Snow Creek Roll Call/Transportation/Car Pooling

[lilbitmo]

I can't find 2am on my alarm clock...

My 12:55 AM setting worked just fine - on my way in 5 minutes

[Florian]

Patiently waiting to see trip reports! I know Zippetydude made it as i picked him up at the valley station at about 1:30pm. Realizing in took the fast Zipp over 10 hours. Hope everyone else is doing okay.

-Florian

[Ellen]

Howdy All

Note to self for the next time I try to organize a group hike:
1) Know the location of the trail head
2) Make sure cell phone is on my person
3) If doing C2C, don't go too fast in the first third of the hike as this makes for a very long day

I arrived at the lighted turn off on 111 (Valejo gas station) and drove around till 3:30. Reached for my phone -- no phone. Continued to drive around with increasing frustration. Gave up at 4:30 and headed over to the museum parking lot. Threw on my pack and blasted up the trail. Blew myself out by 4300 ft. and kept going.

Got to Long Valley, grabbed a permit and headed up to San J. Thankfully ran into Z-dude (who was coming down) a bit before the Miller switch back. Apologized profusely (the first in what would be a long suquence of apologies). Continued up and ran across SJM Nick and explained why I wasn't coming up from Little Round Valley with the other Snow Creek hikers.

Summited, ate, took pictures of other hikers, came down and ran into GigaMike near the trail intersection. He indicated that Tina had fallen, hurt her knee, and wisely opted to ride down with Hal, Kathryn, and Mark. I waited at the junction and chatted with other hikers for a bit. Mike summited and passed me again as he roared on down. I paid the price of my early energetic pace on the descent. Staggered up the pavement (I REALLY hate that part) and rejoined my friends (Tina, Kathryn, and Mike) in the tram bar. Steve, Brad, Fernando, Patrick, and Phil arrived in short order and we headed down for a late dinner at Las Consuelas.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[halhiker]

Howdy All

Note to self for the next time I try to organize a group hike:
1) Know the location of the trail head
2) Make sure cell phone is on my person
3) If doing C2C, don't go too fast in the first third of the hike as this makes for a very long day

I arrived at the lighted turn off on 111 (Valejo gas station) and drove around till 3:30. Reached for my phone -- no phone. Continued to drive around with increasing frustration. Gave up at 4:30 and headed over to the museum parking lot. Threw on my pack and blasted up the trail. Blew myself out by 4300 ft. and kept going.

Got to Long Valley, grabbed a permit and headed up to San J. Thankfully ran into Z-dude (who was coming down) a bit before the Miller switch back. Apologized profusely (the first in what would be a long suquence of apologies). Continued up and ran across SJM Nick and explained why I wasn't coming up from Little Round Valley with the other Snow Creek hikers.

Summited, ate, took pictures of other hikers, came down and ran into GigaMike near the trail intersection. He indicated that Tina had fallen, hurt her knee, and wisely opted to ride down with Hal, Kathryn, and Mark. I waited at the junction and chatted with other hikers for a bit. Mike summited and passed me again as he roared on down. I paid the price of my early energetic pace on the descent. Staggered up the pavement (I REALLY hate that part) and rejoined my friends (Tina, Kathryn, and Mike) in the tram bar. Steve, Brad, Fernando, Patrick, and Phil arrived in short order and we headed down for a late dinner at Las Consuelas.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

And I figured you just got so nervous about meeting me that you just chickened out.

Glad to know you're OK and not stranded in the summit hut again.

Hal

[bluerail]

Really wanted to thank you Hal, for all that you did yesterday and the time and effort you put into it. You being there really saved a few of us. I know I would have found myself pounding on ice trying to get to the water underneath if it hadn't been for you and the delicious rat water. Thanks. And I know you were a life saver for Kathryn.

Thanks again, and it was nice finally running into each other and you getting to realize you've actually known me for about 20 years.

Zip, I slepted on the trail for over an hour at the first road crossing waiting on people, then went back down a couple miles to walk up with K and got up to Hal finally at about noon and then into the tram bar around 4:45. added some extra miles and hours on my trip. lots of fun coming up Marion...I was shot at that point. lets do it again.

[Florian]

we headed down for a late dinner at Las Consuelas.

When i picked up Zipp at the valley station he told me about your looking for the trailhead in the wrong place. That must have been so frustrating. However Zipp thought you rode up the tram and didn't realize you did a full C2C! Whoo!

Also, it's Las Casuelas, no N.

-Florian

[Ellen]

Howdy Hal

Nervous about meeting the famous blogger Hal Hiker? Nah I still owe you a meal and anesthetic beverages to thank you for your support yesterday

Part of my self-recrimination was due to the knowledge that my friends would be worried about me after the events of Feb 2008. Seems like I can't do a hike on San J without someone mentioning the Coleman surival hut

Howdy Florian

After getting up at 2 AM and planning on a long dayhike, I was bound and determined to 1) reconnect with my friends to let them know I was OK and 2) hike from the desert to the top of San Jacinto for a 11 K elevation gain.

Yikes -- I've been mispelling the name of my favorite Mexican restaurant since I started posting on the board in 2007, thanks for the correction.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Norris]

Despite the title of the post, I did actually make it through the hike, although it took me 18 hours Fuller ridge is beautiful, but long. The only part I didn't like was losing the elevation and going in the wrong direction to meet Deer Springs trail. Anyway...here's a TR:
Met Patrick and Dave G at the trailhead and we started up just before 3. I think it was around 4:30 or 4:45 (not sure) that Zip, Bluerail & co. caught us. Some time just after sunrise Patrick put on some steam and went on ahead. An hour or so later Tina, GigaMike & co passed us. Shortly after, Phil also passed us. Dave was hiking with three impediments - two different foot issues, plus me. Even so, he reached Hal a good 20 minutes or so before me and waited. He waited for me a total of about 1 hr at various points, the last one being the intersection of Fuller ridge and Deer Springs trail, a point I thought would never come. At that point I suggested to Dave that he go on ahead. It was cool seeing the sun
set as I was climbing the switchbacks to the saddle below the summit, although I would rather have seen it from the summit. Reached the summit hut at 6 exactly. Skipped the scramble to the summit proper. Reached LV ranger station at 8:45pm, in plenty of time to catch the last tram....Except, I thought the last tram left at 8:45, so stupidly I didn't bother to climb the concrete ramp. I bivied at the ranger station if you can believe that
Lessons learned: 1) I need to do cross-fit or similar to improve my fitness so I'm not always the caboose on these trips 2) don't rely on others to know critical info like when the last tram leaves
Phil, I really appreciate your concern, and making the effort to meet the last tram in case I was on it. Hal, really enjoyed meeting you, and thanks for your delicious rat water! I went through those 3 liters by the time I reached LRV, actually had to dip into the summit hut supply a bit
Zip, Bluerail, Tina, GigaMike and others whose names I seem to have forgotten, really great to finally be able to associate some faces with all the great postings!

[zippetydude]

I'm glad to hear everyone made it through fine. I wish I had known you were going to take a nap Steve - I kept waiting for you and you didn't appear...

The actual trail time took about 8 hours, but the starting and stopping and such added more than I had expected. Still, a fun day all in all.

Also, at the frozen creek I slipped on the last step before getting back on dry ground. I fell flat on my back. Took me a minute to figure out what had happened. That's why there was sand thrown all over that part of the creek where you had to step down from the rock - I would have felt bad if I hadn't done anything to prevent it and then heard Steve fell and broke his @$$, well, maybe not Steve, but you get the point.

All I have to say is man, is that a long trail. I had fun, but like my primitive australopithecine brother (see avatar), I was shot above Little Round Valley.

One last thought: Ellen, I saw your three things. If I may be so bold, I will simply your rule to bring it into harmony with the three laws of real estate:

1. Location
2. Location
3. Location



z

[lilbitmo]

Since the name C2C is already taken, this "epic" hike needs it's own "moniker", I suggest SC2COTPCT or just SC2C for Snow-Creek-2-Clouds-On-The-Pacific-Crest-Trail or Snow Creek 2 Clouds, it deserves it's own nick name. It maybe a more drawn out hike but you pay dearly for that distance when you reach the mid-section of Fuller Ridge and especially when you get to LRV and realize you have 1,100 feet to make the summit - there should be another little sign next to that trail maker that says :If you came up from Snow Creek? (Now you're F#$&ed") ".

Hal, you are a good man, there's nothing like coming over a ridge line to find a friendly smile with extra supplies - the gatorade was fantastic and your knowledge of the trail is always helpful. It was great walking back to your van getting to know you and your "love of the trail"

Norris and Dave it was great starting the day with you guys that was a pleasant pace to start the day - if the truth be told the reason I all of a sudden "kicked it into gear" (as you said above) was because about 5 minutes after consuming my first of two "Red Bulls" (please don't anyone let the "caffine hater" know) I got a surge of energy and I'm glad you both made it out safely - sorry Norris that you had to bivy at the ranger station, sorry Dave we missed you to give you a ride as the whole group was talking about how to reach you to get you a ride back to your car and Phil's a good man for going back to the tram to try to figure that out - Thanks Phil.

Steve, Fernando, Brad, Eric, Greg, and Giga Mike it was great hiking with you guys and finally allowing me to put the correct faces with the blogging names. Phil thanks for helping me set a great pace back to the tram before the sun set - that was one nice end to an epic day.

Tina - I had fun hiking with you as well, sorry your knee got banged up but for my sake that was good (if I'm allowed to say that here as I mean that in the best possible way )as it allowed me to hike a few extra miles with you without having to "run" to keep up with you.

Mark is was great meeting you, I'm sure we will run across each other out there again. Kathryn it was great meeting you as well, thanks for the ride to the resturant (you to Steve) and I'm glad you enjoyed your hike.

Zip - what can I say - other than you're an "animal", always smilling always going at the speed of light, it's nice to see other head lamps in the dark but easy to figure out who's they are when there's a "contrail" behind them

Ellen (and Norma for that matter) we knew you were there with us in "spirit" and we missed you. Thanks Ellen for meeting us at the tram bar, inviting us with you to your favorite "post hike" watering hole/resturant and thanks for giving Phil and I a ride back to our cars

That was one fantastic day with a great group of hikers, like myself I'm sure there's a few sore bodies today I look forward to seeing everyone on the trail again soon.
Pictures here - http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww285/lilbitmo24/SC2CONPCT%2011-21-09/?albumview=slideshow