Snowing on Skyline

[classvtony]

If you don't like the weather wait 5 min.

[Ardiner]

I doubted "the first time" hiker would be able to hike down. He had to use both arms to push down on his legs to even move up the mountain.

While visibility and finding the trail was a challenge, if this guy was struggling this much in the mild temperatures then this group is lucky that they didn't pick the week before when temperatures on the floor were in the mid-90s or that search and rescue party would have been out working a rescue with this guy. It is great that the guy made it but if this was his first hiking experience then I doubt he will ever do it again. Crazy to take someone who has never hiked on this one for a first hike.

[lightgy]

Ardinger,
I agree these guys shouldn't of been on the trail. When I ran into them they 3/4 of the way up the Manzanita slope outfitted in Van's skateboard shoes. They really looked as they had walked off some college campus. They would not listen to any advise to turn back.
I was conflicted about letting them go up knowing they had no idea where to go or trying to find the way myself, since I was familiar with the trail. Luckily everything worked out.

But your right I bet "First time" Hiker hamstrings are screaming whenever he pull up his pants.

[etyee12]

Hello,

This is one of the people from the group of hikers that had the first-time hiker. I just wanted to give some input on how our trip went. Basically, we started out at around 6:40, which was a little later than usual. Although most people say the trail is pretty hard to find for your first time, it was relatively easy to follow and a pretty easy hike. By the time we reached around 4500 feet, we realized that it was raining and that the time was getting late. We were setting a really slow pace as we had to wait for a first-timer, but we did not really see the snowstorm coming. When it was around 6000 feet, it started to snow like crazy, and the trail was becoming relatively unclear. However, it was still easy to make out the trail as long as you are good at navigation and know how to double back. I have to say that it was really fortunate that we met the guy who was coming down the mountain. Without him, it would have been a lot more difficult to make it to the tram station.

Although, one of our friends was a first-time hiker, I am sure that this hike would have been a lot easier in the hotter weather. We were adequately prepared with lots of water. The other two of us have both hiked and climbed Baldy, Kiliminjaro, Denali, and Aconcagua, so we were pretty experienced in terms of trail-finding, navigation, and knowing exactly how hard a person can be pushed before they cannot keep going. As they say, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It might have been a little dangerous to continue on in the snow, but at that point, it would have probably been more dangerous to go down due to the risk of slipping. As long as you take each step at a time and have a reasonable amount of fitness, I am sure that my first-time hiker friend could have made the summit under normal late May or June circumstances.

Anyhow I am grateful for the help we received from the guy and I hope the rest of you hike and climb safely.

Best wishes

[Florian]

Very interesting reads from lightgy and etyee12. Sometimes it's impossible to guess the correct thing to do. So glad everything worked out well for you all. Not sure what i'd have done in the same situation. But that you all kept together as a group was probably the best choice of all.

-Florian

[MarmotDuke]

I'm Bret, the guy that Ellen met at the tram station. I crossed the traverse at about 11:15 and it was starting to snow really hard and stick on the trail. It was getting progressively worse as I got to Long Valley. My original intention was to hike back down to Ramon Rd. as it was forecast to be so cool in Palm Springs, but the snowstorm changed my mind.

Hard to believe this is the end of May and we can still get bizarre weather like this.

I though you guys might be interested in some pictures of just how hard it was snowing up at the tram station.


http://picasaweb.google.com/MarmotDuke/100523SanJacinto#5474673397007197218

http://picasaweb.google.com/MarmotDuke/100523SanJacinto#5474673419164123634

[classvtony]

As Ed Abby said,
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to set off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks, for godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches (bluerail!)- that is the right and privilege of any free American."
— Edward Abbey

Thanks for making me look up another piece of this guy's great prose.

[Ellen]

Howdy Lightgy,

You wrote: "Thank God for the occasional tracks of a hiker with a funny Gait."

I resemble that remark With my 7 spinal fusions (4 lumbar, 3 cervical), I do have an unusual hiking style and gait

Seriously, though, Thank God YOU were there to help the group get safely up to the tram.

I am always touched by the willingness of hikers to provide assistance to others, whether it's help in route finding or sharing food, water, and clothing.

You are now officially a Skyline trail angel.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[EMan]

Interesting quote Hypothermia. Timely, too!


BTW, ready to beta test again?

[classvtony]

To beta you have to download the Apple Dev kit 1.6 gig install it and restore your device to "developer" mode. Not something a regular user wants to do.

However it goes to the app store this week. I'll announce when it makes it to the front end.