Skyline "T.R." (Trash Report) March 15th

[cynthia23]

Today Mark N. and I went up to about 5000 feet. It was mostly cool and windy. We ran into Torben at the rock cairn and I was very pleased to get the chance to meet and chat with him. He told us that his ascent of Skyline last week was accomplished with garden tools--his "ice axe" was a pick-ax! I am really impressed (but I so don't recommend this! ) Torben reminded me of the intrepid old-style Scandinavian explorers. We never saw anyone else all day except a couple from Chicago.

However, I did, I believe, find the spoor of our elusive troll! On the descent, at approximately four thousand feet, I spotted a bright pink object in the brush. It proved to be an empty bottle of something called "Red Line Princess: Mood, Energy, and Fat Loss Matrix!" This pink, "exotic fruit-flavored" quasi-juice, the label said, was a product of a company named "Freeze and Burn: Fat Loss and Energy Technology"

This cellulite-burning, gloom-lifting concoction had a lengthy list of ingredients: "Evodiamine, Beta-Argine, N-Methyl Tyramine, 5-Hydroxy L-Trytophan, Caffeine Anhydrous, Yohimbine, St. John's Wort" and an equally lengthy warning to not exceed the intended doses, to keep away from children, pregnant women, and epileptics, and, curiously (for a weight-loss product) to not use if you are more than fifteen pounds overweight.

Well. Maybe it's just me. But I'm not sure if using fruit-flavored speed at four thousand feet is altogether wise.

Or effective. For just another hundred feet or so down the trail, I found a large empty bag of Raffles Potato Chips. It seems that the troll, helpless in the grip of his food addiction, had given in to the urge to binge shortly after the diet drink. Or--au contraire-- was the gulping of the "Redline: Princess" a desperate attempt to burn off the gobbling of an entire bag of chips?

It's very sad that this person is clearly in the grips of some kind of eating disorder. But, not that sad. Because whether you are or aren't some deeply depressed chubster in the throes of a binge, you can still take twenty seconds to put your cheap, crappy, bright pink trash in your damn backpack, instead of vomiting it into the wilderness like it's your own personal toilet. Look at this way, Fatso: had you stopped, taken off that backpack, and stowed the empty chips and speed drink inside, you'd of burned another fifty calories! And your ass would look a lot better now! Instead you just look like an ass!

In conclusion: Dear Mr. or Miss "Redliine Princess" User: please return immediately to your Mood, Energy, and Weight Loss Matrix. We don't want you in our universe. And while you're at it. ..take your miserable damn trash with you, ya bloated pig!

Ahh! I feel purged now.

[Rick M]

Hey thanks 23! I just don't know about people. At school we would have trash cans every twenty-five feet for students to put their trash in and yet most would end up on the ground. It would really irritate me when students just a foot or so away would simply unwrap and drop on ground. In my classroom I wouldn't dismiss until everything was picked up and they would complain I was the only teacher who did that and that it was the custodian job to clean up.

On a rim2rim hike I forgot an empty package of jerky on a rock near Roaring Springs and my friend was miffed that I walked back down about a half mile to retrieve it..."just leave it" was his answer. Closer to home, I once used my two emergency trash bags to clean up Little Round Valley camp and near the trail head a ranger stopped me to check my permit. I asked if he could pack out the two bags the rest of the way since I was on a motorcycle and he replied "It's your trash so you have to pack it out".

Anyway, thanks again for cleaning up after others.

[Cy Kaicener]

I left at 4.45 am and only went up 2000 feet to the top of the switchbacks where it was very windy. On the way back I ran into a couple from Colorado (Steamboat Springs). The wife called out BEAR but she was only calling one of her two dogs She said that in Colorado her dogs come with them on all the peaks that they hike, but was not sure if they could make it up to the tram I told her they would need dogie crampons now and it would not be advisable even when the snow melts. She said that they dont think they would allow them on the tram. I almost suggested saying they were seeing eye dogs They dont allow bikes either. They asked if I was the notorius Cy. I could not deny it
I got back to my car a little after 7 am and saw only two other guys. Still feeling frisky I went up the tram road which was much windier for the first mile.
Cynthia and Torben, the wind must have dropped some when you went up.

[Torben Thomsen]

On the trail at 3:19AM. [Sorry I missed you Cy!] No wind to speak of except for some ridges. Because of the cool weather hiking conditions were near perfect. One of the delightful experiences of the Skyline trail is to watch the difference in the degree of flowering of the brittlebush [Encelia farinosa]. Near the bottom and on south facing slopes they are nearly in full bloom. But at higher elevations they are not blooming yet.

I went to check on the ice conditions on the traverse above 7,500 ft elevations. There is less snow that last week, but conditions are the same as last week--rock hard ice. Don't attempt it without complete winter gear. On the way down I met a couple from Chicago who were trying to go to the tram. Based on my report they turned around and went back down again. That saved them walking an extra six miles. Also had a delightful visit with Mark and Cynthia.

I decided to try an experiment to see whether humans can compete with camels, so I did the 18 mile round trip [to the traverse] WITHOUT food or water. Possible, but NOT recommended.

Just to illustrate the conditions on the traverse, when Joe and I did it last week [Mar 8], we traveled the last 685 meters in 2 hours and 20 minutes, having to cut practically every step into the ice. That is going at a rate of about 5 meters per minute. If we had traveled at that rate for the whole journey it would have taken about 54 hours--more than a week's work!

[jth]

Hey Torben! How are you?

You really can compete with a camel! I could never do that without food or water.

Hope to see you on another hike.

Joe

[Marknhj]

Saturday was my first venture up to 5000'. I thoroughly enjoyed it and to my surprise wasn't particularly fatigued. The views far exceeded my expectations although I must say the trail up to the tram looked rather daunting. I hope to make it before the intense heat arrives.

We first spotted Torben descending about fifteen minutes before we met. With his jacket slung over his shoulder, looking like an office worker heading out to lunch, he cut quite the figure. I suspect he was whistling, merrily. It was a pleasure chatting with him and I was in awe of his camel experiment!

The Chicago couple followed us down for twenty minutes. They told me that last January (I assume 2007) they attempted to make it to the tram but came across the ice/snow in the last section. They aborted and got back to their car at 12.30am! I was somewhat surprised that they'd tried it again without, apparently, doing any research on present conditions. Thankfully they met Torben this time, so didn't repeat the full experience. We told them about this board...

[magikwalt]

I think I remember Cy hiking with a couple this past Dec or Jan who went up into the snow and then had to come back down. Norma and Davis I believe.

[Perry]

Torben, how sharp were your crampons?

[Cy Kaicener]

Walt - That was Norma and David who got into class 4. Here is the trip report with pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21042415@N ... 478242447/

[Hikin_Jim]

Wow. That pic of Norma at 7500' after bivvying it says it all. Thanks for the link.