A Journey Up the Skyline Trail

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:04 pm

I've been doing some hiking over in the San Jacinto Mountains. My most recent hike was the Skyline Trail

Skyline, for those who haven't heard about it, is one of the toughest single day hikes in the SW United States. It goes from the desert floor near Palm Springs and climbs 8,000 vertical feet to Long Valley in the San Jacinto Mountains, passing through rugged desert terrain.

At the top of the trail, one comes out into cool pine forest near the Palm Springs Tramway. It's quite a journey, I assure you.

Join me, if you like, for a journey up the Skyline Trail.

HJ

mangus7175 · Post by **mangus7175** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:14 pm

BEAST MODE

Another great achievement Jim!

RichardK · Post by **RichardK** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 6:35 pm

Congratulations!! That is a super report, really a guidebook for the hike. Thanks for posting.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:02 pm

mangus7175 wrote: BEAST MODE

Yeah, well, 8000' of gain ain't too shabby.

mangus7175 wrote: Another great achievement Jim!

Thanks, man.

HJ

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:04 pm

RichardK wrote: Congratulations!! That is a super report, really a guidebook for the hike. Thanks for posting.

Thank you, Richard. And, yeah, it is kind of part tip sheet, part trip report. I even put down suggested high gain hikes at the end. Hopefully I didn't pack too much in there.

HJ

yobtaf · Post by **yobtaf** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:53 pm

Awesome Jim! Thanks for posting!

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:38 am

yobtaf wrote: Awesome Jim! Thanks for posting!

You're very welcome. It was a great trip, and it was fun to run into some of the Skyline "regulars" that I've heard about.

Getting in shape and doing some great hikes is the "consolation prize" of unemployment.

HJ

yobtaf · Post by **yobtaf** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:27 am

when it rains and Im underemployed, I just get honeydos

although when it was slow a couple months ago, I got out a few times, posted one report, nothing on the others.
Hope you get employed soon.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 2:01 pm

yobtaf wrote: when it rains and Im underemployed, I just get honeydos

Yeah, I've gotten a lot of those too. My wife was actually pretty cool about this particular hike, though. She let me go for more than 24 hours (I went out on Friday afternoon). And man it feels good to have finally gotten to some hikes that I've wanted to do but just haven't had time (The Momyer Creek Loop, Newton Drury Peak, and Skyline being the top three).

yobtaf wrote: Hope you get employed soon.

Thanks, man. I've got two real interviews (as in live and in person) this coming week. First interviews I've had since I got "the boot" in October.

HJ

Dragon · Post by **Dragon** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 10:44 am

Good luck on your upcoming interviews HJ.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:38 am

Thanks, man.

HJ

AW~ · Post by **AW~** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:01 pm

Nice accomplishment there Jim. I got a couple of routes myself that have been on the list for years that I plan to knock off(assuming it rains as usual)....I bet it feels great to finally mark that off.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 1:45 pm

AW wrote: Nice accomplishment there Jim. I got a couple of routes myself that have been on the list for years that I plan to knock off(assuming it rains as usual)....I bet it feels great to finally mark that off.

Thanks, AW. I wasn't fast, but at no time was I suffering. I actually enjoyed the hike. It really was a hike and not a suffer fest just-get-me-there-I-think-I'm-going-to-die event. I was really pleased.

I'm not liking being unemployed, but finally finishing my goal of climbing all peaks in S. Cal. over 10,000', doing Skyline, and doing a couple of backpacks I've been wanting to do has been great.

HJ

Post by **Uncle Rico** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 6:09 pm

Finally had a chance to review your TR HJ. Damn informative if I don't say so myself. Thanks much for sharing and congrats.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:24 pm

Thanks, Uncle Rico. I was hesitant at first (8,000 feet of gain!), but I had done a lot of hiking beforehand, and it turned out not to be too bad.

HJ

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:23 pm

Dragon wrote: Good luck on your upcoming interviews HJ.

Thank you, and... I got a job.

Probably cut into my hiking, but my cash flow sure needs the help right about now.

HJ

Dragon · Post by **Dragon** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 2:26 pm

That's awesome news HK; glad you were able to be gainfully employed again even though it means less time in the great outdoors.

Post by **JeffH** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 4:08 pm

Hikin_Jim wrote:

Probably cut into my hiking, but my cash flow sure needs the help right about now.

HJ

Yeah, those damn jobs get in the way...