Anyone doing the Skyline hike March 19 or 20?

[bobodobo]

(Sorry if this is the wrong place to post ... I'm an infrequent visitor to this site.)

Just looking to see if anyone is doing Skyline tomorrow or Thursday. This will be my first time on that route but I've done SJ from the Snow Canyon / Pacific Crest Trail route in a day, plus I have a lot of other hiking / climbing experience. I'm in my 50s but in fairly decent shape, run marathons, etc. so I can keep up with many (but certainly not all) of the regulars. Message me if you prefer not to post here.

[zippetydude]

This is the right place, you're fine. Midweek the trail will be quiet though, so you may not have company.

z

[bobodobo]

Thanks... yeah I realize it may be quiet. I'm ok with solitude

One other question though, I've heard some anecdotal information that the Museum doesn't necessarily want Skyline hikers parking in their lot, is there anything to that? Anything I can do to be less obtrusive, e.g. parking at the back of the lot?

[zippetydude]

I've never heard of the museum having anyone towed or anything like that, but I usually park on the street directly across from the museum. Sometimes on Saturdays those spaces will be full and I'll park in the museum lot...never had any problem either way.

z

[bobodobo]

Ok last month didn't work out... but I'm totally down for tomorrow (April 22). Anyone else doing Skyline?

[zippetydude]

I won't be going but the trail is completely clear of snow so you should have no trouble finding the way. I went Saturday and started just before noon - it was a little hot for that but nothing dangerous. Still, I imagine you know it's a good idea to start early.

Since you've done the PCT out of Snow Creek you will find Skyline much shorter, though of course a bit steeper. The last 2 miles (when you go up from Flat Rock into the manzanita and then into the trees) it will be deceptively steep - your eyes may be telling you it's not that bad but your legs and lungs will most likely have a different opinion. Sometimes people think they're wearing out, but it's just a tough portion of the trail. Have fun and post a TR!

z

[bobodobo]

Thanks zip... yeah after that PCT slog I was looking for a more direct way to (at least) the tram and (hopefully) the summit. I'll be starting at or before sunrise so heat probably won't be much of a factor.

I'll file a TR - probably won't be anything you guys haven't heard 100 times, but maybe other newcomers will find it useful.

[bobodobo]

Ok a quick trip report...

Started from the Museum at 6 am.

Only saw one person on Skyline, near the beginning - a 40ish guy who passed me carrying nothing, no backpack or even a water bottle, and a knack for shortcutting every switchback. I wondered what his agenda was; I talked to him after he turned around at about the 2000' level. Seems he does lower Skyline regularly, even in summer, but had never gone all the way to the Tram.

Trail was clear of snow and straightforward to find all the way, though as you know it's badly "braided" in places and despite my best efforts not to shortcut (and some white dots painted on rocks) I kept getting off the "main" trail. The least appealing part of the trail was the 4000 - 5000' level where you ascend several small peaks then descend the saddles between them and don't gain much net altitude. The last part of Skyline, from about 6500' to 8200', is quite steep but not a problem for any experienced hiker. There are a couple of places along this stretch where you can see the Tram.

The hike from the end of Skyline to the top of San Jacinto Peak is a 6 mile slog in which one gains only 2600'... and then you have to descend back to the Tram Station you passed 6 miles ago. But you have to do it once to say that you've climbed 2 miles (well, almost 2) in one shot. In the future I would just do Skyline by itself, or if I was feeling really ambitious and energetic, maybe a double Skyline.

Total trip time from the parking lot to the summit and back down to the Upper Tram Station was 13 hours. If one is to believe endomondo, I burned about 7000 calories, i.e. 2 pounds of body fat.

After having climbed the peak from both the Skyline side and the Pacific Crest Trail side, it's hard to recommend the PCT route; it's so long and has so much downhill I felt like I climbed the peak 2x in elevation and 3x in distance. By comparison from the Skyline side is up, up and up except for those few short stretches at the 4000 - 5000' level. The section on the park trail from the Tram Station to the peak has a lot of flat sections but almost no downhill.

Thanks to all the folks on this site who provide information that make it straightforward for newcomers like me to do this hike.

[zippetydude]

Very well done! Seems you were well prepared and made a great day of it. I agree that the Snow Creek PCT route up and over the peak is something of a slog. I enjoy it, but I've only done it a few times because it's so long that it eats a lot of time. Skyline is quick, if steep, and I can generally get back home by 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning if I have something to do that day, so it's certainly more practical.

Planning on doing Skyline again? Watch out, it can be kind of addictive...

z

[bobodobo]

Actually I'm thinking of Telescope Peak from the Valley floor - one of few places you can get more elevation gain in one shot. But that requires a lot more logistics, at least until the Telescope Peak Tramway is built.

From where I live the Old Baldy Trail (a mere 6000' elevation gain) is much more practical for a quick workout. But I will certainly be back to Skyline...