Just checking in,Trip reports over the next few weeks please

[hawkbill666]

Hi all,

I have been an intermittent but enthusiastic hiker of Mt San Jacinto, who finds myself living too far away from my favorite mountain. After my last C2C I disappeared back in the NW and took on mountaineering big time climbing many NW peaks and just summited Rainier with my daughter on only the 7th hike of her life (good dad or bad dad?)

I am coming down to try skyline 3, and maybe C2C2 sometime the first two weeks of next month. With the coming snow and recent snow the mountain has my full attention, and still generally scares me.

So I am just requesting trip reports so I can glean the latest and greatest from my favorite forum and prepare accordingly.

Great to see that after two years this is still the same great group of people. I caught up on all the past entries, including that rather joyous paint dot thread.

So hello again, great to see everyone..I would have loved to have crashed that picnic you all just had in Longvalley, the food looked amazing.

Scott

[63ChevyII]

I'm sure things will change before your trip, but I was up there yesterday. There were a few small spots of ice/snow on the traverse (the mile or so before Coffman's Crag), as well as some spots between Long Valley and Wellman's Divide. There had been enough foot traffic to cover it went with dirt/mud, so it wasn't a problem.

We started around 3 am and I doubt we saw any temperatures much above 70 degrees (66 @ Ramon Road, 56 @ Coffmans, 60s @ summit). It was a beautiful day for a hike!

[hawkbill666]

Thanks 63Chev !

Yes, this helps. I assumed just looking through the Long Valley cam that there would be no snow on the traverse, but of course the traverse is shaded, so I should have guessed.

For me it has to do with just acclimating myself to the desert mountains again, from afar

And the trip reports help

Thanks

Scott

[Cy Kaicener]

Here is a group that you might want to look in to -- the Coachella Valley Meetup

http://cys-hiking-adventures.blogspot.c ... s-and.html

[guest]

Hi Scott,
I did C2C Monday, Oct 21, no snow on Skyline, very little beyond, (although we did not go through Round Valley or Wellman's). There were 10 yd patches above 9.500 ft. and on the Boyscout route past Miller Saddle, but were able to avoid most of it.
Temps were very nice, only a lite windbreaker for the trip back to tram.

ss

[Hikin_Jim]

There were 10 yd patches above 9.500 ft. and on the Boyscout route past Miller Saddle

Oh? The old trail from Miller Saddle up to the summit of San Jac is referred to as the "Boyscout Route"? I hadn't heard that name before.

A lot of that old trail is still followable if you look for it. It's clearly a constructed trail not just a "use" trail.


HJ

[63ChevyII]

A lot of that old trail is still followable if you look for it.

HJ

HJ,

Do you have a GPX or map of that trail?

Thanks

[Hikin_Jim]

No, but you don't really need to follow the trail, and indeed it's pretty hard to follow. The trail appears to be CCC type work from the Great Depression of the 1930's (the same era as the Skyline Trail and the Summit Hut). It hasn't been maintained in years, and there are places where it's all but impossible to find.

Here's how to follow the route:
When coming up the main trail from Wellman Divide (or the Sid Davis route if you prefer), instead of switchbacking at the major switchback that leads to the summit junction, continue north a few more vertical feet to Miller Sadddle. On the far (NW) side of the saddle, you should see a trail taking off to the WNW.


Follow that trail first WNW, then west, and then slightly south of west to the summit. If you get off the trail, no problem. Just stay on or near the spine of the ridge and walk the ridge to the summit. This is a much faster and more direct route than taking the big switch back that leads to the summit junction and the summit hut and then to the peak.

HJ

[63ChevyII]

Follow that trail
HJ

Hmmm... I think I took that route with snow shoes back in February.
Thanks HJ

[guest]

Jim,
That's what a lot of us call it, makes sense since they placed the 2 plaques on Miller, and camped on the saddle there.

Would be nice if GPS route isn't posted all over, since it's not that tough to follow, and, it's nice that most folks stay on main trail, for their (and our, ha) benefit.
Another reason many of us aren't as generous with local info as we used to be.

ss