Fall/Winter Skyline

[Brian]

Will Skyline be doable December thru April if there's no snow accumulation on the Transverse?

[Ed]

The one thing you can be sure of is that snow conditions on the Traverse are highly variable from December through April, and an excellent snow report can be out of date in less than a week. It is always 'doable', I suppose, by people with the proper levels of fitness, experience and equipment. But when there is snow on the upper trail, it is no place for people who don't know the trail and don't have snow experience.

[Brian]

I've done the trail several times and in snow twice. I used micro spikes in all snow to date and they work until it gets 6" or deeper or ice, then you need crampons. I been in slippery places with spikes and they were not helping much. Mount Baldy upper ski hut trail needed crampons the last two years after snows.

[Ed]

Brian,

Obviously you have the experience to know the problems. Though I think it can't be reduced to simply the overall depth of the snow. Nothing you can do but check the latest snow reports.

[Brian]

Ed, Does the ice on the shaded transverse melt between snowfalls, or does it accumulate there all season? I would expect the last two miles to be a bear on the iced-slopes even with crampon and ax.

[Ed]

Ed, Does the ice on the shaded transverse melt between snowfalls, or does it accumulate there all season? I would expect the last two miles to be a bear on the iced-slopes even with crampon and ax.

I'm afraid I don't think it is safe to generalize. And there are quite a few people on this discussion board who have far more winter Skyline experience than I have. One of the worst conditions is a layer of soft snow over hard snow, which tends to occur when a recent storm follows a fairly long, cold dry period. You can end up slipping around on the soft snow, with the points on your traction only scratching at the hard snow underneath.

[Ellen]

Howdy,
A group with Skyline snow/ice expertise is heading up tomorrow -- will post conditions.
Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Ed]

Howdy,
A group with Skyline snow/ice expertise is heading up tomorrow -- will post conditions.
Miles of smiles,
Ellen

While I cough my way up the Bump'nGrind. One of those sore throat victims you hear around, and keep your distance from. Love your snow reports, Ellen.

[mczzmm]

I'm soloing up early Saturday AM. Looking forward to ice reports. I'll have the ice axe on standby, yet hope not to need to carry it. I did C2C in Feb this year, carried the ice axe, yet thankfully didn't need it. Spikes, post hole and a melting factor on that day.

The bigger concern is the wind that is coming through tonight and tomorrow. Do they ever close the tram?

[Stef]

Did skyline yesterday, Dec 1. Snow patches from flat rock to the traverse and then snow varied from 4" to 8" from the traverse to Grubbs Notch. Freeze/thaw (icy under snow) conditions on the traverse. I wouldn't attempt it without traction. We used micro spikes and poles. We took our time and made it safely. Some of the footprints in the snow looked like they had been made with crampons, so crampons would not be overkill. Also, very glad I had checked the tram schedule because they were having a private event last night and the last tram down was 5pm, much earlier than usual.