skyline trail

[kenbenoit]

Ok! Planning to go tomorrow approx 7:00-7:30 start from the Museum. Taking a back pack with lots of water and food so will be somewhat slower than I was on thursday.

I hope to see someone on the trail.

Ken

[Ed]

Personally, I think it would have been much easier to go up another 2600 feet than to go down 5800!

Always my sentiment. Good luck today.

[kenbenoit]

Started at 0700 from the Museum with a pack filled with 5 bottles of water and another bottle filled with a power shake, two apples, an orange, peanut butter sandwich, carrots and two cliff bars. Also an extra t shirt and a small jacket.

Met Dave right away and we hiked together to the picnic tables in 22 minutes. He went off on the North Lykken and i continued on up alone for about 40 minutes until i met a runner coming down who said there were at least 8 people ahead of me. I drankone bottle of water at one hour.

i continued at a fast walk and within 30 minutes passed two younger men who were walking at a leisurely pace. 15 minutes further on I passed two women who had started at 0400. I arrived at the spot that i had turned around on thursday in 2:32...5 minutes slower than my thurs pace but with at least 10 additional lbs on my back. Drank second bottle of water here. Somehow i missed the 4300 feet sign again but was told i was past it by about 500 feet by two young ladies i passed 10 minutes later. They also had started at 0400.

Still feeling fresh I arrived at the 5800 Emergency cache at about 2:50. For some reason it seemed like a long way from there to the flatrock at 6000. However, I passed a group of 3 who had started at 3:30 during this stretch.

I only stopped for 3 or 4 minutes at flatrock to try and phone (no reception) and open my bottle of shake which i wolfed down. I also took out an apple and started walking hoping to eat the apple. Well guess what? The climb from flatrock up to the traverse had me huffing. So much so that i could not eat while walking. I carried that apple all the way up to a spot on the traverse where i had to sit for a few minutes to eat it along with one cliff bar and another bottle of water. I don't think that this climb is any steeper than the climb up the first 2000 feet,its just that the air is thinner and one's legs are getting just a little tired. I think i needed this little rest stop and the nourishment as I was getting a little wobbly and light headed.

The traverse over to Coffman's Crag had a little snow and ice in places but was perfectly safe. I passed a husband and wife who had started at 0500 on the way up to the traverse. I got a little lost tring to find the trail at the crag, but after a couple of minutes of confusion found the trail which is actually very good. I passed one young twenty something guy who had started at 0530 halfway up whose buddy had gone ahead and I neverdid meet him. I got to the top of the climb which is apparently where most people start their watches a few seconds after a older gentleman named Andy in 4:43. Andy had started at 6:00 so he had a 5:43 and he told me that he has done this hike 234 times!!!!

Anyhow he showed me how to get up to the viewing area by climing straight up the rock which took another 6 minutes. He also got me a ride back to Palm Springs. Awesome and thanks Andy.

It was an awesome hike!

[Florian]

I only stopped for 3 or 4 minutes at flatrock to try and phone (no reception) and open my bottle of shake which i wolfed down. I also took out an apple and started walking hoping to eat the apple. Well guess what? The climb from flatrock up to the traverse had me huffing. So much so that i could not eat while walking. I carried that apple all the way up to a spot on the traverse where i had to sit for a few minutes to eat it along with one cliff bar and another bottle of water. I don't think that this climb is any steeper than the climb up the first 2000 feet,its just that the air is thinner and one's legs are getting just a little tired.

Yeah, i know. I've never quite understood why that section is so hard either. Doesn't look that steep but it always just kills me.

-Florian

[zippetydude]

kenbenoit: Congratulations! Aren't you glad you went back and gave it another try? As a matter of fact, I bet you would have regretted not trying it again when you got back home if you'd thrown in the towel. With the weather and trail conditions just about perfect, this was the smartest and safest time to give it a try. Well done!

z

[Robert Hunt]

Great job! Tenacity & preparation win out over youth & false-confidence once again.

[Sally]

Congratulations! Yep, the part after Flat Rock is a huffer-puffer! And I think you hit the nail on the head: fatigue + thinner air.