Fall/Winter Skyline

[Ed]

I'm soloing up early Saturday AM. Looking forward to ice reports. I'll have the ice axe on standby, yet hope not to need to carry it. I did C2C in Feb this year, carried the ice axe, yet thankfully didn't need it. Spikes, post hole and a melting factor on that day.

The bigger concern is the wind that is coming through tonight and tomorrow. Do they ever close the tram?

PSAT will shut down the tram, if winds are high enough. But I think it is at wind speeds considerably higher than they are forecasting on their Weekly Planner. I would guess it is a trekking poles and microspikes weekend, judging from the snow at the Long Valley Ranger Station on the videocam. I have my doubts about the value of an ice axe on that terrain. The places where you are likely to fall are studded with trees, rocks and logs. The chances are high of colliding with something before you can make a successful self-arrest. And the short ice axes people carry today are poor walking sticks.

[Ellen]

Howdy All,

Went up Skyline yesterday -- we only needed microspikes and poles. We donned traction devices shortly before the traverse. It was a classic fall Skyline -- 57 degrees at 6 am in the desert and 25 degrees in Long Valley. Started in shorts and t-shirt, finished in shorts, t-shirt and down mittens. I brought ample clothing (soft-shell pants, medium weight Smart Wool top, down mittens with waterproof shells and Western Mountaineering down jacket). Considering the wind everywhere else, we were pleasantly surprised to have little wind.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Ed]

25F in Long Valley? Shorts and t-shirt? Brrr!