5:11 am - Trying to get out the door.
30 minutes in (we started at 5:30 am) we lost the trail.
A large group passed below us on the correct trail. But a nice view of Palm Springs.
1 hr. in - It will be interesting to see how far away Palm Springs will become.
Same time, but this view has the airport in it about a mile away.
1:10 hrs.- This nice lady has been doing the hike almost every year for 15 years. She will pass us in a couple of hours.
1:30 hrs.- This guy and his wife passed us, then turned around at 4300 ft. He said he thinks he may have left his coffee cup on the top of the car. Good One!!
1:30 hrs. The airport is a little further away, but the lights in town are now out.
1: 41 hrs. - Soaking in the sunrise
Same time - view to the East
2 hrs. - This jogger couple just passed us. They are training for an event in Marin in a couple of weeks, but they didn't have much water. We never saw them again.
2:23 hrs. - A rare shady spot on the trail.
2:30 hrs. - Time to take a bad selfie.
Same time, but much better view.
3 hrs - Another good view of the airport, probably about 6 miles or so away.
3:05 hrs - First look at the depressing view of what is left. The red circle highlights a huge granite outcrop known as Kaufman Crag. The tram is just above it. We will be climbing in the green slot just to the left of it.
3:10 hrs. - Salton Sea to the East.
3:30 hrs. - Bruce's coffee catches up to him. Brett and I wait for a long time while several groups pass, including the lady we met earlier.
3:40 hrs - The famous 4300 ft indicator, a place where several people rested, including the lady. We moved on.
4:30 hrs - View of the airport.
4:41 hrs - Kaufman Crag getting closer and the vegatation is changing.
10:51 hrs - Bruce discovers he is missing a quart-sized water bottle, which probably fell out of his pack at the bathroom break. Brett is carrying a gallon of water so he tops off his remaining bottle.
Same time, a 2nd resue cabinet filled with water and snacks.
5:20 hrs - The crag and an oasis of lovely vegetation.
Not sure what this is, but they were plentiful.
5:45 hrs - View of the distant airport.
6:25 hrs - Go Orioles!
6:30 hrs - The crag and first good view of the tram cables behind it.
6:40 hrs - Difficult ascent throug the pine trees.
7:00 hrs - At the Crag. Bruce went ahead as Brett stayed behind in case he needed to carry me. Thanks Son!
7:20 hrs - The brutal push to the rim. Brett and I saw no one the final hour.
7:30 hrs into the hike (1:00 pm) - View from the rim. As we walked out from the trees, there were scores of nicely dressed walkers everywhere who took the tram to the top.
After a 20minute break at the ranger station, the question: Continue another 5 miles to San Jacinto peak and back? Bruce and Brett: Hell Yeah! Me: not so sure.
Not wanting to hang out at the tram for 5 hrs, I continued walking, knowing I could turn around at any point. This is Sharon who, along with her friend Will, walked with us for awhile on the way up. She contiued up to the peak with Bruce and Brett.
Beautiful view from Wellman's Divide
After 10:00 hrs of walking, I turned around at this view of Palm Springs, about 2.2 miles short of San Jacinto peak.
I made it back to the tram at about 5:00 pm after walking for 11.5 hrs, 16.4 miles, and 9200 ft of elevation gain.
Bruce and Brett arrived at the peak at 4:30 pm. They got back o the tram station in the dark at about 7pm. It was 39 degrees outside.