Skyline 12.12

[bluerail]

Two of us went up skyline today in the snow, and had a record breaking day. The trail was pretty much covered with snow above 5400' and completely covered above flatrock with 1' of snow, to 3 and 4' above the traverse.
We used snowshoes from flatrock to the tram. Fresh snow, and we took turns breaking trail...I was really hoping I could talk Fernando into doing all of it...he wouldn't.

Our times:

4 hours to flatrock, packs were heavy with clothing and snow gear.
( thats our excuse)

7 hours and 15 minutes from flatrock to Grubs notch !

....and to think we talked about a C2C !!

Pure hell ! Possibly the hardest physical day I've ever had in my life.

And it rained for all 7 of those hours.

Next time I'm taking the tram !

Hal, if you want to go up Skyline when there is nobody on it....go now.

[halhiker]

11 plus hours of slogging--and surely longer for me--no, thank you.

[lilbitmo]

Nice work Bluerail, that's one long trek in those conditions. When Ellen mentioned you were out there doing it and we were up getting plastered by the wind just below Cornel I was trying to decide who was getting it the worse - Hands down you guys.

The conditions are deteriorating by the minute out there. Hope everyone made it back to the tram safely or there's going to be some miserable SAR folks wondering around in the snow/rain/wind/ice/dark. I saw at least 5 or 6 people in jeans that were hiking today - they scare me

[NormaR]

7 hours and 15 minutes from flatrock to Grubs notch !
....and to think we talked about a C2C !! Pure hell ! Possibly the hardest physical day I've ever had in my life. And it rained for all 7 of those hours.

7 hours of rain in snowshoes? yikes... that's not supposed to happen!!! on the plus side, just think of the calories you burned and the muscles you strengthened. hopefully your clothing was waterproof.

great job Bluerail in less than ideal conditions!

[Cy Kaicener]

Amazing trip report Steve. No one can say that bad conditions discourage you.
Almost anyone else would have to be rescued. Superman Rick might want to go hiking or climbing with you
Great job Steve and Fernando. Did either of you ever consider turning back.?

[Dave G]

Way to send it Steve and Fernando!
And here I thought you guys were "just" trailrunners.
That's dang near winter mountaineering!
Great work guys!

[mikeon]

We were wondering who else was hiking up in the snow yesterday, albeit in the rain. Went up to 6000 feet yesterday before turning around. Just wanted a taste of what conditions were like up there. We were prepared with snow gear and heavy packs. Congrats on making it. What is the usual pack list for a wintertime trip and does anyone know of guides who will lead the trip. We're not experienced in this type of travel and wouldn't presume to put ourselves in a life altering decision without adequate preparation.

Thanks,
Mike

[bluerail]

Cy, we might have both thought about turning back, especially with the lousy weather we were in after flatrock, It never really became a consideration until we were between the traverse and Coffmans though. From the traverse up was absolutely, extremely hard work. The steepness of the slope, the snowdrifts that were unavoidable, how your snowshoes would turn like skis and you couldn't go uphill, the difficulty of finding the way through ( and since last October I have done Skyline a very pathetic amount of times), all of it, every single step from strap-on point (begining of the traverse) to the top was insane. Normally, from the crag up is about a 12 minute trip, that alone took us about 2 1/2 hours. It took over 7 hours to do what I normally do now in under an hour !! And we didn't take any breaks either.
How different that mountain looks blanketed in snow is amazing. As you, Doreen and some others know, you go up that trail without really looking where your going. I couldn't get to the Coffman bench ! I landed us 50 feet below it ! That 50 feet might as well have been a mile. So steep, and completely in the rocks and drifts every single step was a battle. Turning back at that point though ? Wow...how close are we ? There really was no turning back, just praying that we weren't wearing headlites to get our butts out of there in the end was really on my mind. On top of rain, bad visibility, all the other crap, being in the dark would have been nuts.

And yes Norma, our clothes were waterproof...to a point. Only problem I had were my hands, changed gloves three times. Sweating was an issue, Fernando finally had to do a clothes change at the beginning of the traverse because he was drenched from the inside. Some how I stayed really comfortable until half way up from Coffmans, right about there I started to loose my mind. So close....but so seemingly impossible to get to that patch of sky.
As for the rain,it didn't hit until we were gearing up at flatrock, and both of us really thought it would end up snow eventually,and that would be ok, best it did though was turn to sleet above Coffmans. Crappy weather for a couple of guys that thrive in the heat when its 110 degrees.

Patrick, I finally have a first hand appreciation for those SAR guys and the hell they must go through, even having the support of others with you, what they must go through sometimes, I finally see clearly. I see now how people can end up completely screwed, it took every bit of my being to get off of that hill yesterday.

And Fernando, I can't say enough. Your fortitude, determination and your strength are amazing. We have done that trail alot together, but I know all the snakes, running into people that would end up not making it off the mountain alive, and all the other events, have all of the sudden faded away behind a white wall we won't soon forget. Thanks friend.

And thanks 04 and the rest of you guys at the tram that allow us the comfort to treat that place like home when we need it. Thank you very much.

[lipbiter]

OMG After reading your TR I was... stunned.... impressed.... envious. All I can say is, "What fortitude!" My hat's off to you both!

[magikwalt]

Wow. Jean and I were hiking the desert above Murray Peak yesterday and on the way down I kept looking at Skyline and see nothing but clouds above 7,000ft . We were talking about what someone would face trying to do Skyline yesterday.

Hopefully anyone considering it will try to do the math on your times Steve and realize how much of your energy and reserve it took to fight through those snow drifts. Most of the people rescued during winter never even get to where it really gets steep above the traverse.

Sure hope you guys hoisted a beer at the end of that ordeal.