First Time Skyline

[Ed]

I hiked the Skyline Trail for the first time on Sunday.

I was impressed by the friendly, cheerful and helpful people on the trail, particularly Robert and Ellen. Also the group who passed me zooming up the ridge cross-country at warp speed, chattering like magpies.

It took me 10 hours, but I will not beat up on myself: I am 69 in a few weeks; was inactive from 1978 to 2009 due to knee injuries; have an artificial left hip and a left knee that wobbles with every step I take. I was depleted the last two hours, but the same is true for me on the Bear Flats or Vivian Creek Trails. And I took fiendish pleasure in the thought of not having a long downhill run.

I am writing this mainly to express my appreciation for the excellent advice and information on the trail I found on this forum and on Cy Kaicener's website. Including Ellen's recent write-up on muscle cramps. One or two people here said that October was the best time for a first hike of the trail, and I am happy I took their advice. Conditions were excellent on Sunday, but it was evident to me that the warnings about heat lower down or snow higher up under other conditions are terribly legitimate.

I do have one piece of advice myself, about the Snow Creek route, which I climbed in April of 1977, and that is concerning avalanche danger. We thought we were ok, because the chute had avalanched: the surface of the snow was scoured, avalanche debris everywhere. Six or eight hundred feet from the ridge we were swimming in soft snow up to our thighs, with balls and rivulets of snow running downhill. Not pleasant the thought of being terminated by an avalanche a few miles from Palm Springs. And we had to go down the same way, because we were backpacking the route. I learned an important lesson: avalanches don't necessarily start at the top of a slope, and you may not be able to judge the danger by what you find below.

Again, my thanks to the many people who have contributed such valuable information and advice on the Skyline Trail. I owe you much for the experience, which I hope to repeat.

[HikeUp]

Also the group who passed me zooming up the ridge cross-country at warp speed, chattering like magpies.

Must have been those Indians.

Seriously, at 69 you're an inspiration.

[bluerail]

That was probably Fernando chattering like a magpie. You'll like him, we watched an avalanche roll by us for almost 5 minutes at 8300" on snowcreek...bring that up with him, he'll really start chattering.

I can only hope that at 69, I will be able to still be out there. Glad you had a nice trip.

[rggibbons]

Hi Ed,
I'm really glad to hear you made it and had a good time! It was really nice starting out with you. After I left I was regretting that I didn't mention that strange part up to the picnic tables that goes downhill for a little while. I know that can really throw one off if they haven't done the trail before. Good to hear that Ellen was there to help out...Hope you get to do it again soon...Robert

[Ellen]

Howdy Ed

Congratulations on your first Skyline at the age of 69 Doing it with an artifical hip and two bad knees makes your accomplishment even more impressive.

It was very nice meeting you I'm glad that I could provide beneficial information on muscle cramps as well as directions for the bottom part of Skyline.

Skyline and this forum have given so much to me, it's nice to give back.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[cynthia23]

You rock, Ed. And ten hours is one and half hours faster than the first time I did Skyline!

Seriously, this was a great achievement.

Your avalanche story made me remember a story from former ranger Eric Hansen, who almost got slammed by an avalanche when doing Snow Creek. He said that was the last time he did SC ...