Long Valley Snow Report

[Ellen]

Howdy All

The Craigmeister notes that Long Valley received 4 to 5 inches of new snow. May finally be time to dust off the snowshoes...

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[clint]

Thanks for the report! With the new snow do you think ax and crampons are needed on the traverse? Or should micro spikes be enough?

[Ellen]

Howdy Clint

As icy as the trail was on Saturday and with the new snow on top of the ice, I would now carry crampons and axe up Skyline for the traverse. I think I may do something other than Skyline this Wednesday. I'm considering waking up early and having someone come over and beat me with chains Seriously though, I'm tempted to head over to the San Gorgonio range. Tramshoeing is another possibility.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Stockwell]

Snowshoeing!!!

I'll have to wait for another storm to pass though, I'll be busy the next few weeks. Cannot wait! Thanks for the heads up.

Cheers,
Stockwell

[clint]

It looks like ax and crampons are sufficient. After reviewing the maps and weather reports I don't believe we should be roped up. Then again, I haven't done the skyline before. Any of you resident experts think that a rope team is necessary for the traverse tomorrow?

[bcrowell]

It looks like ax and crampons are sufficient. After reviewing the maps and weather reports I don't believe we should be roped up. Then again, I haven't done the skyline before. Any of you resident experts think that a rope team is necessary for the traverse tomorrow?

Hi, Clint. I'm not a resident expert, but I have done Skyline several times. It's not a technical climb, it's a class I trail walk. The section being discussed is a trail on a very steep hillside. If you wiped out on snow or ice there and couldn't self-arrest, you could definitely get killed. I believe people have been killed there in similar conditions. My advice would be that if you've never done the trail before, you probably should not make your first time be in these conditions.

[pawl]

New to the forum and recently returned to the area (in Redlands). I'd like to know more about this "traverse." Are there some images available online? I assume its above the ranger station on the way to the summit?

Thanks, Pawl

[bcrowell]

New to the forum and recently returned to the area (in Redlands). I'd like to know more about this "traverse." Are there some images available online? I assume its above the ranger station on the way to the summit?

The section people refer to as the "traverse" is around 7000-8000', near where the trail comes alongside Coffman's Crag: http://www.summitpost.org/coffman-s-crag/175357 . It's below the upper tram station, not above it. A guy named James Simons died there in January 2004. It's simply a very steep hillside.

[pawl]

New to the forum and recently returned to the area (in Redlands). I'd like to know more about this "traverse." Are there some images available online? I assume its above the ranger station on the way to the summit?

The section people refer to as the "traverse" is around 7000-8000', near where the trail comes alongside Coffman's Crag: http://www.summitpost.org/coffman-s-crag/175357 . It's below the upper tram station, not above it. A guy named James Simons died there in January 2004. It's simply a very steep hillside.

Thanks. I noticed a couple of other traverses on the way to the summit as well, but I guess this is the more serious incline. Too bad there's not a route along the craggy ridge or on the southerly side. I'll avoid the traverse for now, I guess.