by Ed » Thu Aug 24, 2017 2:41 pm
I carry a SPOT on Skyline, but you can make a cell phone call from most places. I suspect the upper end is an exception, but I've never tried to make a cell phone call above Flat Rock.
If you scout the trail up to the intersection of the Desert Museum and Ramon Road trails, you are unlikely to need a GPS. Unless there is a lot of snow on the upper trail, but no first-timer should hike the trail when there is. On weekends from late October to when the snow comes, there are plenty of other people on the trail. First-timers can be uncertain or confused in places, but it is not normally a big deal, simply a minor waste of time and energy, and I'm not sure a GPS would help that much. For example, the trail may temporarily diverge, but it doesn't matter much which way you go. If you see a barrier on one fork, Doreen does not want you to go that way. I'm not discouraging you from taking a GPS with a tracklog, but I don't view one as being essential for Skyline, I think they are more for cross-country and snow.
The main thing is being able to do 8,000' of elevation gain, plus an early start, sufficient water and suitable clothing for the weather.