Cactus to Clouds March 3

[craigliguori]

What are the trail conditions?
Do we need Crampons and or Snow Shoes from Palm Springs to the Ranger Station?
What is the snow level?

[2600fromatari]

It's warm this weekend. Sandals, shorts, and t-shirt will be fine.

[Ed]

I think 2600fromatari is joking with you, probably out of frustration with your question. I suspect a foot of fresh snow was dropped yesterday. And probably over a base of very hard stuff. The weather forecast is fine, but I suspect snow conditions on Skyline this weekend will be challenging for anybody, to put it mildly. I don't know what your background is, but my guess is you would be lucky to make it safely to the tram station, carrying a full set of equipment.

[craigliguori]

thank you Ed

We are leaving from the museum at 12:00 and our goal is to get to the tram by 9:00am. Fairly experienced hiking. However this is first time hiking C2C.

[Ed]

Craig,

If by first time C2C, you mean first time Skyline, I would call it off. Good hiking experience is not enough. With fresh snow, you are going to have route finding problems, unless you are lucky and a party preceded you who knew what they were doing. Then there is the slower speed and greater fatigue caused by soft snow. And then there are the traction issues, which can be complicated by soft snow over a hard base, and several days of the freeze/thaw cycle. People who are Skyline regulars and winter veterans have problems with these conditions. Have you read the recent and very trenchant comments by 2600fromatari and Ellen on the Skyline Conditions thread? They are people who have a great deal of experience on Skyline in the winter. I have some, and you aren't going to find me up there anytime soon.

[neverwashasbeen]

I hiked over to Grubs Notch on Wednesday. The last storm dropped about 2 feet of new snow. No tracks coming up. Those without snowshoes were postholing up to their knees where there hadn''t been any snow on Sunday.