2015-03-27 - Hike From Palm Springs Tram to San Jacinto Peak and Return

Bike:Walk
Miles: 11.6
Start Time 10:30
Moving Time: 6:00:00
Elevation: 2500
Avg Spd: 9.2
Max Spd: 21.3

Avg HR:
Max HR:
Temp Out:
Temp In:

Daniel and I left home at about 8:15 and arrived at the tram station a little before 10:00. We missed the first car at 10:00 but got on the 10:10. The crowds were light and we had a pleasant ride to the top (some photos are tno sharp due to a slow phone camera and the tram cars rotation and swinging:

After I found the Pepsi machine and got my morning soda fix we started walking at about 10:30 and after a brief stop at the ranger station to fill out a permit form entered the wilderness. The 4 hour walk to the summit was fairly rigorous foo my old carcass because of the persistent climb and long sections of slippery snow and ice:

After a short interlude on the summit we started down. I was concerned about traversing the snow sections before they turned to solid ice for the night:

We left the summit at about 3:15. The summit is a steep pile of large granite blocks with snow on and around them and I had to be careful coming down the first 50-100 feet. Once we got back to the trail the going was not bad and the snow sections were softer than they were in the morning. I did slip and fall down a couple of times but had soft landing in both cases. Shawn, a guy Dan had struck up a conversation with at the bottom of the tram was on the summit with his girlfriend and he walked down ahead of me. We had a nice conversation. It was good to have him in front as he gave me clues as to the snow conditions. We arrived at the tram station at 5:40 and walked right into a waiting car and were down and in our car headed home by 6:00.

Shawn and his girlfriend on the way down:

The upper parking lot: /p>

We stopped in Yucca Valley for hamburgers, came home and made a trip to the hot tub and pool and retired for the night by 9:00. A successful day and hike.