Is Skyline/c2c becoming too well known or notorious?

[KathyW]

September can be the hottest month of the year - I doubt if I could do it.

I found this info on average temperatures:

High & Low Temperatures by Month in Palm Springs
(Average Temperatures)

January Hi 69 Lo 40
February Hi 72 Lo 43
March Hi 79 Lo 46
April Hi 87 Lo 52
May Hi 94 Lo 57
June Hi 102 Lo 64
July Hi 102 Lo 64
August Hi 106 Lo 71
September Hi 102 Lo 66
October Hi 91 Lo 57
November Hi 78 Lo 46
December Hi 70 Lo 41

[Cy Kaicener]

Regular Skylies - So far Doreen and Udi are also interested in going the first two Saturdays of September. A 2.00 am or 2.30 starting time should help with the heat problem.

[Hikin_Jim]

Doreen is back on the trail again? That's good news. I remember that you had mentioned some medical difficulties on her part.

[Cy Kaicener]

Doreen is recovering nicely from Lung cancer but it still bothers her from time to time. After Skyline she still runs down the road back to Palm Springs. I cant get her to patricipate in this message board even though I forward on to her anything interesting.

[Hikin_Jim]

It's pretty wild to think that people from other nations have heard about Skyline. Whitney and the Grand Canyon make sense to me because of the greatness of their scale. Skyline seems less outstanding to me in an international sense, but maybe that's my own prejudice since it's "right in my own back yard."

Reputation is a funny thing. I guess since Skyline has a rep of being one heck of a tough route, I suppose people want to prove their mettle against it. Telescope Pk for example or maybe Big Iron (no tram down on that one) are quite tough but don't seem to have the following of Skyline. Perhaps reputation builds on itself.

We here on this board may wish to do our part by imparting such warnings as we deem necessary with a calm demeanor, avoiding the sensationalism that actually attracts some to "defy the odds."

[KathyW]

Maybe it is the tram ride down that makes the hike so alluring to people - you can go home and tell everyone you did 10,000+ feet gain in one day but in reality you only did part of the trip because you only hiked down 2000 feet and not the whole 10,000+ feet. Take away the tram ride down and how many people would be heading up there?

[Hikin_Jim]

I think that there may be an odd illusion of safety as well. You can see PS pretty much the whole way. You know there are people above; you know that there are people below you. "All" you have to do is go up, and there's that cold beer and that nice cushy tram waiting to wisk you away.

I'm obviously speculating, but put the same hike in a remote place with, say, a 4WD road that a friend could come in on to pick you up (to "replace" the tram), and I wonder how much traffic you'd get. (Actually, as I think about it White Mtn almost fits my description although it's even more extreme than C2C if I recall correctly).

[zippetydude]

I think you guys make good points.

Also, have you noticed how it changes once you've done it a few times?

I was very much intrigued by the idea when I first heard about it and then researched it and finally tested parts of it out and spoke to people on the trail. When I was finally ready for the big day, I was really excited and a bit nervous. I was filled with anticipation, like before a big race. When I was done, I felt satisfied, fulfilled, tired but happy. The second time, there was a lot less anticipation, but still the fullfillment. Even more so the third time.

Now, Skyline feels like an old friend. I know the trail, and various landmarks, and it seems almost like a second home - it's a peaceful, quiet solitude and a damage-free workout that Skyline offers now.

And I absolutely, 100% agree, the tram makes a huge difference. It's very nice to find that when you're done, there's no wear and tear on the joints. When I get home, and when I wake up the next day, nothing hurts. I don't walk funny. I don't have to take nsaids. If I had to go back down Skyline, I think I would have done it once, maybe twice, and that would have been it.

Call me a wimp, but I love taking that tram back down!

z