Skyline Conditions - any recent trip reports?

[mark2812]

Calicokat and I are planning a trip up skyline...early Sat morning - Apr 4th...planning an early morning departure. I was wondering if anyone has been up around the traverse in the last week or so? We plan to bring ice axe and crampons, wondering what to expect below the tram. I read a couple of weeks ago some hikers having to posthole..wondering if that is still the case....

Any observations would be appreciated.

Mark

[Cy Kaicener]

Mark - I was thinking of taking the tram up and checking from the top, but this would not tell me if there was any ice at the start of the traverse at about 7500 feet. My experience has been that this last section is usually somewhat clear of snow two weeks after the snow has left Long Valley. There is patchy snow there now according to pstramway.com. I am thinking April 11 pending your trip report (close to a full moon which encourages an early start)

[Norris]

Another consideration (for those interested in going all the way to the summit) is snow conditions on the upper mountain. Wait too long and it is melting out, causing rough going. Right now, the upper mountain seems good, based on a recent post by Max in the "How much snow" thread. So this weekend could be good if one is confident dealing with the traverse..

[bluerail]

Mark2812 check your pm

[havenotime]

Hello, like Mark, I am interested in the snow conditions at the Traverse section of Skyline. I plan to hike with my sons (capable hikers, though young and not in possession of crampons or ice axe) Monday morning, April 6. I have no previous experience on this path.

Thank you for any insight you can provide regarding conditions.

Tim

[bluerail]

there should be plenty info posted about the conditions up there by sunday evening.

[Ellen]

Received this e-mail from a very experienced Skyliner:
___________

Hi fellow climbers,
I hiked from the top of Skyline 2/3 the way down to Coffman's Crag, (for those of you who don't know, that a couple hundred vertical ft.).
This was done at 5pm, so ground conditions were warmer than the usual Skyline summit times.

The conditions are very chellenging with high danger potential.
I would not attempt w/out real montaineering experience, 10 point cramp-ons & ice axe / self-arrest experience. If someone falls, the soft ice will send them sailing down the mountainside w/out a rapid arrest.

60% coverage, and what is there is either soft, crunchy ice (very hard snow), or steep. soft dirt w/ plenty of fallin tree limbs from the big winds.
These conditions WILL work you hard! And after hiking to that point from the bottom, the chances of a slip in the this steep area are high.
You can kick-step, but your ankles & calfs will be burning.
I punched through several times over a foot deep where snow has built around rocks underneath. Also, if steeping close to fallin trees, I punched trough after the hard crust gave way (more ankle twisting).
The traverse looked like it had 90% coverage from what I could barely see of it.
Temps were great, 50's w/ slight breeze.

My guess is it won't be ready for a couple more weeks.

I'll probably either ride the tram again & hike down a bit, or do the whole trail w/in a week or so.

Feel free to post this or forward,

_______________

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[havenotime]

Thank you, looks like I will have to find another hike.

Tim

[FIGHT ON]

Thank you, looks like I will have to find another hike.

Tim

For now! Just wait till the snow goes away and a bunch of people make it through first. Then do it.

[Rick M]

Ellen, you may have saved the county a bunch of money and more importantly, maybe someone's life by posting that .

Rick