Run or hike the Cactus to Clouds Trail

[marmot]

im doing C2C2C today, i'll post conditions when i get back late tonight.

-marmot

[Mario38]

I am training for a race with a total elevation gain of 19,000 feet so I thought this trail would give a good training effect and appreciation of the overall difficulty I will have to face.

Mario

what race is that??

Western States Endurance Run

[Cy Kaicener]

Here is a description of the run
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_St ... urance_Run

I just read an article of a 101 year old marathon runner
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17765170
He hikes two to three hours every morning
I just have to do that for 25 more years

[Zé]

Western States Endurance Run

ah yes been reading "Born to Run" and they mention that one. good luck!

[Muffenman]

I am planning on doing this hike the first weekend in June (with a 3am start time). I wanted to make sure there was no snow or ice on the trail. I wanted to get people's opinion if this is to late in the season to attempt this hike or should I attempt this hike in late May or just wait until October?

[bluerail]

How'd it go Marmot?

No ice to speak of on skyline now, a couple small patches that are only a few feet long, they are refreshing in this heat...and it was hot today up there.

[cynthia23]

Muffenman, wait until late October. It's too dangerous to try the first time in June. Remember, hikes on days when the temps are over 90 degrees are committed hikes--meaning if you get halfway and feel sick or tired, you can't turn around and go down (without dying of heatstroke.) People die on this trail in the summer.

[SwimHeather]

I am planning on doing this hike the first weekend in June (with a 3am start time). I wanted to make sure there was no snow or ice on the trail. I wanted to get people's opinion if this is to late in the season to attempt this hike or should I attempt this hike in late May or just wait until October?

My friend and I are planning on doing Cactus to Clouds Saturday June 1 as a training hike for Kilimanjaro. Let us know if you are still going that weekend. We are staying in Joshua Tree for the weekend and plan on heading to palm springs from Joshua tree at 3am.

[zippetydude]

from that picture I can already tell you'll be in trouble...you're a Chargers fan?
I was a Rams fan until they moved...then they won the superbowl. I lived in Orange County growing up and tried hard to be an Angels fan, but they were horrible. I gave up and became a permanent Dodgers fan, and the Angels won the World Series! Watch out for those Bolts!

Oh, sorry, back to the main topic. Depends on the weather, so you'll know soon if your odds are good or bad.

z

[bcrowell]

My friend and I are planning on doing Cactus to Clouds Saturday June 1 as a training hike for Kilimanjaro. Let us know if you are still going that weekend. We are staying in Joshua Tree for the weekend and plan on heading to palm springs from Joshua tree at 3am.

I don't see the logic of doing C2C as training for Kilimanjaro. On Kilimanjaro, you will never ascend more than a few thousand feet per day. If you're not in good enough shape already for Kilimanjaro, then IMO you're not in good enough shape to attempt C2C safely.

June 1 is extremely late in the season to be doing C2C. It's common for people to start up the trail in summer, start having problems with the heat, turn around, and then die of heat stroke before they get out.

Maybe I'm not reading between the lines of your post correctly, but your statement that you want to do the hike as training implies to me that you haven't done it before. If so, then please reconsider your plans. Doing Skyline in summer is a serious undertaking, and doing it in summer as your first time is really not a good idea.

Also, it sounds like you're not planning to head up-trail until at least 4 am, which is much too late, IMO, for safety in the first week of June.