Thread: Ascending Mt. San Jacinto via Skyline trail - #4 hardest hike in America

I'll be hiking the Skyline trail tomorrow, otherwise known as the Cactus 2 Clouds trail in Palm Springs, CA. Backpacker magazine named this hike #4 hardest day-hikes in America and it is right here in my own backyard. I have been to the San Jacinto peak many times via trails from Idyllwild and Hemet or by taking the tram up the first 8000 feet.

What makes the Skyline hike so intense is the 10800 vertical feet. Many trails start from around 6500' or so in Idyllwild, but the Skyline hike starts at the base of Mt. San Jacinto in the PS art museum parking lot (elevation: 12 feet above sea level) and ends at the peak 18 miles and 10800' elevation later.

They rescue people and helicopter bodies off the mountain all year long because unprepared people think they can complete this hike. Just met a guy a few weeks ago who found a body about 8 miles into the hike and had to wait for the helicopter to come scoop it up. He then completed the hike and ran into two guys who said they were looking for their friend who had fallen back.

Couple pictures of what I will be ascending tomorrow, wish me luck!









And a couple of my own pictures from the last time I was at the peak:

Bummer, they bumped it to number 5.

5. Cactus to Clouds Trail
Mt., San Jacinto from Palm Springs, CA
Score: 80 Miles: 23 Elevation Change: 13,400 feet X Factor: Broiling temps

Sure, it's a big deal to climb Mt. Whitney-but on the highest peak in the lower 48, you begin at 8,360 feet. To conquer Cactus to Clouds, you start on the desert floor and ascend 10,700 feet-a vertical half-mile more than Whitney. Two fun ways to put your pain in perspective as you churn up the unmaintained trail: The trek to San Jacinto's 10,804-foot, boulder-strewn crown is only 800 vertical feet shorter than the climb from Everest basecamp to summit-and comparable to doing more than a thousand flights of stairs. Start before dawn, because temps hit triple digits more than 100 days a year, and there's no water below 8,500 feet. But come prepared for wild temperature inversions and possible rain and hail up high; the worst scenario is to be forced to descend waterless in the ruthless afternoon heat. From the top, where you'll see every major peak in Southern California and all the way to the coast, most people hike down 2,300 feet and take the tram back to town; the hike's tough enough without adding another 8,000 feet of downhill. Contact: Long Valley Ranger Station, Mt. San Jacinto State Park, (951) 659-2607; Welcome To StatePark.org. Palm Springs Aerial Tram, (760) 325-1391; Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

As someone who loves hiking this sounds like something I'd love to do someday.

It was insane. That's basically all there is to say. There are dangerous hikes, there are strenuous hikes, there are hikes you think for sure are your last, and then there's this hike. By far the most gratifying feeling is reaching the top and realizing you just ascended two vertical miles. I have pictures and video but am on my phone so I can't post now. If anyone is interested in seeing some, I can post them later.

Anyway, took 4 1/2 hours to reach the tram station and another 1 1/2 hours to reach the peak. Total travel time was just under 7 hours. Made it down from the peak and to the tram station in 55 minutes. I didn't use my GPS but I would guess total distance was somewhere around 25 miles when it's all said and done.