Cactus to Clouds

[HikeUp]

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[cynthia23]

Hi Zip. Yes, NOAA forecasts 89, but the local meteorologist forecasts 93, and generally their forecasts are a bit more reliable than NOAA's.

Brian--here's the part you're not thinking through. If you leave at 4 am, traveling at an eight hour pace ... what happens if you bonk at 10 am, or around 6000 feet? Your assumption that you would conveniently bonk at an earlier time--as you did a few weeks ago--is faulty. Most people bonk somewhere around 6000 feet. In cooler weather that's not a problem, they just turn around and go back down. On a day when it's 93 on the valley floor? If it took you six hours to get up to 6000, it will take you six hours to get down, and you will be hitting the high heat right around 2pm. That would mean two hours of descending in 90 degrees temps. Yeah, you would likely survive, but--assuming the turn-around was because you were wiped out or ill-- it's also likely you would get very sick, run out of fluids and call for a rescue.

Our advice might be different if you hadn't had an episode of serious illness on the trail just a few weeks ago ... but to go again, just a few weeks later, on a much hotter day? You don't know that it was 'just the beer'--maybe your body doesn't deal well with increasing temps. Personally I experience a lot more trouble hiking here once the ambient hiking temps go up in the high 70's. You need to rethink this. Really. Remember that rescues are not just embarrassing-- they endanger the rescuers. What if a SAR person died? Every time they take those helicopters close to the mountain it's very risky. This is not worth the risk, to yourself or others.

[tekewin]

Brian, sorry to hear about last weekend's unpleasant turn of events. I think you're right about the beer the night before. I don't like to have anything at all with alcohol the day or night before a hard sustained effort. I find that sends me in already dehydrated, which is obviously a bad idea. I have better results if the night before I go with some salty chips or popcorn, some soda with sugar, then finish the night with a couple of bottles of water. I wake up prehydrated and feel better the whole time I'm on the trail.
z

Totally agree with Z on pre-big hike prep. I like to pre-hydrate, pre-electrolyte, and carb load the day before. Alcohol is a definite no the night before and a definite must the night after.

[bluerail]

Hikeup....it's pretty obvious I know.

I didn't always agree with cynthia. I used to think she was a little overboard, I'm a relative newbie compared to her, but she sees this right. This is the bad time of year..it's just misery for the Rangers and sar. They see it coming in late spring. After 400+ trips I've seen too many people making bad decisions on that trail. But hey _most_ of them survive.

[cynthia23]

Thanks, Steve. Admittedly I'm a worrywart (and proud of it ) and believe in erring on the side of caution, but I've had so many near-disasters (and seen so many more!) my anxiety disorder seems kind of justified by now.

[Ed]

This discussion is confusing the hell out of me. I am planning to go tomorrow, as it may be my last chance before the fall. The hottest day I've done so far is Palm Springs High = 94, and that was fine, with a 4am start, so I'm hoping tomorrow is ok. But the low that day was 62, and I vaguely recall that it was a cloudy, breezy day. Also, can't remember sunrise time on that day. 4am is not such an early start when the sun rises before 6.

[bluerail]

sorry Ed, I went off a bit yesterday somewhat specifically, Brian talked about being in bad shape at 4000 nauseous and dizzy laying on the trail and then sais he going back in not much better weather. AND refering to a rescue as the air taxi.

this is the bad time of year though, 94 feels much hotter when youre going uphill with a pack..you have to carry more fluids blah blah blah..i hate seeing what happens on the trail this time of year.

in my opinion if you are 4-5 hrs to the tram youre ok.

people that subject themselves to it for 7+ hrs ???

Theyll be great weather in the fall.

[cynthia23]

I think Steve put it perfectly. It's not a good day for newbies, the people who only do it occasionally and/or the slower folks (like me!). For the regulars and the speedy 4 to 5 hour people it should be fine.

Ed, you bring up an extremely important point, too--94 in February or March is easier than 91 in May, for the reasons you mentioned--by May, you start at a higher morning temperature, the sun rises much sooner, and as you climb, the temperatures don't drop much or at all.

[Brian]

On Sat. 5/10/14 we start later then expected at 4:30 AM. All 13 of us completed Skyline in 6-8 hours, and all but one added Mt. San Jacinto peak. I was a great day to do Cactus to Clouds (C2C). All in all, the weather could not have been better. Some haze, clouds, and winds keep us cool on Skyline and the trail to summit was cool and windy at times. On the way down in late-afternoon, the winds were stronger. I am glad to report my second try at C2C was the charm. Skyline is more enjoyable with its vary views and terrain, but San J peak really makes you work for it.

I saw Doreen on Skyline at around Rescue Box #2, on her #290 ascent. A local hiker estimated that 30 hikers started Skyline on Sat. I looked in Rescue Box #2 and saw that it had 3 liters of water and possible blankets in a yellow bag.

My hiking buddy was going to drop off a bottle on the way up but decided he may need it himself. Another hiker in the group consumed 6 liters of water up Skyline and started with 7. Myself, I finished 3+ liters to the Tram and took a nap along the way in the early morning.

An eight hour Skyline is good for folks doing this from time to time. !,000' and hour with breaks will get you to the top, but trying to be as fast as others is not going to help you. Do it with a hiking buddy, take your time, break, nap, stop, chat, eat, drink, and finish. Good luck to all C2C 1st timers. Thanks to those of you on this board that help us to face the realities of this trail and providing great hiking information and tips.

[bluerail]

glad the weather held for you and you were able to make it with out trouble.