Skyline Trail conditions

[Norris]

I just did skyline today. Still a bunch of snow near the top which left the trail covered and not enough people to imprint the snow. Glad I know the way. I did it as a run/powerwalk and posted a 5:01 to Long Valley. I thought I could break 4hrs but losing/finding the trail was my undoing near the end. Beautiful day, though...nothing like the pics above. I'm burnt to a crisp!

Holy crap! 5 hours in these conditions is light speed! I did it today, but my terrible time has been suppressed on the grounds that it might tend to embarrass me After the first snowy chute, when I went around the corner and saw that dead tree and all, I got the bright idea of trying to go straight up to Long Valley I had to retrace my steps, wasting a lot of time.

[Ellen]

Howdy Norris

Don't feel bad about your Skyline ascent time. I was the unoffical "trail sweep" last Saturday. Started out with Mark and Kathryn and got dropped after the picnic tables. It was warmer than the week before and we started an hour later. Shortly after the Death Sign, the Doug express went by with Kevin, Tina, Steve, and another guy. Mark and Kathryn took pity on me and waited at 4400 K. While the three of us took a break at 5 K, a male and female trail runner flew by. Tina and Steve kindly waited for me at Flat Rock so I'd have company through the snow -- they had reached 4400 K in two hours. Fernando and two friends passed us at Flatrock. Bottom line, it took me seven hours. I felt rode hard and put away wet. On the positive side, I loved it when the clouds rolled in at 7 K. They dropped the temperature significantly and enhanced the experience.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Kathryn]

Hey Ellen,

I have to say that I think you did just fine! After all, you did make it and in snowy-icy, foggy conditions-I know you usually go faster, but sometimes we just don't feel well and for some reason, that may remain unknown, we just have off days! If I could make it in 7 hours in those conditions, I'd be celebrating!! And none of us took pity on you, in fact I was miles beyond grateful that we had a chance to stop at 4400 K!
Hope to hike with you again soon!

Kathryn[/i]

[KathyW]

Ellen: 7 hours is a good day for me when conditions are perfect, so it sounds like you did great to me. Some days we just feel better than other days on the trail.

[Pup]

I just did skyline today. Still a bunch of snow near the top which left the trail covered and not enough people to imprint the snow. Glad I know the way. I did it as a run/powerwalk and posted a 5:01 to Long Valley. I thought I could break 4hrs but losing/finding the trail was my undoing near the end. Beautiful day, though...nothing like the pics above. I'm burnt to a crisp!

Holy crap! 5 hours in these conditions is light speed! I did it today, but my terrible time has been suppressed on the grounds that it might tend to embarrass me After the first snowy chute, when I went around the corner and saw that dead tree and all, I got the bright idea of trying to go straight up to Long Valley I had to retrace my steps, wasting a lot of time.

Please dont think my comment of my ascent time to be grandstanding at all. I'm an ultrarunner and I train in the mountains and trails obsessively. I only mentioned my time because of how the snow had covered the trail near the top and slowed me down considerably. I ran most everything but the steep stuff, and I was TOAST when I made it to Long Valley. Mother's were shielding their children from the dirty, drawn, mountain man at the tram station. I've hiked the Skyline many times and usually in the 6-6.5hr range. But I did lead a slower group once and it took us over 10hrs to make it to Long Valley! Now THAT is a tough day

[Cy Kaicener]

I just received an e mail from Torben Thomsen who says he is leaving the museum at 2.00 am this Saturday and will try for the full c2c. He is the gent who did solo winter ascents last year. He said that he has been kicking steps in the icy chute from Long Valley to check conditions.
I will take the tram up and see how it looks so that I can take up some people early next Saturday.

[zippetydude]

Pup: It didn't sound like you were bragging. Many like to challenge themselves by comparing current vs. previous Skyline times, it's just part of the fun.

You might consider the Tram Road Challenge in October or the Mt. Baldy Run to the Top on Labor Day. They're both fun and entail a bit of altitude gain.

I know what you mean about the snow kind of killing your shot at breaking 5 hrs. I like a solid trail run where I can keep my heart rate up and my exertion level high. When I get to snow and have to either 1) stop and change from snowshoes to crampons to snowshoes to crampons (ugh!) it kind of squashes the training value, or 2) stop and figure out where the trail is, then go back and figure where it was, etc. (ugh!) the intensity drops and the whole thing feels a little pointless as a workout.

Hope we have a chance to run into each other up on the trails this summer.

z

[tinaballina]

Mr. Zip-

when will i have the pleasure of seeing you pass me on skyline?

Miss ya......

[zippetydude]

I'm hoping the heat this weekend will melt off a good portion of the snow both on Skyline and in the San G Wilderness, so I'll be on the trails almost every weekend til the first snows begin in the fall. My first Skyline trip will probably be the first Saturday in May.

Generally I like to do San Gorgonio, then Skyline, then San Bernardino, with an occasional short trip (say Tram to San J) or long (say Angelus Oaks across the ridge to San G) mixed in. Seems like we hit the same trails, so we're bound to meet up . . .

. . . well, sorta. Your times on Skyline have gotten faster and faster, I may not pass you along the trail anymore unless you're taking a break. If you'll leave the microwave home to lighten up that backpack, you may be passing me instead.

How about you? Skyline coming up soon? San G? Have you ever done San B?

z

[tinaballina]

i MIGHT (hence the word might) go tomorrow and for sure sunday. i have to determine if i am ready for a back to back. i am def. doing a back to back next weekend.