Mt. San Jacinto Outdoor Recreation

Hi everbody

How long will it take to hike skyline for a first timer? And is anybody going up on May 3?

Terry

It depends on how fast you are and how hot it is.

Terry,

I definitely would drive over to vons on 111, just east of the turn off to bob hopes house. From the gate on the road next to vons, time yourself to the top of Murray Peak. It's a good test of steepness for some of the trail. Take the time up and multiply it by 5. If you can do it in an hour, you will hit the tram in 5 hours... give or take 15 min. 90 min up MP will see you arrive at the crest into long valley in 7 1/2 hours... give or take 30 min.

Good luck,
Sid

PS Now i get to see how many Murray Peak / c2cr's agree with this analogy.

I do agree Sid/Biv, this is a good way to get a rough guesstimate of one's Skyline time. Your time equivalences are right on. But the only thing you have left out is the time for a first timer to make his/her way through the confusing maze of trails to MP! The first three times I tried, I got lost. So I guess it took me four weeks to make it to MP And my first time on Skyline took me approximately a year and a half!

I always think that going halfway on Skyline, to 4500, is an excellent way to guage whether you are fit enough to do the whole thing. IMHO if you cannot do it in 3 and a half hours (without being utterly exhausted), your fitness level is not yet strong enough to take it to the top/tram. Provided it is not a superhot day (making a descent dangerous) this is a proven and safe way to prepare for a full Skyline. However annoying it is to make two long drives into town, instead of one, it's not nearly as annoying as having to be rescued off SKyline

I do agree Sid/Biv, this is a good way to get a rough guesstimate of one's Skyline time. Your time equivalences are right on. But the only thing you have left out is the time for a first timer to make his/her way through the confusing maze of trails to MP! The first three times I tried, I got lost. So I guess it took me four weeks to make it to MP And my first time on Skyline took me approximately a year and a half!

I always think that going halfway on Skyline, to 4500, is an excellent way to guage whether you are fit enough to do the whole thing. IMHO if you cannot do it in 3 and a half hours (without being utterly exhausted), your fitness level is not yet strong enough to take it to the top/tram. Provided it is not a superhot day (making a descent dangerous) this is a proven and safe way to prepare for a full Skyline. However annoying it is to make two long drives into town, instead of one, it's not nearly as annoying as having to be rescued off SKyline

I'd have to agree with Cynthia as well on the maze of trails. Unless you know your way through the maze below Murray Peak, it could take you a bit of extra time. Try Google earth and take a print and mark it. Basically, as you get up the road and on the flat and look up at MP, you want to take one of the two trails from the next upper road, left down into the gulch, follow it up 100 yds or so till you see a trail up out the left side and then the trail is totally easy to stay on all the way up.


I'd suggest going up to 4500 feet as well...however my 210 lbs and 58 years squaks every time i come back down. Been looking into those new fangled flying suits with chute and going a tad further to the Chino vista...then just flying down to the tram lot!

Terry, you can also throw out some other hikes you have done in the local area (so cal.) and how long it has taken you, people then can give you a better idea of how long it may take you, although every trail is different.

For example, takes me just under 3 hours to do Baldy via ski hut and 6.5 to 7 to do skyline

Yeah, Biv, I totally hear ya on the misery of descending Skyline. It is no fun. I was musing the other day that maybe a hang glider would work. Of course problem number one would be hiking up with a hang glider. But leaving that aside .... I guess problem number two would be the "crashing into the rocks below". But for about thirty seconds it would be great ....

Cynthia,
Ya know that wonderful, spectacular vista / campsite overlooking Chino canyon at about 6000 feet... nearly straight down with a great updraft?....Well, check out the link below and tell me what you think now about crashing into rocks. BTW...Twas the place i first met Doreen while doing a quad massage on my best buddy. Not too sure what she thought about that when she came into that small clearing, but she offered us CARBs never-the-less...the sweetie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F9RJSPnf8A

I hope posting this link isn't against the rules here, but it's way cool so
enjoy and the next time you pass this point, check it out.

If this is "breaking the thread" i apologize in advance. A nubie blogger here but i couldn't resist.