on up without significant exposure. The yellow line is a good path too, but it's kinda fun going up the chute when there's no avalanche danger.

z

[bluerail]

will see what happens and just how fast you can go some day zip, when a storm or a cat are bearing down on you and you have neither a gun or a coat.

waters only good for drinking.

btw, the present from cat was hands down the best one i got this year.

[Vladislav]

Wow! A lot of posts here!
Rick, I would agree with others that right now the traverse at 7500' and the top portion of San Jacinto are not good for people with no experience in self arrest. The person falling should be able to stop within a second or two, otherwise it will be too late.
I did the hike today from the museum to the summit of San Jacinto.
Snow starts on trail at about 6000'. It gets very slippery around 7000' and I would strongly discourage anyone without adequate experience from attempting to go through from here on (crampons or not).
I also noticed that some people choose to go to the summit wearing snowshoes. This is not the appropriate mode of travel right now. Leave snowshoes at home, take crampons and axe and know how to use them.
As for my hike today, I started at 4:30 am at the museum, got to the tram at 12:30 spending a lot of time carefully working through the last section. I was at the summit at 4:15 pm (15 min before my turnaround time). It was quite windy at the summit. Although I usually glicade down the slope on descent, the conditions on SJ were not appropriate for that. I carefully cramponed down arriving at the tram at 6:30 pm.
Be safe out there,
Vlad.

[zippetydude]

Glad you made it safely and had a good time. Any pics?

z

[Rick F]

Vladislov,

Congratulations on making a Cactus to Clouds summit and thanks for sharing your report on conditions so promply.

I would really like to make an attempt but I'll be going with my group to San G. on January 2.

My bid for a full "C2C squared" (Cactus to Clouds, Car to Car, sans tram) will have to wait until another time when conditions are more favorable for a fast round trip. It'll praobably be late next year in September or October, In the fall, after the summer heat is gone and before the snow falls.

[Vladislav]

Glad you made it safely and had a good time. Any pics?

z

Thanks for making it possible for me with your comment about current snake conditions. I will post pictures and a full TR after getting back from my vacation. Meanwhile there is more hikes to do in South California.
Vlad.

[Vladislav]

My bid for a full "C2C squared" (Cactus to Clouds, Car to Car, sans tram) will have to wait until another time when conditions are more favorable for a fast round trip. It'll praobably be late next year in September or October, In the fall, after the summer heat is gone and before the snow falls.

Rick,
Your C2C squared would be an impressive accomplishment. Believe me I was not in the mood to walk down the Skyline after spending 14 hours hiking. Also, I think it would have killed my knees.
As it was my knees and ankles were the only worries I had next day after the hike when I took my wife and daughter for a walk on the trail from the museum to ramon dr.
Vlad.