Double Skyline Question

[divehike]

Hi All, I've been hiking C2C for years and I'm thinking about doing a double to the tram this year (like many did last year!)

I was wondering about target times for each leg. I've read some journals and it sounded like hikers tried to slow down from their normal pace on the first leg - maybe take an extra 30 minutes or more to climb to the tram and then do whatever felt right on the 2nd leg.

My usual time to Grubb's notch is just under 5 hours when hiking to the summit and I was wondering if I should hold my normal pace or aim for 5 1/2 hours or more on the first leg of a double?

best wishes and thanks

[Zé]

yes. better safe than sorry. better to go slow first and if you have more energy for the 2nd, you could go faster.

it will not balance out that way if you reverse it

[divehike]

Thanks! I was hoping to get a feel for how much other hikers slowed down on their first leg. 30 minutes or more?

And how it worked out - would they slow down more or less if they did it again.

Thanks again.

[Ellen]

Howdy DiveHike

You are faster than I am but I think that 30 minutes slower than your usual time on the first leg is an excellent idea. I got caught up with a faster group last year and ended up under six hours, when I should have done 6.5 hours. I did 5:45 on the first one and 6:45 on the second one. I was blessed to have Walt's company on the second one. He psychologically short-roped me up

My main issue with the second Skyline was the heat. Tina (who is also faster than I am) also noticed the heat in the beginning of the second Skyline. The high in Palm Springs that day was 85 and we never had cloud cover.

If I recall correctly, Ze did two four hour Skylines with Steve and Fern

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[zippetydude]

Good question. I did something similar, although I was trying to plan out how to attack the 3rd one as well. I did the first one trying to add an hour, and ended up about 1/2 that much added time. I found it felt more natural to go at normal speed, so I had to make a conscious effort to hold a reduced pace. On the second, I was very deliberate about it, trying to mosey instead of press. It worked, and I was almost 90 minutes slower than my normal pace. Perfect. The last time, I went as fast as I could, which turned out to be not very fast, and I was glad I had held back a bit on the first couple. Like Ze said, you're better off finding you have extra energy on the second one than finding you're running out. You can always go fast on the second one if you feel like it, but even then I wouldn't try going fast til I passed Flat Rock.

Hope to see you out there!

z

[bluerail]

My biggest issue was realizing I didn't drink extra fluids on the first one or in between them. Like Ellen said, we did push kinda hard, and half way through the second trip, I started to really feel the lack of hydration. AND...I got really thirsty ! I think I hurried and did the second one in 4 hrs. too, simply because I needed to get to something to drink.

[Hikin_Jim]

I hurried and did the second one in 4 hrs. too, simply because I needed to get to something to drink.

Is this that C2B thing coming up again?

HJ