Skyline Trail /c2c in November and December

[marmot]

no, im not going to be able to do the skyline any time soon, probably not until next fall, which is a shame.
I would like to try the marian mountain trail. How is the trail? is it beautiful?

[Cy Kaicener]

The weather was perfect for c2c this week end. Scott Scott who passed us above Flatrock said he passed 14 people including a Sierra Club group. The two other people in my group made it all the way to the peak and got back to the tram at 6.30 pm. They said it was cold and windy, but the killer was the awful traffic on the way back. They were going at 20 mph all the way from Palm Springs to Banning, and even slower after that. We started at 3.15 am and were passed by five people after Flatrock.

[Cy Kaicener]

John - Three of us are leaving the museum at 5 am this Saturday - Dec 2, and three at 6 am.
Doreen who has been going almost every week will leave at 6 am.

[wingding]

Anyone headed up the Skyline Trail on December 9th?

[Cy Kaicener]

Believe it or not, I will be going. - Cy

[wingding]

Cy - I'll see you out there on the 9th then. I'm not sure if I'll stop at the Tram or try to go all the way - I'll just see how I feel when I get to Long Valley.

[magikwalt]

There are 3 of us kicking around whether or not to do C2C on Dec 2nd. We all have conflicting schedules between the next 2 weekends. Sure hope the great weather holds a little longer. Any signs of ice after that rain storm on the Hemet side?

[Cy Kaicener]

We made it up to the tram in eight hours yesterday. There were five people ahead of us and at least four from San Diego behind . It was cold and windy. You had to keep moving. If you stopped for more than ten minutes you would shiver. Next Saturday we have three people starting no later than 5 am.
Half way up the shaded swithbacks at around the 3000 ft level there is a discarded tent and pack. It is not that well hidden. Robie thinks its been there for some time, but I never noticed it before.

[john m]

On my Nov 22nd hike I saw the discarded tent and pack. As I was hiking with my head down following the trail, I noticed a cigarette butt in the dirt. It seemed odd that anyone smoking would be at that altitude on this trail. I stopped, looked up and surveyed the scene and my pulse jumped when I saw the tent and pack under an overhanging rock to the left of the trail. I wasn't sure if anyone was actually sleeping in the pack or if they were hanging around at the next boulder watching me but something didn't seem right so I picked up the pace and kept moving. Had I been with a group, I definitely would have checked it out.

[Yichus]

Hi, John:

I felt the same way -- stashing gear in plain sight is really odd.

We--Cy and I--noticed a discarded can of Dr. Pepper next to the tent and backpack. I don't know of any regular Skyline hikers, or any other hikers for that matter, who would bring such a drink with them on the trail, let alone a cigarette.

We also found, and picked up, an old work glove, the kind you can by at Home Depot. And, call me crazy, but I noticed strange markings carved into the dirt on several sections of the trail, as well as a heart made of rocks on, yes, a rock.

I don't want to come across as an alarmist, but perhaps the ladies who hike Skyline frequently should be extra vigilant when hiking alone.