Skyline Trail

posted in: Trail/Hike Information |

Disclaimer

Several times per year there are rescues on Skyline. Occasionally, people die on the trail. It is not maintained by any state or federal agency and using it is often discouraged. Do not attempt this hike unless you know that you are capable, have completed the recommended training and can carry the recommended gear. If you are not capable, you put your entire group in danger, as well as any personnel involved in your rescue. If you do hike this trail, you are doing it at your own risk and you are solely responsible for any incurred medical or legal costs – you are the only person responsible for your safety and well-being.

Before reading about the hike itself, please take a look at this list of fatalities and rescue reports.

The following list was pulled from a forum post entitled ‘Learning from other’s mistakes on Skyline Trail‘:

  • Recent fatalities:
    • Mark Alexander, died May 2012
    • William Carroll, died July 2009
    • Robert Allen Liebler, died July 2009
    • Alexander Todd Major, died  May 2009
  • Here are some interesting/sobering comments from a Skyline regular and local resident:
    • “I’m not really counting the fairly numerous people who die on the lower portion, i.e. The Desert Museum, although perhaps I should. There are deaths there every few months, from some combination of heat/heart attack, which will probably turn out to be what killed the guy who died on Friday afternoon. As for rescues, I literally can’t remember how many there have been. Two of my close friends have been rescued from Skyline (on separate days, both fell down the traverse ice.) As a local who reads the paper, it seems to me that there is one or two pretty much every other week, on average. My ‘favorites’ have been the numerous groups of Marines who keep getting rescued.” -Posted by forum user Cynthia23


Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit Reports:

Keep in mind that the numerous reports above only include rescues that the RMRU was involved in. There are other agencies that do rescues in the area, including: the Palms Springs Police Search & Rescue, the State Park, and the County Sheriff.

Summary

Skyline is my favorite hike in Southern California. If it weren’t for the cost (tram ride & cab) and the extreme heat during the summer, I’d probably hike it at least once per month. As much as I enjoy this trail, I am reluctant to take others on it (see above)

Hike Info

Skyline Trail climbs 8,000+ feet from the desert floor in Palm Springs until it reaches Mt. San Jacinto State Park. After their hike, most hikers purchase a one-way tram ticket to Valley Station, where they catch a taxi ride back to their cars. Others will hike to San Jacinto Peak before taking the tram down, completing the hike known as Cactus to Clouds.

Distance: 11 miles one way
Difficulty Level: Very Strenuous and dangerous (multiple rescues every year and occasional fatalities)
Hiking Time: Allow 8 -12 hrs for first-time hikers.
Elevation Gain/Loss: over 8000 ft gain
Maximum Elevation: 8,516 feet
Start Time (recommended): 3:00AM
Recommended Training: In the last month, a hike of 15+ miles (endurance) and a hike with 5,000+ ft of elevation gain (climbing). A couple of local hikes that have a similar incline are Black Mountain Trail and Mt Baldy via Bear Canyon/Old Baldy Trail. It is recommended that you complete the ascent of Bear Canyon in 4 hrs or less before attempting Skyline. If you double your ascent time for Bear Canyon, it will give you a ballpark figure for what may be expected for your pace up Skyline. If you exercise during the week, deload (reduce volume/intensity by 50% or more) the week prior to this hike, particularly for lower body and cardiovascular training. You want your legs to be fresh.

Gear

Hydration: Carry at least 4 liters of water (or maybe 3 liters water + 1 liter of gatorade/powerade/vitalyte for electrolyte replacement). Some of the people I hike with have carried as much as 2 gallons on this trail. The day before and the morning of the hike, I try to consume more water and electrolytes than normal. Getting cramps on this trail is horrible. On my last four trips up Skyline, someone in the group has gotten moderate to severe cramps. I carry electrolyte capsules now as a result.
Food: You can burn in excess of 500 calories per hour on a strenuous hike. It is recommended that you consume at least half of those calories on the trail (think lightweight, high calorie foods).
Electrolytes: You will need to replace electrolytes through food or products such as Gatorade, SportBeans, ShotBloks, etc. If you are prone to getting cramps, you may want to carry electrolyte tablets or drops. It is highly recommended that you consume electrolytes (as well as fluid) before starting this hike.
Clothing: There can be a 30 degree (or greater) difference between Palm Springs and Mountain Station (upper tram station).  Here are the weather forecasts – dress appropriately and be prepared for bad weather: Palm Springs || Mountain Station
Misc: 13 Hiking Essentials – Carry them yourself or share the load with someone in your group. Carry money for the tram ride down ($12.00) and taxi ride back to the trailhead (~$25.00 per taxi)

Trail Details

Over the last 18 months, I’ve spent lots of time collecting information on Skyline Trail, which you follow for the first 11 miles of C2C. This includes:

    • identifying and taking pictures of the landmarks that hikers refer to when talking about Skyline
    • recording the elevation of and distance between these landmarks
    • determining the average incline between these landmarks to help assess the difficulty of the trails sections
    • creating time/split tables to estimate total hike time
    • checking and re-checking this information several times

To see this information, please click on the link below to continue:
Skyline Trail & Cactus to Clouds Guide