Comments on: Cactus to Clouds – Palm Springs to San Jacinto Peak http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/ the outdoors brought to you Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:26:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Doug http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/comment-page-1/#comment-9277 Doug Wed, 19 May 2010 23:37:54 +0000 http://socalhikes.com/?p=896#comment-9277 We did the hike to the tram and it didn't seem as bad as it was made out to be on all the websites we'd read! It was long & steep but we paced ourselves and didn't rush (it took 9 hours). Seemed like Half Dome was a harder hike but maybe that's due to being in better hiking shape now since we didn't train as much before the Yosemite trip. We probably could have done the hike in 8 hours if the weather had been cooler. The high was 98 degrees in Palm Springs. We got on the trail about 5:15am when it was 70 degrees which helped a lot. The trail was easy to see and we didn't feel at risk of getting lost. We had to be cautious crossing the ice chutes on the north face of the mountain around 7800 ft. Fortunately, the chutes weren't very wide since a lot of snow & ice has melted. But, it certainly required being careful and we were glad we had hiking poles! We're thinking of going back Memorial weekend to hike the tram to peak portion if the snow at that level has melted enough by then. In November, we're planning to do the entire C2C climb from the desert to the peak. We did the hike to the tram and it didn’t seem as bad as it was made out to be on all the websites we’d read! It was long & steep but we paced ourselves and didn’t rush (it took 9 hours). Seemed like Half Dome was a harder hike but maybe that’s due to being in better hiking shape now since we didn’t train as much before the Yosemite trip.

We probably could have done the hike in 8 hours if the weather had been cooler. The high was 98 degrees in Palm Springs. We got on the trail about 5:15am when it was 70 degrees which helped a lot.

The trail was easy to see and we didn’t feel at risk of getting lost.

We had to be cautious crossing the ice chutes on the north face of the mountain around 7800 ft. Fortunately, the chutes weren’t very wide since a lot of snow & ice has melted. But, it certainly required being careful and we were glad we had hiking poles!

We’re thinking of going back Memorial weekend to hike the tram to peak portion if the snow at that level has melted enough by then.

In November, we’re planning to do the entire C2C climb from the desert to the peak.

]]> By: Zé http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/comment-page-1/#comment-9189 Zé Fri, 14 May 2010 19:17:00 +0000 http://socalhikes.com/?p=896#comment-9189 good luck Doug! almost was gonna do it tomorrow, but decided on Iron mt. It will help to print out a topo map with the gps track overlayed and / or upload the gps track I had in the TR. This will help avoiding getting lost, especially the last 1000 ft where you have to turn up at Coffman's Crag. There will still be a little snow and may make the use trail confusing to follow. good luck Doug! almost was gonna do it tomorrow, but decided on Iron mt. It will help to print out a topo map with the gps track overlayed and / or upload the gps track I had in the TR. This will help avoiding getting lost, especially the last 1000 ft where you have to turn up at Coffman’s Crag. There will still be a little snow and may make the use trail confusing to follow.

]]> By: Doug http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/comment-page-1/#comment-9175 Doug Thu, 13 May 2010 22:30:15 +0000 http://socalhikes.com/?p=896#comment-9175 My group of 3 is going Saturday, May 15 (only up to the tram since it'll be our 1st time on this trail). We hope to see tracks made by the earlier group doing C2C that day! My group of 3 is going Saturday, May 15 (only up to the tram since it’ll be our 1st time on this trail). We hope to see tracks made by the earlier group doing C2C that day!

]]> By: Zé http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/comment-page-1/#comment-8890 Zé Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:18:29 +0000 http://socalhikes.com/?p=896#comment-8890 Hi Doug, Hopefully the snow will be gone by then, but currently there is at least snow waist deep in the very upper portions. May not be much of a problem in a month, but who knows. I am not planning on heading up there until the fall. Hi Doug,

Hopefully the snow will be gone by then, but currently there is at least snow waist deep in the very upper portions. May not be much of a problem in a month, but who knows. I am not planning on heading up there until the fall.

]]> By: Doug http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/comment-page-1/#comment-8860 Doug Mon, 19 Apr 2010 05:13:31 +0000 http://socalhikes.com/?p=896#comment-8860 Hello again Ze, I'm wondering if you know of any upcoming planned hikes for the Skyline to Tram trail. My group wants to go May 15 if the ice has thawed by then. Any later than that seems like it might be too hot at the lower elevation. Since we haven't done this hike before, it would be nice to hook up with others who are familiar with it. Hello again Ze, I’m wondering if you know of any upcoming planned hikes for the Skyline to Tram trail. My group wants to go May 15 if the ice has thawed by then. Any later than that seems like it might be too hot at the lower elevation. Since we haven’t done this hike before, it would be nice to hook up with others who are familiar with it.

]]> By: Scott http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/comment-page-1/#comment-8784 Scott Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:45:33 +0000 http://socalhikes.com/?p=896#comment-8784 Ah, I looked at the meetup - October 8th, got it, thanks ! Ah, I looked at the meetup – October 8th, got it, thanks !

]]> By: Scott http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/comment-page-1/#comment-8783 Scott Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:33:05 +0000 http://socalhikes.com/?p=896#comment-8783 Excellent trip report, actually the best I have seen (and I have read alot). Except one thing I cannot find...what day did you do this? I dont want to fight snow and ice... Thanks Scott Excellent trip report, actually the best I have seen (and I have read alot).
Except one thing I cannot find…what day did you do this? I dont want to fight snow and ice…
Thanks
Scott

]]> By: Zé http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/comment-page-1/#comment-7324 Zé Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:42:23 +0000 http://socalhikes.com/?p=896#comment-7324 BOBO: the hike was in October 2008. This seems indicated in the url and at the end of the end of the entry. However I think it would be nice to post the date automatically at the beginning. John (the socalhikes guy) might know how to change that. BOBO: the hike was in October 2008. This seems indicated in the url and at the end of the end of the entry. However I think it would be nice to post the date automatically at the beginning. John (the socalhikes guy) might know how to change that.

]]> By: Bobo the Hobo http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/comment-page-1/#comment-7313 Bobo the Hobo Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:37:00 +0000 http://socalhikes.com/?p=896#comment-7313 Why don't you bother to tell us the date of the hike? Why don’t you bother to tell us the date of the hike?

]]> By: Doug http://socalhikes.com/2008/10/cactus-to-clouds-palm-springs-to-san-jacinto-peak/comment-page-1/#comment-5934 Doug Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:03:42 +0000 http://socalhikes.com/?p=896#comment-5934 We've decided to wait until next spring after the snow has melted. If you have a group going then, perhaps our group of 3 could join up with you. In the meantime, we'll be training on El Capitan to get ready (the mountain in Lakeside, San Diego County, not Yosemite!). We’ve decided to wait until next spring after the snow has melted. If you have a group going then, perhaps our group of 3 could join up with you. In the meantime, we’ll be training on El Capitan to get ready (the mountain in Lakeside, San Diego County, not Yosemite!).

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