Skyline Trail /c2c in September and October

[THETRACK]

..Thanks Cy....yeah, we will give it a go and see what happens....hope to maybe see you on the trail.....we should be with a group of 3 or 5.....talk soon and have a great hike !!!..Lyle

[bcox]

Heading up solo from Museum around 3:00ish tonight. See you all on the trail! Brian

[potsy]

i'm planning on doing CtoC tomorrow as well, but leaving from the museum about 5 am. the tram station weather forecast looks pretty tame, but the forecast from Nat'l Weather Service has a warning:

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
1230 PM PDT FRI OCT 13 2006

CAZ042-043-048-050-055>058-060>062-141200-
ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS- SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE- SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS- RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS- SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-APPLE AND LUCERNE VALLEYS- COACHELLA VALLEY-SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS-
1230 PM PDT FRI OCT 13 2006

...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY..

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING THE FIRST WIDESPREAD MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION TO SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA THIS FALL SEASON.

PRELIMINARY RAINFALL ESTIMATES ARE FOR AROUND ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH IN MOST AREAS WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS AND AROUND ONE HALF INCH IN THE MOUNTAINS. HOWEVER...DUE TO THE SHOWERY NATURE OF THE PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE HIGHLY VARIABLE. LOCAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AN INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN HEAVY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY OVER HIGHER TERRAIN. SMALL HAIL AND LOCALLY GUSTY WINDS WILL BE ALSO POSSIBLE IN THE HEAVIEST SHOWERS. LOCAL STREET FLOODING COULD ALSO OCCUR...AND IF THE HEAVIER SHOWERS MOVE INTO RECENT BURN AREAS...SUCH AS THE SAWTOOTH/MILLARD OR HORSE FIRE...THEN MUD AND DEBRIS FLOWS WILL BE POSSIBLE.

SNOW LEVELS WILL BE HIGH EARLY THIS EVENING...ABOVE 9000 FEET...BUT WILL LOWER BRIEFLY TO 7000 OR 7500 FEET LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY WITH SNOWFALL OF A FEW INCHES POSSIBLE ON THE HIGHEST PEAKS.

LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE OUT TO THE EAST ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND BRING AN END TO THE PRECIPITATION.

$$

LAVIS

seems like sunday should be ok. any thoughts on this warning and hiking CtoC on saturday?

[slip]

In April, I got to the point on Skyline where I was at the same altitude as
the base of Coffman's Crag, but between me and it was a snow covered
trail running along a steep ridge so we turned back ALL THE WAY DOWN to PS. How far from the tram were we at this point? and how difficult is it
to follow a DRY trail from this point up to the Valley?


Planning on doing it again it late October, please advise. Thanks

[zippetydude]

I'm heading up around 4 or 5 - I'll see you guys on the trail. I think I'll bring a poncho, but every time I've ever expected rain or snow, it's been clear. Should be an adventure either way.

z

[Cy Kaicener]

Slip - It sounds like you were at the traverse at 7500 ft which is 1000 ft from Long Valley. 400 feet higher and you reatch the switchbacks close to Coffman's Crag. I will be at the trailhead if I have no trouble driving there.
If its more than a drizzle, I have my doubts.

[Cy Kaicener]

Skyline was cold,windy, CLEAR and DRY. There were six cars at the museum at midnight under a starry sky and a bright tram light way way above. The only clouds were in Banning Pass. I am looking forward to Michaels trip report at higher elevations. Zippyedydude might also have a trip report.

[zippetydude]

Yep, the trail was perfect. I left around 4:30 or so.

The sky was clear and the half-moon was bright, so I only used my flashlight about half the time. I'm hoping to catch the next full moon and do it without having to use my own light. It's not spooky, but it does look serene and kind of mysterious.

Cy - where were you? Did I pass you in the dark? I thought I heard voices around slick rock, but saw no one. Were you off the trail near slick rock at around 8:00?

Hope to see some of you at the Tram Road Challenge tomorrow.

z

[bcox]

Left museum around 3:10 and think I saw most of you on the trail either on the initial grind or up after Flat Rock before the traverse. I had the red jacket hanging on the side of my little Patagonia pack and didn't socialize much. Sorry about the short greetings - I was trying to break 4 hours to the ranger's building. Summit conditions in the early a.m. were clear until about 10m below the top, which was completely clouded in. Hope you all had a great day!

Brian

[bcox]

I bumped into your son on the way down from San Jac a little after we talked and got to thinking - if you guys are doing other training hikes/climbs and don't mind a tag-along I'd be interested. Brian