Skyline Saturday 3-29-08

[JimBones]

4 of us are going up Sat. at 0400 from the Desert Museum. Anyone else going Sat.? Also, what can anyone tell us about the current snow & ice conditions. Any input is welcome. B.T.W. We are only going to the tram this weekend. Hopefully we'll see some of you out there.

[FIGHT ON]

I would go but I don't have crampons or an ice axe and don't know how to self arrest if I fall on the traverse ice.

[cynthia23]

My number one piece of advice: don't take a Marine with you.

Seriously, JimBones, are you sure Skylinin' just can't wait for three or four weeks, i.e. until the end of April? This is the time at which I and most people on the board plan to resume doing it. I haven't been up to the tram lately, but I"m pretty sure conditions would be pure crap right now. Punchy snow, nasty ice right over the iffy bits, and stuff falling off while you are standing on it.

Whatever you do, don't even think of going without every person having crampons and ice axe, and a working knowledge of how to use them ....

Be safe.

[Perry]

There's a lot of snow coverage between 8,000 feet (end of traverse) and 8,400 feet (edge of Long Valley) and some coverage along the traverse starting at 7,800 feet. I had an adventure today and decided to take the last chute before Coffman's Crag, which has great snow coverage, but I think in spots it is steeper than the regular route, which has a mixture of boulders sticking out of the snow, so you would likely have to sharpen your crampons later with a file. Whatever you do, don't follow the footprints going straight up near the beginning of the traverse unless you like rock climbing. And crampons and ice axe are definitely needed unless you find some creative way to traverse left and go up that eastern slope to the desert view trail (I've never done it, not sure if that's a good idea). If we get a cold spell it may stay icy on the upper section, even in the afternoon. I noticed that it was more consolidated as I approached Long Valley. Lower down, I sunk up to my waist a couple times. Hope that helps.

[Perry]

zzzzzzzzzzzz

[Hikin_Jim]

zzzzzzzzzzzz

Can I quote you on that?

[FIGHT ON]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Think I will take this opportunity to capitalize on it.

[JimBones]

I think we'll wait a few weeks. It sounds like more snow than I thought there would be, based on Perry's post. I've done it before with a light snow cover, but this sounds worse than what we've ever dealt with. Thanks for the input everyone. You are truly the voices of reason. Jimbones

[Hikin_Jim]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Think I will take this opportunity to capitalize on it.

That's quite a "shift" in your thinking ...

[tinaballina]

4 of us are going up Sat. at 0400 from the Desert Museum. Anyone else going Sat.? Also, what can anyone tell us about the current snow & ice conditions. Any input is welcome. B.T.W. We are only going to the tram this weekend. Hopefully we'll see some of you out there.

I am assuming you didn't go up JimBones? I went up with Doreen and her friend from Alaska, Sid. We only went to 5k feet and only saw about 6 people on the trail that day. I am still waiting patiently to be able to hike to the tram so i don't have to go down the same way.