Yesterday's Skyline

[HikerBlatt]

I moved to Palm Springs in 1971 and through the 70s and 80s I spent a lot of time hiking up and down the Skyline Trail. In those days much of the middle third of the trail was difficult to follow if you were not familiar with it. It was also extremely rare to see even a boot print from anyone else, let alone meet up with another hiker.

Through the 90s and into the 2000s I visited the Skyline Trail and walked it often, but nothing like my earlier years and boot prints and human encounters were frequent and expected.

Until yesterday I had not been up the trail very far since last year. Yesterday I hiked up to about the 4,000 foot level and was appalled with the condition of the trail. That beautiful trail has become a “braided” trail with switchback cuts and worse everywhere. I can only assume it is from the trail users who rush the trail to set new PB times for themselves and be in competition with others.

What a disappointment… a true loss for those of us who care about such things.

[Ellen]

Howdy HikerBlatt

Was that you that Tim and I met on Skyline yesterday? We left the museum a bit after 7 AM.

Howdy All

Can't believe how much snow has melted off the traverse in 5 days, though we still appreciated the extra security of our microspikes. Tim and I saw a pair of gloves at the beginning of the traverse laying on the rocks. We didn't want to pick them up in case whoever left them is going up again.

Thanks again to Speedy Blue for cleaning up the trash at the first rescue box.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[HikerBlatt]

I went up with a friend and we didn't see anyone else on the trail until we were coming back down. It was another beautiful day on the trail. We started up at 7:30.

[cynthia23]

Welcome (back) HikerBlatt. I agree with you 101% about the shortcutting/PB issue damaging the mountainside, but frankly this is a rather a 'sorespot' on this board and not all are in agreement with us (I would say, personally, they're in denial about the seriousness of erosion, but that's my opinion.) To me it is reminiscent of the use of ATV's on flat desert terrain--just one and the vegetation will recover, two, maybe not, twenty, definitely not. The shortcuts definitely 'uglify' the trail, that's for sure. But I think what bugs me the most is the irrationality of it--if they're in such a hurry to get up the trail, why are the shortcutters there at all? Hiking is a recreational activity, not a job. If the trail irritates them so much that the goal is to get off it as fast as possible, why not just take the tram up? It just freaking makes no sense.

[The Shovel]

The following is from "Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills"

"The fundamental principle of minimum-impact travel is to pass through an area without disturbing it and to leave the place with no evidence you were ever there. Following is a list of some standards of minimal impact:

- Stay on trails where they exist. Don't cut switch backs; it causes erosion.

- Stay in single file on existing meadow trails, and walk through - not around - muddy areas.

- Tread lightly in trailless areas, looking for routes on durable surfaces"

[PatrickSupra]

It's a workout. I'm not on that trail to marvel at every flower and bush. The faster you make it up, the harder you're working yourself, simple as that. I can't speak for everyone who try to make it up quickly, but I stay on the main trail as much as I possibly can.

Edit: if you are talking specifically about the people who take cuts to get up faster, I can't say anything on their part. But it seemed like you were saying the people who go fast don't appreciate the trail as much which is absolutely not true.

[Florian]

I moved to Palm Springs in 1971 and through the 70s and 80s I spent a lot of time hiking up and down the Skyline Trail. In those days much of the middle third of the trail was difficult to follow if you were not familiar with it. It was also extremely rare to see even a boot print from anyone else, let alone meet up with another hiker.

One of those rare bootprints you saw might have been mine. I grew up in Palm Springs and started hiking the Skyline when i was in high school. My first time on the trail was probably around 1970. I remember doing a few exploratory hikes before i attempted to go all the way to the tramway. The first time i tried to go all the way i lost the trail in the chaparral above "flat rock" and had to come back down. It was hot, i was out of water, and i almost died. After the big Dry Falls fire around 1983 (?) the middle section became much easier to follow.

I share your concern about the shortcuts. The original trail was well designed and well constructed and i stay on it.

-Florian

[HikerBlatt]

It's a workout.... The faster you make it up, the harder you're working yourself, simple as that.... But it seemed like you were saying the people who go fast don't appreciate the trail as much which is absolutely not true.

The people who cut the trail aren't about the workout, they are about bragging rights for how fast they made the climb and they obviously "don't appreciate the trail." They have done irrepairable damage to the trail for their own strokes... You want a better workout, go fast and/or add some weight, you and your hiking partners can take turns carrying each other up the trail, but don't justify ignorance and selfishness and trail destruction as a "better workout."

[PatrickSupra]

I guess you missed the part where I said I'm not a "shortcutter".

[HikerBlatt]

My intent was not to make the accusation that you personally were one of the people making the cuts, but with the condition of the trail as it is now, even I am taking the shortcuts. Why not! The damage is done with no going back and it is difficult in many places to tell which is the original trail and which is a cut.....
I was responding in general terms to specific comments you had written, which I had included in the quotation box.
Happy trails to you....