Tram-Summit-Tram this Monday

[atcsean]

Hi everyone, I've just moved out west and am planning to hike the tram-summit-tram trail this Monday with 2 of my friends. They are both relative newcomers to mountaineering; I'm a bit more experienced but by no means an expert. Are crampons/ice-axe going to be necessary this time of year? How many hours from tram to tram? Does anyone know how this compares to an autumn Mt Baldy climb (my only other california climb thus far) in terms of difficulty? I just want to make sure we aren't getting in over our heads. Thanks for any advice you have to offer!

[KathyW]

Here's what it looked like last Saturday:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/California-Hiking-Scrambling/Southern-California-Mountains/Mount-San-Jacinto-from-Long/11793949_XFeh9#833036483_KgbQ8

You might want to bring crampons or microspikes because it's a little slippery in the morning between Tamarack Valley and the summit.

Maybe about 5 hours round-trip depending on which way you go.

The trail is still mostly snow covered and there are tracks all over the place, so sometimes it's not easy to know which tracks to follow.

[atcsean]

Wonderful! Thanks for the response.

[tinaballina]

Nice pics Kathy, too bad i didn't see you up there.
Have fun atcsean.

[Hikin_Jim]

Nice photos, Kathy. (as usual)

HJ