New Book on Palm Springs Trails

[Cy Kaicener]

The Coachella Valley hiking club has announced that there is a new book out called - Day and Overnight Hikes in Palm Springs - by Laura Randall.
Has anyone read it.?
http://www.deserthiker.typepad.com/

[tinaballina]

Wow what a busy week!
Cy, i noticed no one had posted to the thread. this looks like it would be interesting, its news to me.
maybe someone out there has read it.
C U Saturday,

[Cy Kaicener]

I think they are all easy hikes. She has also written a book on 60 Hikes within 60 miles of Los Angeles. I think I would like to see a book on Cactus to Clouds. If I can find a writer with similar ideas, I would like to get together with them. There are so many things to warn unsuspecting hikers about.
Maybe thats not such a good idea. Search and Rescue would get too busy.
There used to be many rescues on the North Face of the Eiger in Switzerland, but Heirich Harrer who was one of the first four to climb it wrote a book called the White Spider (which is an ice field high on the face) and this helped reduce rescues together with improved equipment.
I wonder if writing a book on the rescues on Skyline would help at all. I kinda doubt it somehow. How do we get the cat back into the bag.
See you on Saturday Tina. There might be four of us.

[Hikin_Jim]

Cy: That cat's just not going back into the bag. I think your idea of writing a book might save a lot of lives. Ellen's a writer of sorts, maybe she'd help you. I'm a fair grammarian; I'd be willing to at least proof some things. I wouldn't be surprised if others might be willing to pitch in from this board.

The cat's already out of the bag. Acceptance of the situation is the first step toward improving things. Write the book.

HJ

[Cy Kaicener]

Thats a great idea Jim - I have already sent Ellen an e mail about it.
I think Ellen would like Cynthia to do the writing, which sounds like a great idea.

[Hikin_Jim]

I've already got some potential titles for you:

Kaicener's Guide to the Skyline Trail
Cactus to Clouds: The Skyline Trail
Hiking the Skyline Trail
How to Hike the Skyline Trail
San Jacinto the Hard Way: The Skyline Trail
Heatstroke to Hypothermia: The Skyline Trail

Yes, unlike the "titles" I created for Ellen, these are actually serious. Speaking of Ellen, she'd be a great resource for the "fuel and hydration" chapter of your book.

[Cy Kaicener]

Jim - Heatstroke to Hypotherma sounds good
Some others would be
Cactus to Clouds the hard way - what I did wrong
You may be going a lot higher than you think
Reducing your risk on Skyline.

What we need is a journalist or writer who is a regular on Search and Rescue.

[Hikin_Jim]

Well, stick to the basics, Cy, and you'll be fine.

I think you might want to cover precautions, season, and training and preparation, and possibly nutrition and hydration (if Ellen were amenable).

I think you'd then want to go over the route. You might want to first talk about the various trailheads (Ramon, museum, etc.) Then you'd probably want to describe the sections: Trailhead to Pic Nic Tables, Pic Nic Tables to Switch Backs (I'm making these sections up, but hopefully you get the idea). The idea being to identify the route to prevent getting lost and to also help people by informing them what each section entails.

Just some thoughts off the cuff.

Jim

PS You could title the book "The Skyline Book that I Was Afraid To Write But Hikin' Jim Made Me Do It Because He Knew Darn Well I Was the Right Person To Do It." Just a working title.

[Cy Kaicener]

I just received an e mail from Ellen with miles of smiles offering to help with the nutrition side of it, but its the actual writing experience that I need help with from a professional. My wife even says I need help I type with one finger and my computer skills are just basic.
The secret is to know when to go and when not to. What to take and what not to take. Avoid ice and late starts (dehydration is more likely). Too many first timers attempt this trail on their own. Not letting anyone know where you are going. Not the right gear in winter or enough water in summer. Not being fit enough with the right conditioning and training etc.

[halhiker]

I think the best way to write about Skyline would be to write a book about Mount San Jacinto in general outlining all routes to the peak. Then have a separate chapter about rescues on San Jacinto. It'd make a good read.

There is a book about Mount Whitney written in that manner and it's the best book on Whitney, IMO.

As for the new Palm Springs trail book, I went down to Barnes and Noble and checked it out. It's very well done but just a re-hash of existing information-nothing new-and like every other book about hiking in this area, the maps are terrible.