My First Skyline- 05/29/10

[DavidG]

Wow, I can’t believe I did it. I’m going to say straight out that Skyline was the most physically challenging single day I have ever experienced.

A little background; my girlfriend (the extremely beautiful and competent Stellar Jay) has been talking about Skyline since the first day we met (on a hike, of course). She had just completed a solo ascent a few weeks before and had to crow. Needless to say our relationship started with the understanding we would be doing Skyline at some point.

My first view of Skyline came the afternoon before. As we drove towards the trailhead I stared up unbelievingly at the sheer ridgeline far above me. Intellectually I understood that it was 8,000 feet ascension over almost 11 miles, but the reality was like a slap in the face. I was intimidated to say the least. “We’re going up that?” I stammered. With a malicious twinkle in her eye Jay quietly informed me that actually all I was looking at was the first major ridgeline, only the first 4,000 feet, and that you couldn’t actually see our destination from the road we were on. Stellar Jay and I have hiked at least 3 to 4 times a week together since the day we met and she assured me I could do it. I trusted her.

We got a later start than we intended and actually set our feet on the trail head at 6:47 AM on Saturday morning. I knew it was going to be hot from watching the weather reports all week, but felt pretty confident that we would be fairly high before the day hit the reported highs in the low 90’s. We were each carrying more than 2 gallons of water, plenty of food, head lamps (not that I thought we would need them), and jackets in case it got cold at altitude.

The first section of the trail was fine. We hiked slow and steady and were passed by several groups at this point (I was the big guy wearing a straw cowboy hat and Jay was wearing a red tee-shirt and shorts). At the picnic tables we talked with Gregory who was on his way down from the top after going up with the group who left at 1:00 AM. My first bit of unease hit when Gregory mentioned how late of a start we were getting and asked if we had headlamps “just in case”. It was also the first time I got to brag a bit when we met two women doing the South Lykken Trail and informed them what we were doing.

Up to this time I had been mostly in the lead, following the little white dots painted periodically. Unfortunately, while Jay was distracted by some anecdote I was telling (I do like to talk) I followed the dots left when the trail split at the cairn of rocks. We maybe traveled about a ¼ of a mile before we figured out my mistake, but any loss of altitude and gain in mileage was disheartening.

The sign warning me how many people had needed to get rescued and even died on this trail gave me a sense of pride and, I’m not ashamed to admit, a small tingle of fear.

We stopped to eat the first time at a clear lookout spot at about 2700 feet and watched a fire burning by the airport in Palm Springs below us. This is when Jay informed me we were about 2 hours behind her previous solo attempt (in which she completed Skyline in about 10 hours). I couldn’t believe it, I had always been a fairly fast hiker (honestly a little faster than Jay) and I knew the harder part was still ahead of us.

I needed the hike broken up for me into smaller, manageable portions so I asked Stellar Jay to tell me what milestones to expect. This made it much easier to muscle though in littler bites. Next it would be the rock sign at 4,000 feet, then 4,300, and finally 5,000. By this time our real goal finally loomed into view and I got my first glimpses of the tram cables. Through the zoomed camera lens Jay pointed out the white stanchions holding the cable.

At this time I felt very good. Not tired at all and enjoying the beauty around me. Everything seemed to be in bloom (even my mortal enemy, the hated Cholla) with a riot of colors. The vegetation had started to change and Palm Springs ceased to be a small city and became simple lines and geometric shapes. I was happy by the time I reached the Tombstone finally (the second to last milestone Jay had given me before she said it simply wouldn’t mater, just go straight up) and felt that there was no way I wasn’t finishing this.

Finally at the misnamed Flat Rock I began to worry slightly. I was very tired. A heaviness of leg and slowness of limb seemed to sweep across me. It was getting very late in the afternoon at this point and being caught in the dark seemed like a reality. When my hiking pole slid down the rock about 10 feet I whimpered slightly, not wanting to give up even those few feet in elevation gain.

The last bit I would love to describe in detail but I can’t because it was kind of a blur. I remember when the pines began to appear and my delight at the first patches of snow. There was the section I can only assume was the Traverse that I couldn’t imagine doing as tired as I was in icy conditions. There were a few spots we lost the trail in but we had Jay’s previous GPS track and it was quickly remedied.

By the time Coffman’s Craig came into view I knew we were close but we would not beat the darkness. The last 500 feet were a gasping scramble straight up into a dark blue sky. When we reached the top Jay informed me we were on a trail and that somewhere above us in the darkness was the tram station. “We should do a victory lap here, the loop is only about a mile.” Jay said and I let out a meaningless string of syllables which was the close I could come to cursing.

Stumbling up the ramp was almost pleasant considering the grade was so much less extreme than what we just completed. As tired as I was though I still found the energy to answer when any of the tourists waiting for the tram asked where we had been hiking.

“Well, you know the art museum in Palm Springs?”

[neverwashasbeen]

Nice TR, thanks for sharing. Brought back some memories of my first trip.

[Florian]

Wow, long day! Nice writeup.

-Florian

[KathyW]

DavidG: Your report is great because it points out how hard Skyline can be. It depends on the shape a person is in and what the weather is like - easy for some and deadly for others. The hike is not to be taken lightly and your slow grueling hike proves that.

[tinaballina]

Nice TR and congrats.

[Stellar Jay]

"Long day" is putting it mildly. It wasn't hot but definitely warmer than my November trips. David and I are not strangers to hiking in 90 and 100 degree weather but it definitely slowed us down. There was a breeze most of the day and that was very nice. It seems like every time I go, I bring more water and still drink most of it.

Soon after I first told David about the trail, he got excited to do it and we've hiked the last few months with training in mind. I got me a guy who's not only willing to do Skyline with me, but actually excited about it. Me = lucky girl

So yeah... we're coming back later this year.

[DavidG]

Thank you everybody. It was quite a hike.

It was hard but I can honestly say there wasn't a single moment I regretted doing it, nor a single second that I wasn't convinced I would be back. I think I said "Next time..." a dozen times.

I am happy we prepared so well for this. We had plenty of water, electrolyte drinks, and food. Jay's experience on the Skyline was invaluable. I think I had such a unique experience because I went into it so cold. I have never been to Palm Springs before and this was the first time I ever set eyes on this side of the mountain. At the 4,300 mark it was my first time seeing the tram, ever. As we came down Jay joked that I was one of the few people who has never ridden the tram up before, just down.

We will be back. Once the weather starts cooling I want to do it again at least once more before trying a C2C.

[Mountaingoat]

Thanks for sharing, I think you two are made for each other!! Congrats on a successful summit!

Berne Mettenleiter

[Sally]

Great TR David. It was good hearing it from the perspective of a "normal" hiker. When I'm hiking I feel that the greater the struggle, the larger the accomplishment. Congratulations to you and Stellar Jay!

[bluerail]

glad your back on the trail Stellar..been wondering when you'd show back up..I knew you were coming.

Nice trip report David, glad you weren't discouraged.