Multiple Rescues on Skyline

[cynthia23]

Hm, that's an interesting point, Hal. I wonder if there's some truth to that, that some kind of inner growth is lost when rescue is a possibility. Of course, a certain number of people would also, simply, die. And, then, also, a certain number would give up much sooner in the day and be much more conservative if they knew that rescue wasn't possible.

[zippetydude]

Yipes! That's a lot of rescues.

There are some good points in the above posts, and I agree with pretty much everything that's been said. I'm wondering if the sudden spike in temps didn't catch people who were already kinda far along in planning off guard, thus precipitating the sudden increase in rescues. I'm not condoning this way of thinking, but it seems likely. For example, how many people on Everest and K2 fail to turn around when they should simply because they have months of preparation and thousands of dollars at stake?

In a much lesser scale here, if a person has already got a hotel room booked, thought the weather would be safe the first week of May, and had already gotten the day off and the supplies packed and ready, they might not cancel their plans "just because the temperature went up a bit". I don't know that this came into play in any of the specific cases, but it is a definite risk factor and those of us who are regulars (and do Skyline anyway, shhhhh!) might want to keep a close eye out and maybe even ask what time people started when we pass them.

I passed a young couple 2 weeks ago towards the end of the traverse. I accidentally got a late start (about noon) and it was almost 90 so I was real cautious about drinking enough, but I was probably a little dehydrated myself. It was about 3:30 when I met them just before Coffman's Crag, and the guy was taking just a few steps at a time, then needing to sit and rest again and again. They had started at 6:00 that morning! He was probably severely dehydrated and didn't know it. I didn't leave them until they told me they had friends at the top waiting for them, so I figured there was someone there to sound the alarm if they didn't pop out at the top.

In any case, the start time was what alarmed me. Over 9 hours on the trail on a hot day is a long time. Had they not had friends waiting, I would have accompanied them. Probably the slowest ascent from Coffman's ever, but I would have been quite willing.

There will be more who get confused, dehydrated, or overestimate their ability before the long hot season is over. Hopefully they will all make it out alive and a bit wiser.

BTW: Steve, doesn't the chopper assist in your replenishing the supplies?

z

[Florian]

I remember the first time I did Rabbit Peak I got dehydrated and bad electrolyte deficiency. I sat down on the ridge at about 2500 feet—the hike ends below sea level—and my legs were convulsing uncontrollably. As I sat there I was literally looking for a flat place to lay down and spend the night. I was done.

I had a similar experience one of the first times i attempted Skyline sometime around 1972. It was hot, i was out of water, and i almost just lay down to die somewhere around flat rock. This was way before cellphones of course and the only choices were to die or walk out. So i walked out. I was stupid and unprepared on that hike way back then. If the Skyline wasn't so popular these days it wouldn't be an issue. It's just so many people hike, or attempt the hike, that it's really becoming a serious problem. I don't know that the solution is.

-Florian

[bluerail]

I still have days where i lay down at flatrock to die.

zip, they did once a couple years ago, i know weve carried many gallons up before and since. not sure whats going on now, I was told they have a volunteer to keep them stocked. first aid kits arent whats needed in them, its obviously all about fluids and electrolytes. #2 has been for the most part void of fluids for awhile. i dont think people understand how often 2 and Florians bucket are hit this time of year, they need restocking every couple days right now- several times on the weekends alone. Its infuriating when you carry water up 5000' for people youve come to realize just shouldnt be there. Maybe Cameron can comment on the boxes.

It was hot up there this weekend, if you try to carry enough water to sustain yourself for a 9 hr trip, chances are you'll get in serious trouble.

not many people will go lay by the pool for 6+ hours in this kind of weather. why climb 8000' in it?

[golfernlbc]

Along with 3 buddies, I did C2C this past Saturday and ran into the group of 6 people that were struggling up the hill. We passed them just past the 4300ft rock marker and they were struggling at that point. Just below long valley, we ran into the rangers who were starting their decent to help this group.. Although this group did mention they left at 230am, they were not prepared for this kind of hike & we knew right away, that they might struggle. We offered water to them at that point, but they insisted that they were ok.

In good news, this was our second C2C trip in the past couple years, and we really blew away our previous time. We started at 3:45 on the Museum Trail, reaching the tram around 10:30.. 6hrs 45mins. After a short break at the ranger station for lunch (& restock on water) we continued to the summit and then back down to the tram. All in all, we finished C2C just under 12 hours.

For those that haven't done this hike, it is obviously one that needs to be taken seriously. We have done plenty of day hikes (Whitney, Gorgonio, Baldy, etc) & this is right up there w/ Mt Whitney, if not harder, since there is 16 miles of uphill hiking involved (5.5 back down from the summit). We did several warm up hikes leading up to this past weekend and it made for a really enjoyable hike & day.

This blog has always been very helpful & we appreciate the insight and comments, as it was a key reason for our successful hike. Thank you all!

[Ed]

I still have days where i lay down at flatrock to die.

Not you, Steve! Can't be!

Could happen to me someday. But hunkering down in the shade and waiting until I can continue, even if it is all night, sounds better to me than going down or calling for rescue. Safer than the former on a hot day, not as humiliating as the latter.

[zippetydude]

I know what you mean, Steve. When I press hard, sometimes I get into Flatrock feeling great and don't even slow down. Other times, I find myself thinking crazy thoughts like, "If I just got bit by a rattler then I could die and wouldn't have to keep going." At least in those brief moments I can at last see a rattler as a friend.

To call or not to call seems to me like it should be based on whether or not your are in danger. If you're terribly tired, have blisters, feel sweaty and disgusting and are hating life, oh well, you signed up for this, just keep moving. If you are having trouble standing up, are not sure where you are, and think George Bush is the president, dial away! In particular, for the guy who somehow ended up hanging to the edge of a cliff, that's an easy call to make. Any precarious location is better handled by fresh minds and fresh hands with ropes and equipment than an exhausted person with little strength and failing balance. Especially if snow and ice are involved.

As always, many thanks to SAR. I'm hoping, if I get enough free time before this old body fails me, to be able to volunteer and do some SAR work in the future. Sounds very rewarding.

z

[cynthia23]

Golfer, thanks for your further info on (one!) of the groups that got rescued. I'm curious to know what time it was that you ran into them at 4300--in other words I'm wondering how long it took them to get to 4300, if they started at 2.30 a.m.

It's always a bad idea to take a large group of newbies up Skyline because inevitably one person or more struggles to keep the pace of the group, works too hard for his or her fitness level, then blows a gasket somewhere midway. On a hot day when turning back is not an option? Fatally bad idea.

Zip, you'd be great as a SAR person!

[neverwashasbeen]

Since Steve asked me to put in my two cents, here it goes. I did Skyline Saturday, it was warm, not really hot yet. The last two miles wasn't much fun because of the temperature, it's only going to get worse. Doreen, the Skyline Queen told me that she won't do Skyline again until the weather cools down. She's up around 300 ascents and I respect her opinion. I met and spoke with many people, most everyone said something about the heat. So, I'd say the season is over for all practical purposes. Some things I saw that concerned me, people seem to be dumping their excess gear along the trail. I carried out some, but didn't have room in my pack for everything I saw. I would have taken the fleece at Rescue box 2, but it didn't fit. lol

On to the Rescue boxes and Florian's cache. There is no magic water fairy that supplies them. There is no one responsible for stocking them. There have been some dedicated individuals who have voluntarily carried extra water in order to help save some lives. I track the condition of the boxes and I believe that more people deplete them than stock them, also the boxes were not meant to be trash cans. I worry that people may be expecting to find water in those locations and taking risks by not being as prepared as they should be. Why worry, if I run out of water, I'll grab some at the box type of thinking.

The water has saved lives in the past and I'm sure that some of the few dedicated volunteers who have stocked the boxes will continue to do so, but we can't count on them to carry water for the majority of people. So please take a little more water and help save some lives, it may be your own.

Forgive me for rambling on so much, but it's a situation where no official agency has control of the entire route, which could change for the worse if we, the users don't help take care of it.

[cynthia23]

NeverWas, when you say 'many' people, how many do you mean? It's unbelievable to me that large numbers of people chose to try Skyline on a day when the predicted Palm Springs temps were 104. Yet it seems I must believe it.