san jacinto first hike

[codybillock@yahoo.com]

hi guys me and my buddy have never hiked san jacinto before and i would really like to go while theres still snow up there....if i go ill prob take the tram up... i was wondering if it would be safe for a novice hiker to undertake the challenge...im in great pyshical condition so thats not a problem i know that alot of hikers get lost up there so i want to do safe... so should i wait alil till more snow melts or should i go now? advice tipps?

[Perry]

Hey Cody, wanted to mention that if you use your email publicly there's a possibility that spammers can pick it up with their programs that crawl the Internet. I can't change the username until I can successfully upgrade the software that runs this board. If you're concerned about getting spam, you might want to delete your username and create a new one that isn't an email address.

As far as hiking tram-to-peak, my guess is that you can do it with a map, GPS, snowshoes, and poles (flashlight too). It's hard to make judgements about people's abilities over the Internet. The least steep route is to aim for the saddle near Miller Peak. As far as pacing, it's a good idea to go very comfortable and then at 10,000 feet if you feel that was too slow, then that's a good time to pick up the pace or just maintain the same pace if tired.

[Perry]

Actually now that I think about it more, the best way is to go with someone who has done a spring ascent before. Not sure if snowshoes are even necessary, but others on the board might know. Crampons and ice axe might be necessary in the morning. That requires more skill for safety.