Skyline Trail - Mar 8

[jth]

Hello Cy, Torben, and everybody else. I'm a little late with my trip report, but mostly, it's the same as Torben's (after all, we hiked together).

It was nice to see Cy, Doreen, and Tina again. Hey Cy, I'd like to hike with you on the Skyline Trail to the peak sometime after the ice melts. I imagine it'd be like a guided tour!

It was great to hike with Torben. He's an ingenious hiker and an excellent navigator. Hopefully, we can hike together again. I think that it was my first time to hike on the proper trail on the upper section. On my previous hikes, I usually went up the chute just before the proper one.

On one of my previous posts, I talked about finding trash on the trail and about my intentions to return to dispose of it. The following day, when I went to collect it, I found it had vanished, and I guessed that wind had blown it. However, I discovered on Saturday that one of the guys I hiked with picked it up! Haha! It's kind of funny... (To the guy who cleaned the trail: I'm sorry I forgot your name. If you're reading, post on here sometime.)

After we got to Long Valley, I went directly to the restaurant. I was quite hungry, so I wanted to eat. They gave me the highest table in the restaurant! After looking at the menu, I saw that everything is very expensive, so I ordered seafood soup and salad (17 dollars!). The waiters were rather slow, and I got the impression that they all hated each other. At least, they seemed angry. The food was good though, but not enough to satisfy my hunger.

I had originally planned to stay in the summit hut and to hike to Idyllwild the following day, but after talking to a ranger, I was told I couldn't stay in the hut. I guess I shouldn't have mentioned my plans? I was a little tired, so I rested in the tram station for a while. I got some hot water to eat soup and a hot chocolate drink. Late in the evening, I met some guys who came up Snow Creek. They said they wouldn't do it again any time soon. Interestingly, they found a climbing rope on their ascent.

Rather than hiking out to Round Valley and setting up a shelter from my two tarps, I decided just to sleep on a bench outside the tram station (like a vagrant!). The weather was nice, and the following morning, I ate some more soup.

After that, I began what was supposed to be a hike to Idyllwild. Unfortunately, after I got a little past Wellman's Divide, I couldn't discern the trail. Since I was due back in two hours, and I had no cell reception over there, I decided I was better off returning to the tram station and making a phone call.

After returning home, I began studying (I'm a student, after all), and today, I finally got around to writing my not so useful trip report. Anyway, good hiking!

Joe

Hopefully, if there's another party, I'll go to it!

[Cy Kaicener]

Thanks for the great trip report Joe. I would be happy to give you a "guided tour" on Skyline and beyond. Torben also (and anyone else). For a full c2c I would have to start very early - like soon after midnight. I estimate that it would take me fourteen hours to get back to the tram. I am planning on the full moon in April which is approximately five weeks from this Saturday. I am waiting for most of the snow to melt before I go up again. Hopefully it will be in two or three weeks.
I have never eaten at the tram. I could not enjoy the food at those prices.
Once again, congratulations on making it up there in tough conditions where you cant see the trail. You will soon be a guide yourself.

[cynthia23]

Jth, congratulations for surviving that greatest of all dangers--dinner at the tram restaurant. I would not recommend that anyone attempt this who does not have crampons, an ice axe, and a Black Diamond tempered aluminum stomach. (and, a hefty wallet.) The tram restaurant has the worst food I have ever tasted, outside of hospitals and jails.

Always, always, always, bring your own food.

[Hikin_Jim]

The tram restaurant has the worst food I have ever tasted, outside of hospitals and jails.

Spending a lot of time in jails lately, have you?

[NormaR]

I shared what I think was a chicken avacado quesadilla (I didn't order it)at the Tram Bar the other week. We all commented that it was really good. Reading the above reviews appears I was very fortunate.

[Rick Kent]

I had those quesadillas at the TramBar a couple weeks ago. Seemed pretty tasty to me but then I was so hungry it could have been cardboard covered with salsa and I would have eaten it.

[Jennifer]

I've taken numerous visiting out of town relatives up the tram. They always want to see Disneyland, but I enjoy taking them up the tram because they are always amazed at how it can be around 100 degrees at the bottom, and many times there is snow at the tram station.

We have always made a point of stoppig at the restaurant, and out of about a dozen people i've taken up, every single one of them commented on how good they thought the food and service was. Not one negative comment. And those chicken avacado quesadillas are my favorite.

[HikeUp]

LOL.

[Perry]

WTF? This is too funny. Has anybody tried the Skyline Diablo Chicken Wings?

[magikwalt]

OMG...There's a whole family of them.