SOS -- Save our Skyline

[Florian]

seems it would be better to just hide that cache off trail and only disclose the location to some

Except it needs to be visible to help someone in need. And the people that will be in need don't read these forums. I think i will redo the signage to clearly state EMERGENCY USE ONLY. I could also add a bit of food coloring to the water to make it a nice unappetizing brown color.

-Florian

[Lcpl Hughes]

seems it would be better to just hide that cache off trail and only disclose the location to some

Except it needs to be visible to help someone in need. And the people that will be in need don't read these forums. I think i will redo the signage to clearly state EMERGENCY USE ONLY. I could also add a bit of food coloring to the water to make it a nice unappetizing brown color.

-Florian

True..

those are some good ideas..mostly about the signage, hopefully that would make someone think twice about taking, mostly if they don't really need it..

[bluerail]

Florian, did you drop that big bottle around 5200 ? It was perfect ! Looked like ugly crappy creek water ! ...but hey, if your dying...

trail was WAY too crowded today for the weather, it will be interesting to see if there were actually more than just the one woman pulled off by the helicopter

[Florian]

Florian, did you drop that big bottle around 5200 ? It was perfect ! Looked like ugly crappy creek water !

I also noticed that bottle the last two times i was up. Funny that no one seems to touch it yet everyone is happy to drink the water from the 5700' cache bucket. The food color idea is sounding better and better.

-Florian

[Ellen]

Howdy All

First, thanks to Saint Florian for meeting Karin and I at the tram and taking us back to our cars. Caesar kindly offered us rides but we wanted to roam around in Long Valley for a bit first -- there's actually water in Long Valley creek

It was too hot for me, even with a 3:15 AM start. I was sweating so much that my hands were slick on my poles within 15 minutes. We intersected Udi's group at the rock cairn after the picnic tables. Kept hoping I would feel better but didn't happen. Karin stayed with me the entire time and Diana and Galen waited for me at strategic points.

Stopped to don suncreen at 4300 ft and was immediately attacked by bugs. Arrgh!!! Kept going to 5000 ft before applying suncreen. It was humid in addition to being hot -- couldn't see the Salton Sea even when the sun came up. The Never Ending Ridge from 5000 ft to Flat Rock lived up to its name. Karin and I dropped Gatorade bottles off at Florian's cache and she packed out a bunch of empties. I was happy to see less trash compared to last Sat.

I had absolutely no appetite at Flat Rock -- the thought of eating solid food made me want to hurl. After a brief stop (during which Karin picked up toilet paper), we continued on. This is normally my favorite section. Not on Saturday. There was virtually no breeze and we climbed up through the manzanita in direct sunlight. No matter how slowly I hiked, I couldn't keep from over-heating. Right about 7000 ft, I stopped and sat in the shade of a pine tree to let me my core temperature and heart rate drop. Reaching the traverse was a godsend. Even with the shade, I continued to require brief stops.

There was the usual hiker convention at Grubbs notch. Steve noted that he and Fern passed about 30 people on the way up A little after 10 AM Steve said there was a helicopter hovering above Flat Rock. Once my body cooled off, I was able to get down some food. There was no way I was heading to the summit. By the time we arrived at the tram at noon, it was over 70 degrees in the shade

Thanks to Karin, Diana, and Galen for hanging with the old blond polar bear. I'm passing on Skyline until the weather cools. It is amazing that only two weeks ago, it was snowing on this same trail.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Cy Kaicener]

Thanks for the excellent trip report Ellen. In this kind of weather it is better to be at Flatrock before the sun comes out.