Skyline Hike on 11/8/13

[smiles]

Hello all,

After discovering this incredible trail thanks to stumbling across this website in 2011, I have fallen in love with the San Jacinto Mountains! I have been on many hikes across the southwest states, but honestly I don't think anything compares to the beauty of this hike. Where else do you hike through so many life zones in a day hike? And to watch the sunrise with the Salton Sea in the distance -- and dawn's early light paint the San Jacintos right before your eyes! I don't know why it took me 2 years, but I finally joined this forum tonight -- after browsing it almost daily since 2011! I have done the hike from the museum parking lot to the tram station twice so far (November 2011 and November 2012), with a buddy of mine. My upcoming 3rd time will be with 2 co-workers who have never done it -- although I am confident they are physically able to do it. I have never done the full C2C, and do plan on doing it another time. My previous trips up took approximately 8 hours. I am not sure if that's good for a 48 year old -- but it seems decent. I drive out from Mission Viejo at 2am, and boots are down by just after 3:30am -- so that's the plan for this Friday. Looks like stellar weather is in the forecast

[Hikin_Jim]

Good luck and happy trails.

HJ

[neverwashasbeen]

How much time it takes you doesn't matter smiles, the only important thing is that you are enjoying the hike.

[TectorGorch]

Where else can you feel like you're in heaven at 8,516 feet? Have a GREAT hike!

[bluerail]

time matters somewhat when you consider youre carrying all youre fluids and fuel. but just for that reason.

[zippetydude]

I mostly agree with bluerail in that times are only for fun or for planning purposes. There is one case that is just a little different. When I started into trailrunning, I did it largely because I had little ones at home who wanted to spend Saturday with daddy, who would take them on adventures out in the wilderness into parts unknown. If I had spent the entire day on the trail with friends, many magical adventures would have been lost.

Now that they are old enough to prefer their own friends and adventures of their own choosing, I can actually go out and take my time, stopping to listen to the wind in the trees, or watching the birds flit from branch to branch, or testing the hang time of a bluejay as it tries to carry away a Cheeze-it tied to a small twig (they can lift up to about a 6" twig - after that they declare "May Day, May Day, I'm going down!" shortly after take off. They are very smart animals, however, and they drop the Cheeze-it, then fly down and peck the Cheeze-it apart and eat it without carrying any load).

There is much fun to be had in the wilderness when there is ample time to watch, observe and appreciate everything. I think 8 hours on Skyline may be a little hasty...

z

[arocknoid]

Well said, zip.

And welcome to the board, smiles.

kind regards,
arocknoid

[Perry]

Fast or slow, it's just a different experience either way.

[cynthia23]

Welcome Smiles! You're so right about the beauty of the trail. re: your eight hours, I personally think that's fairly average. Of course, there are posters on here who go much faster, but I don't think that's average. I also think there is certain amount of 'creative embellishment' among Skyline hikers, which is akin to ladies who shave a few pounds off their true weight. Personally, the fastest time I ever did it was a hardly stellar six and half hours, and the last time I did it all the way, I think it was eight and half hours. So I'd just relax and enjoy. There's always going to be somebody faster and sometimes even slower. Someone on here--who was the gentleman who did it in something like thirteen or sixteen hours? He stopped every hour or so to take a nap!

[jfr]

Someone on here--who was the gentleman who did it in something like thirteen or sixteen hours? He stopped every hour or so to take a nap!

You must be thinking of the Skyline hike by the mysterious HH8 - 15 hours!

http://www.mtsanjacinto.info/viewtopic.php?t=3221

The moral of that story: The longer it takes, the more you enjoy it...