Snow on Skyline

[Phil B]

Anyone hike Skyline in the last week or so? I'm curious about the snow conditions on the traverse. Am planning on going up 4/24.

Phil



http://philbrown.smugmug.com

[bart47]

Went up yesterday, scattered snow on trail starts around 7100', gets rapidly total coverage. All went well until close to Crag, couldn't find route, lost 2 hours up and down in the snow, only about 150' from the crag. Waste deep holes just under surface near covered rocks, not a lotta fun, won't go again in the snow.

[juguetico]

Bart
Great running into you that day. Glad you made it. I could tell you were not about to let a little ice & snow stop you.

[bluerail]

right now is too late, and too early, for it to be any fun above 7000'....it'll be just yuck for awhile in my opinion. even the LV chute will be lousy now.

[zippetydude]

Thanks for your post bart. I was thinking about trying it out this weekend, but I'll wait a few more weeks now until it's reasonably clear. No fun this way, just frustrating.

z

[Lcpl Hughes]

Thanks for your post bart. I was thinking about trying it out this weekend, but I'll wait a few more weeks now until it's reasonably clear. No fun this way, just frustrating.

z

I was thinking of doing it this weekend to..I went up halfway last weekend to cache some water and went up the week before to 5000ft..just a little worried about the snow part, got crampons and an ice axe but this is my first year with snow travel (learned off you tube) and started late in the season..but I have been able to summit San J twice this winter, once with crampons and the other in snow shoes..made it up to saddle junction from the devils slide, then got off track and ended up going what seemed like straight up..decided that was enough and headed back and one other trip up the san antonio fire road to baldy notch onto the devils backbone..high winds (50mph gusts) up to Harwood, decided I was sketched out enough and headed back..now, I have this skyline thing in my head..I really like this trail and want to make it to the tram with the snow, but there is this thing about a icy left traverse at coffmans crag and difficult navigation have me a little worried, cause I tend to get turned around at times. I may just have to wait till next year like Bluerail said..cause it is too late, I missed the boat..but I am ready to hike this trail soon..these 3D maps are cool.. from this past weekend



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[pdforeme]

what tool...for the 3d topo, please

[Zé]

there is a site with a kml file linked to both usgs standard and historic topographic maps to import into Google Earth. I wrote up something about using it a while ago here

[Cy Kaicener]

The tram website says there is still a foot of snow at Long Valley which means that there could be three feet at Coffmans Crag and parts of the traverse.
I did a google search on Cactus to Clouds in May 2010 and was surprised to find large groups going up in mid and late May.
May can be very hot so be sure to get a very early predawn start.

[Cy Kaicener]

Now is not a good time for Skyline. You have heat, snakes and soft snow.
The Outdoorsclub have a scheduled trip for next Saturday. The highs in Palm Springs on Saturday are predicted to be 98 degrees by mydesert.com and the Outdoorsclub are getting a late start (not predawn).
The last two Saturdays have had hikers spending the night on the traverse and at Coffman's Crag just above the 7500 foot level.