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

[Perry]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've been wondering about what Florian said, even before he said it. Thought about having the 4 points and then a direct link at the bottom that goes straight to the main menu. Seems like a general positive response about the quiz, but I haven't asked anybody on Skyline what they think while they are carrying 2 water bottles and wondering if they are close to the tram after climbing a couple thousand feet.

For now I just made the quiz a little easier, slightly more entertaining, and followed bobodobo's advice and added another disclaimer after passing the quiz. Still haven't done another read through and revision of the guide, but I will...

Regarding the disappearing water, has anybody ever seen somebody drink the water?

[Hikin_Jim]

...has anybody ever seen somebody drink the water?

Well, not exactly, but these three guys sure gave me a guilty look when I walked by...




HJ

[Ed]

Regarding the legal issues raised, I would be careful about the language on the Skyline Hiking Guide. For example, I realize that being able to hike 5,000' of elevation gain is 'necessary' but may not be 'sufficient', a fine point that may be lost on a few careless readers. I do think the hiking guide has plenty of warnings for anybody who is reading it with minimum care, but a lawyer for grieving family members will be willfully selective.

[Hikin_Jim]

I don't believe that a hiking guide posted by a private individual bears the same legal burden that say a Park Service guide might. I think we're sweating things a bit much here.

HJ

[Bivouac]

I really enjoy reading about the life and times of C2C, Skyline and thank all of you for writing here. Great post Cynthia.

I'd like to see a "Death O meter" - placed at the Skyline turn off junction. Take an old big round thermometer and color it red above whatever temps you think defy the odds and code it "the death zone" !

By the way, who called Bluerail Burly?

S

[Zé]

a 1000' sheer vertical climb is much more difficult than a two mile hike on a trail with a 500'/mile grade. But on the other hand a 1000 mile hike on a trail with a 1'/mile grade would also be more difficult than the two mile hike. Obviously to gain 1000' there's some optimal grade between 90 degrees and 0.00001 degrees which minimizes the effort involved. The PCT was flatter than optimal in my opinion.

You are confusing two things.

1) What is "optimal" from an energy in / energy out is probably around 30% grade, but that is different than

2) The rate of energy expenditure. This is what we are talking about, not efficiency. Oh sure, maybe you are really good at controlling your expenditure by going very slowly on steep uphill sections like on Skyline, but that is a bad, bad assumption to give to all other hikers. Especially ones who are amped up with adrenaline to start some challenging hike. Most will likely hike faster and harder than they should on Skyline. On the PCT, you don't have to worry b/c the lower grade controls the energy output for you.

So again, your individual experience on another trail is a bad example to apply to all other hikers on Skyline.

[cynthia23]

Gee Ze, it's almost as if you have a Ph.d in this stuff.


btw, appropriately enuff, today's Deserted Sun had a paragraph about a heat-struck hiker being helicoptered up 'from a trail near Snow Creek" which I presume is the DS's way of describing the PCT. Maybe somebody can post the link.

[bluerail]

Hey Sid, who called me burly ?.....in these < eight page threads >its easy to loose track of stuff.

I think Cynthia deserves an applause at the very least for.providing us all with this much thought filled entertainment.

Nice job girl !

Maybe they meant burly affected by the heat ?

[Ed]

I don't believe that a hiking guide posted by a private individual bears the same legal burden that say a Park Service guide might.

I agree, but people who are angry and upset can still retain a lawyer and cause a lot of trouble, before the proper conclusion is arrived at. Imagine someone who assures his non-hiking family that he has researched the Skyline Trail and is well-prepared, then dies on the trail Don't expect them to be rational about it.

[halhiker]

Overheated hiker story. Probably a thru hiker who's just a bit late would be my guess.

http://goo.gl/CNkMn