Experienced trail guide wanted

[yaams]

Does anyone know how I can get in touch with Scott from Trail Discovery. Does he have an email address or a phone number? or he can contact me at kyonda@hotmail.com

[Screerider]

I'd go elsewhere and wait for next year.

Correction, I wrote...

If you have the experience and a little common sense, go on a weekend and follow the footprints. If not I'd go elsewhere and wait for next year.

C'mon Scree, he's doing it right! The general consensus is to wait for October, then go with someone who knows the trail. He's doing that and even looking well in advance for someone knowledgeable to go along.

yaams, not to worry. If you have bluerail or Scott with you, there is exactly zero chance you'll get lost. They both know every possible route up this mountain. That being said, Screerider is right in that you can probably just follow footsteps along with the many people that will be on the trail and you'll have no trouble anyway.

It's a great trail, a great adventure, and a fun challenge. As long as you're fit, you're fine. Hope you have fun. I generally do a few trips up myself starting in October and stopping when the snow gets too deep, so we may meet out there. Good luck and have fun.

z

[guest]

Yaams,
I'll send you an e-mail to discuss.
Zip, thanks for the plug.
ss

[cynthia23]

Yaams, you could not do better than Scott S. He's 'da man'. He taught me so much and is a fount of trail knowledge.

[bluerail]

hey Scotty, how about taking me up??

[zippetydude]

Screerider: Hey, no offense intended! I agree that experience is important, I didn't notice that because I was startled at seeing the advice to wait.

With regard to being a guide, the only other person I'm aware of who knows the mountain as well as bluerail and Scott would be Fern. He would be a really fun guide and he'd probably carry a sofa for you to take breaks in comfort. He does have lots of interesting stories to share with you as well. I don't know if he does any official guiding though.

I'm a good guide's assistant. Whenever I go with bluerail I only carry a little bit of water. That way I can make his pack lighter when I drink all of his!

z

[Screerider]

Screerider: Hey, no offense intended! I agree that experience is important, I didn't notice that because I was startled at seeing the advice to wait.

With regard to being a guide, the only other person I'm aware of who knows the mountain as well as bluerail and Scott would be Fern. He would be a really fun guide and he'd probably carry a sofa for you to take breaks in comfort. He does have lots of interesting stories to share with you as well. I don't know if he does any official guiding though.

I'm a good guide's assistant. Whenever I go with bluerail I only carry a little bit of water. That way I can make his pack lighter when I drink all of his!

z

None taken. I just didn't want to go on record as a pessimist. I only advocate some serious soul searching before committing. I do need to backpeddle on my advice concerning using a guide. Apparently there's some pretty good ones out there.

[zippetydude]

Well, I admire Steve and Scott and Fern, but I didn't go with a guide my first time either. I did get lost above Flat Rock (this was back in the day when the trail disappeared several times once you got above the manzanita). I just stopped and waited til someone (Andy once and Cynthia 23 a couple of times) who knew the trail came by and guided me. Nowadays I don't think the trail is invisible anywhere so I think your suggestion would probably suffice. The key now is weather, fitness and (as you pointed out) a bit of experience.

z

[Norris]

For a first timer, a GPS preloaded with a recent track will be helpful. The lower section of the route is the confusing / messed up part, due largely to all the switchback cutting and shortcutting which in turn is due to the tendency of the original trail to meander and descend unexpectedly. A key challenge for first timers who start at the museum is not to accidentally start descending toward the Ramon trailhead by missing the upward turn to the right at a large pile of rocks. There is an alternate route from the lunch tables which goes to the right which avoids that trail junction altogether. For me, the main thing that is disconcerting about the lower section is the tendency of the trail to descend at times, and to spend a lot of time going in an easterly direction when you expect it to go more south, but it always eventually turns back in the expected direction. Once you get above about 2K in elevation it is quite easy to follow, unless it has snowed recently. All good reasons to have a good GPS and load it with a recently gathered track.

[yaams]

Thanks to all who responded with suggestions for hiring a trail guide. We were able to find an experienced guide that will help us reach our goal of making it to the peak of beautiful Mt. San Jacinto. See you bright and early on October 6th, 2013

Yaams