C2C/SKYLINE: CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER. COME BACK IN OCTOBER.

[halhiker]

Well I don't know a gentler slope make a hike easier... gentle or steep, either way you have X elevation to gain and personally I can gain X elevation more quickly in 10 miles than 18 miles of trail. Also I haven't done Skyline yet, but my impression is that it's almost all uphill whereas PCT has A LOT of downhill stretches which add to the effort required.

And yes I know that the starting elevation is lower on Skyline, but there you have a guarantee of relief at 8500', whereas on PCT there is none - there was nobody on Black Mountain Road nor at the Fuller Ridge campground that day. By the way, just looking at Google Earth it seems like the trees start at about the same elevation on either route, so the shade issue appears to be a push.

But the bottom line is always the same... if you're going to hike in the desert in the summer, you need to be prepared in terms of weather, water, route finding, sun protection and (most importantly) a realistic assessment of your group's capabilities. It's really no different on San Jacinto than any other hike.

PS. Would you also be in favor of closing PCT for the summer?

Skyline is MUCH tougher than the PCT. It's steeper, rockier and in direct sun 100% of the time. PCT offer shade in the AM due to the canyon walls on the east of Snow Creek. The last time I did it I didn't get any sun until a couple hours after dawn. Of course, I did it in November so heat wasn't an issue. It'd be nice to do on a cooler summer day because then I wouldn't have had to finish in the dark and deal with ice from the Fuller Ridge Trailhead on. And even being easier I wouldn't recommend the PCT in the summer. People have recently discovered that's not a good idea.

There also have been a few rescues on the PCT in the past couple years due to the heat. Those were not even in summer.

http://www.rmru.org/missions/2011/2011-010.html
http://www.rmru.org/missions/2011/2011-008.html

Here are just a few of the rescues from summer attempts on Skyline:

http://www.rmru.org/missions/2010/2010-027.html
http://www.rmru.org/missions/2010/2010-022.html
http://www.rmru.org/missions/2010/2010-016.html
http://www.rmru.org/missions/2010/2010-014.html
http://www.rmru.org/missions/2010/2010-013.html

And of course, those don't include the fatalities because those were handled by the Palm Springs Mounted Police because those people tried to walk down.

I don't believe in closing any trails due to weather or hazardous conditions, however, I have for quite some time believed in a no rescue policy for the Skyline and other similar trails. If someone is unprepared and refuses to follow those who advise against such a foolhardy endeavor I think they should be on their own and any efforts by a government agency in assisting in their rescue should be strictly forbidden. Will more people die? Maybe at first but once the word gets out the smarter ones will reconsider whether hiking Skyline is summer is such a good idea.

[bobodobo]

OK so gaining X elevation in 10 miles then walking 8 level miles is easier than gaining X elevation in 10 miles then NOT walking 8 level miles?

Hal's blog was what encouraged/motivated me to do the hike, thanks for that:

http://hikeeveryday.blogspot.com/2009/11/mount-san-jacinto-from-snow-creek-via.html

Thanks in particular for the comment about "shin slicer" brush. Because of that I wore long pants despite the heat... if I hadn't my legs would look like sushi now!

I started at 5 am and was in sunlight pretty much from dawn onwards. The difference is that in June the sun is at least 30 degrees more nearly overhead than it is in November, so those canyon walls to the south and east don't provide nearly as much blockage in June as they do in November. But Hal has done both hikes and says C2C is more difficult, so I accept his learned opinion.

No one should ever hike (or do any activity) that is at or anywhere near the limits of their ability to survive. One should never put rescue teams at risk. And certainly one should never undertake an activity just because someone said you couldn't do it.

Peace to all.

[halhiker]

I didn't think about the sun angle due to the season. I guess it's a good thing I don't try too many marathon desert hikes in summer. I'd be in trouble.

I think Cynthia's point is that people who have never done Skyline and aren't desert locals who are acclimated to the heat should do it when the weather is better. Those tend to be the people who are getting into trouble. It just seems sensible to me.

[bluerail]

Cynthia, I hate to tell you this..but i think i agree on your thread backfiring.

Skyline was a mess today...my most productive day ever though, i was able to convince FIVE people to turn around before 4200'

also past two going back down on there own.

what the hell is going on ?

past one of the rangers going down from grubbs because there was talk of people suffering up and down the trail.

People were also talking about being told the trail was closed.....and they weren't happy. (no, they were mad)

people are going to do what they want, but PUHLEEEEZE, if you are more than 20 pounds overweight, dressed in full clothing carrying 4 gallons of water and have NEVER done skyline before...please people, this IS NOT THE TIME TO GIVE IT A TRY !!!

one guy asked me at 4000' "is the hard part over ?"

do a little research..................and another trail for now.



and zip.................while im ranting....maybe we should kill all the humans so all the other living creatures can fair better. we're really the bad ones.

sorry buddy, i love ya, but the snakes have there place.

oh yeah, im now putting dirt in the water thats in the boxes.....looks like mud sort of, but will save you if you are in need.........enjoy.

[Ed]

What a nightmare! Time to put the warning sign back! Wonder where their information comes from, doesn't sound like it is this discussion board. Makes you long for the days when there were no cell phones and PLB's, and only slow, volunteer SAR services. It made people more calculating about what they could do.

[Florian]

I had a hunch the Skyline might have been busy today with the cooler desert temps. I hiked from upper tram to peak and back and rode down on the 2:15p tramcar with 3 guys that had just done Skyline. They said they had started at 5a.

-Florian

[physicslord]

Bluerail. Are you exaggerating or do you really think all humans are bad?

That would be surprising to me. I don't think we're bad. We existed for tens to hundreds of thousands of years in our current state without doing much harm to the world.

My view is we have overpopulated by a large amount which is putting pressure on the earth. But geez, I wouldn't go that far to say that we should all die.

I guess you're just joking.

[Florian]

My view is we have overpopulated by a large amount which is putting pressure on the earth. But geez, I wouldn't go that far to say that we should all die.

Scientists disagree ..

http://www.theonion.com/articles/scient ... -to,27166/

-Florian

[physicslord]

Nice link.

and how come skyline can't be infested with Koala Bears instead of snakes.

[fern]

Bears and snakes, I'm canceling C2C2C Monday