Hiking Skyline May, 2008?

[James]

Anyone hiking Skyline Friday, May 9th or 16th? If not, maybe other days in May? This will be my first time up C2C and would greatly appreciate hiking with others that know the trail. I've climbed San Jacinto on other trails so hopefully I can keep up.

Is it possible/feasible to car camp somewhere near the trailhead? I have a long drive out there and with the early start time, getting a hotel for a few hours may not be an option.

Thank you very much to the board for great information!

[Terry]

Hi James

I'm attempting to go up on May 2 with a veteran named Cy. What time do you plan to leave? This is my first time also. Cy said that he leaves somewhere between 1-3 A.M.

Terry

[James]

Terry,

Thanks for the post. If I can make Friday, May 2nd, I would probably leave in the same time frame you mention. (1-3am). I will see if I can rearrange things to go May 2nd. If that doesn't work out, good luck on your first hike. I hope to go on a Friday in May but it looks likely to be after the 2nd. Like you, I also prefer to hike with a trail veteran the first time.

James

[Cy Kaicener]

Hi Terry and James - I am going up Skyline from the museum on Saturday May 3rd at 2.30 am with John M. You are welcome to join us. On May 10 the outdoorsclub.org is leaving the museum at 4 am. I will go earlier. I cant go on Fridays any more.

[James]

Cy,

Thank you letting me know. If I can make one of those Saturdays I will be there. If not, have a safe trip, enjoy the spring weather.

James

[James]

Anyone know of a hiking club/group that is hiking c2c anytime Memorial Day weekend? Thanks.

J

[mknuth]

Greetings.

I'm visiting from Juneau, Alaska and am interested in this hike. I'm curious, however, why people leave so early in the morning. Why not after light, around 6 a.m.? Even if it took one 10 hours, that still would be only 4 p.m. to the tram and I wouldn't think the temps would be unpleasant from 6,000 feet on up.

Many thanks for any enlightenment!

Margot Knuth

[Hikin_Jim]

You're probably fairly on target with thinking that temps above 6000' will be better, but the heat is perhaps just a tad more than "unpleasant." Maybe a better term than "unpleasant" for the temperatures on this route would be "hellish." Seriously. If you haven't done desert hiking in 100+F weather, you just might not have a feel for temperatures like the ones on this route.

It gets really hot really quickly. You're often in direct sun. The air is extremely dry and sucks the moisture right out of you. There is no water en route. You're climbing a steep, difficult route that really isn't a trail. Hot + intense sun + dry air + waterless + heavy exertion = perfect conditions for heat stroke or, potentially, even a fatality. Even in April, things can be really hot, as it was this past weekend. On today's date last year, the high was 106F (per The Desert Sun newspaper).

When it's really hot, 2:00 AM - 3:00 AM is typically the coolest point of the day. People start then and try to get as high as possible before the merciless sun beats down on them.

By the way, you'll frequently see different start times in cooler weather.

[drndr]

The other reason I personally like the early start time is, if for some horrible reason, you had to turn around. Then you would definitely be coming down in the hottest part of the day. Just a slight back-up plan.

[halhiker]

Personally, I never have started before 5:30 and I usually leave around 6 a.m. Most times you'll get high enough before it gets brutally hot and I have found that with the elevation gain the temperature tends to stay the same most of the way up. It usually takes me 5 hours or less traveling alone (best time is less than 4 hours) or 6 if traveling with others. Although some hike this trail all summer long, I don't do it after the temps get to be consistently over 100 degrees. I live in the desert but that doesn't mean I like heat.

And turning around has never been an option. I wouldn't even consider it.