Skyline Trail: Cactus to Clouds

Want to start off by stating we were unable to hike to the peak, as the winds were blowing so hard it made it difficult to stand let alone hike, with that being said the skyline trail is all that it is advertised as, tough, strenuous, tiring and demanding.
We started around 3ish with our headlamps blazing the path. We kept a sharp eye out for the painted circles on the rocks to help guid our path, even still we made a couple wrong turns, and we were watching for any snakes which have been reported in the past couple weeks. We stopped a couple times to takes in the views of Palm Springs at full darkness, pretty cool. We made it to the series of pick nick tables with out any problems, hacking was moderately difficult.
Reached the rocks with the spray painted written mileage and no water for the remainder of the hick, continued up switchbacking up the side of a hill finding a great spot to watch the sunrise, awesome views, came across the first of two emergency boxes, then two our surprise, stumbled upon 3 dear, they kept their distance, but they did not run and hide also. Once you reach the picnic benches no more painted dots to guid your path.
The next few mils was going up and over ridge lines, not bad hiking, saw our first view of the tram, the desert landscape is amazing, with bushes blooming flowers of all different colors, cactus blooming, lots of Cholla cactus close to trail head, be aware, lots of manzanita bushes and lots of yucca plants. Trail is moderate.
Then the trail changes drastically, the major up hill accents starts, winding back and forth, definitely leg burner accents. We were in a manzanita Grove which felt like it would never end. The trail became more rocky for sure, pasted the second emergency box and what was called flat rock, not to impressed. The clouds started to come in and the wind began to pickup. By 7000ft, small snow flakes began to fall with the sun shining. I knew it was going to be a cold hike so, took a lot of warm clothing, and I used every bit of it, but I stayed warm.
The trail was becoming more rocky, and the snow falling made the rocks a bit slipper at times. The incline seemed to have increased, my legs were feeling tired and I was having to stopped periodically to catch my breath, the higher we rose wind seemed to be hitting stronger and the snow flakes were increasing at times. We stopped for a quick and her comes the 64 yr old lady, just the happiest person, I asked when she started, 2 hrs after us and she looked she could run up the trail, haha. I asked her how much further, she said about 20 min, yeah for it was, me it was more like 35 min.
By this point my legs felt like jelly, with the wind blowing and snowing I could not wait for the end, The trail at times became hard to read, lots of down limbs, scrambling over rocks, lots of switch backs and fairly steep at times. We finally crested the top, the snow had stopped but the wind was howling, put on the rest big my cold gear and headed to the tram, the worst part is climbing the concrete path to the tram. Went straight to the bar ordered a beer to celebrate our first cactus to clouds hike. After nearly 8 hrs I was tired, my legs acked, my feet were tired, but I would do it again in heart beat.
Gear I took, 4.5 liters of fluid, one of those liters was Gatorade, a variety of snacks, emergency kit- matches, lighter, compus, knief, whistle, backup maps, first aid kit, small rope, clothing- gloves, Beanie, hat, Balaclava, windbreaker, plus the layers I had on, extra head lamp, hiking poles, charger for my phone. If you have any questions feel free to ask, thanks for reading, happy trails.

Intense! But worth it all the way.

Just finished. Started at 3 am. Hit the tram at 8 and the round trip back to the tram by 1pm. Some brief rest breaks included. It was adrenaline inducing to walk through the desert at night alone, quietly climbing. Around 3 miles in, I noticed a pair of big red eyes staring at me when I was scanning near the trail with my head lamp. It was a bear.about 15 feet off the trail just sitting and staring. I kept moving and it did not follow. No need for micro spikes or crampons. I did the entire push wearing only shorts but I carried full winter clothing just in case. Full moon. Great adventure best shared with a like minded acquaintance

I appreciate all of the information from the members on this site.
Any advice on traveling down the trail from the tram to the museum? Any dangerously steep areas?

Great climb. Get up early and watch the sunrise over Palm Springs. Met a rattler 90 seconds.

Two friends and I decided to give the Cactus to Clouds a go during our time in Palm Springs. Before we made the trip down we did a lot of research on the hike as we really wanted to be sure we knew what we were getting into and that we were prepared for the trail conditions (reviewing blogs www.sanjocjan.com, trail reviews, weather forecasts / conditions, local outdoor stores, correspondence with the ranger station). We downloaded "The Hiking Guys" GPX file as reference and the route / map were fairly consistent (with a few minor discrepancies).

We started at 4:00 on the Saturday morning and made our way up to the Tram by around 9:45. Highlights for this section are definitely the views, rock formations and passing through 3 distinct climate zones. We were rather surprised once we got to around mile 8.5-9 as we had expected the climb around Coffman's Crag to be this vertical wall (based on some reviews) but in general the pitch was a lot easier than we were anticipating.

Once we reached the tram we made sure to touch base with the Rangers with regards to trail conditions as well as any groups we had come across (some better prepared than others). After filling our the park permit we proceeded on to the summit. The trail from approx. 1 mile away from the Tram to the summit is a combination of ice (in the lower elevation) and soft snow at the summit. Navigating the trail proved a little hard than earlier but the GPX file kept us pretty true to the general trail location. The upper 2500' in elevation is a good challenge (both mentally and physically) as the elevation effects everyone different. For me at around 9500' I was feeling the effects (little nauseous and light headed) but we continued on and reached the summit around 1-1:30pm (what a spectacular view from the top...you truly feel like you are on top of the world).

After hanging out on the summit for a few minutes (grabbing a few needed photos) we started the journey back to the tram (which is where the micro spikes and poles really came in handy). We reached the ranger station / tram at around 3:40pm and handed out permits back in to the rangers...and then made our way to the bar to grab a well deserved pint (and Pepsi as I was LOW on sugar).

The views, different climate zones, local flora, fauna and everything else along the way was spectacular but what truly makes this hike so amazing is the journey with the friends.

Sidebar comment (and a very frustrating observation) is how many people we saw on the trail between the Tram and the Summit with no water, no protection for the elements (sweatshirt and tights), improper foot ware (gym shoes). The weather was nice but up there it can change in an instant. I would say probably 70% of the people we saw on the trail were under prepared which puts the Rangers at risk everyday (on our way down we saw 3 Rangers heading up for a rescue as people couldn't descend in their shoes).

The number one reason for rescues (as quoted by one of the Rangers) is "People with their heads up their Ass". If you are going to try this hike (or any other hike) please respect the Mountain and the conditions. We were lucky enough to have solid weather but were prepared for much worse.

Cactus to Clouds is a great trail and worth the adventure (but definitely not as physically challenging as we thought).

Skyline park was open did not attempt to summit

First weekend on November with clear skies. Christine and I started sharp at 1 am from the museum. Took us 16.5 hrs to reach the summit and back down to take Tram. Took a lunch break and refill water at ranger station. The trees and sign at summit had frost, but prefer that that hike up in 3-digit temperature. Long hikes like this one, I always try to do it on full moon (less stress on my vision to find path and avoiding rocks). Like many people mentioned, last part will test you mentally and physically. Moved some rocks and branches to mark trail were trail was not very clear. If possible, do the same to avoid getting people lost and the sake of local rescue personnel.

Very tough but very rewarding. The last quarter is quite steep and challenges your mental toughness. Aside from needing 2-3 litres of water, it is only worth the weight of bringing energy dense foods to minimize what you're lugging up the 8,000 plus vertical feet. For example: Carrots. Are. A. Bad. Idea.

I did this hike with Seth and John in November and while it was a wonderful day spent hiking in the sunshine I realized at about 5500 feet that I had completely underestimated the physical and mental requirements that this trek required. Let me advise potential hikers to do a few things before doing this trail: 1. do get more than 3 hours of sleep 2. instead of drinking beer until bedtime the night prior, drink water 3. do eat a hearty breakfast; do not only drink a large mug of black coffee with an excessive amount of coconut oil. 4.do bring snacks that are appetizing and delicious; do not bring a whole summer sausage and a block of sharp cheddar cheese that will inevitably become as warm as the desert you are hiking in. That being said, we started our quest in the early morning (2:30). If I remember correctly we started off at around 400 feet, only 10,000+ more to go guys! The early morning part of it was really cool and as we got higher in elevation we noticed to the lights of Palm springs dotting the desert floor and the grandeur of the mountain revealed itself as the sun slowly rose. San Jacinto is huge so appreciate its beauty but don't let it intimidate you. I remember at about 5500 feet the trail goes from very strenuous to "what the f***" as the grade takes a sharp turn upwards and it does not let up until you reach the ranger station. Hydration is key to this hike. Kudos to those who have done this hike in the summer. I brought 3 liters of water and was sucking air from my pack by the time we made it to the ranger station. Once we made it there we used about 30 minutes to refill water, and eat some grub. The families with young children, the elderly tourists, the teenagers in jeans and tennis shoes that may have taken the tram up to the ranger station did not seem to understand the pure exhaustion that was painted all over my face and in such a beautiful environment, I understood but I didn't let their bright, smiling faces get me down so we pressed onward toward the summit which at that point is still 5 or so miles away. The ranger station is really the only easy part of this hike and the remaining five miles are still very strenuous but the views along the entire route are awesome and a well-earned reward each step you make towards the top. Eventually we did it make it to the top, where Seth valiantly fought off some altitude sickness to have our picture taken by one of the many visitors that shared the peak with us that day. We spent about 30 minutes at the top before we began the 5 mile journey back to the visitor center where we reveled in our accomplishment over some cold grog that we found at the bar in the restaurant that is located inside of the visitor center. I don't remember exactly how long the entire hike took us but we estimated that we hiked from 2:30/3 a.m. to about 5 p.m. I highly recommend this hike but just prepare for it better than I did and you will be fine!

Did this in November. 3 am start time, lost the trail once or twice in the beginning but it gets more defined as you go up. The trail is not challenging, if there were snow on the route that would change things dramatically. That being said, the forecast called for clear sky’s but light flurry’s of snow did come in around 8:30 and went off and on throughout the day. From trail head to the top and back to the tram took us 13 hours.

Hardest day hike I have ever done! I was not in the best of shape so it took 14.5 hours for me to summit. I was cramping out towards the end of the first 8000 ft. I stretched out at the ranger station and gutted the rest of the hike out. I want to improve my time and do it again in October which is when we went in 2017. I do not recommend doing it in the summer months. No water until the tram and I used every drop of the 4 liters I carried with me by the time I got there.

Awesome hike for the serious, well prepared only. Super steep, long, and treacherous at upper elevations with snow. Very challenging, very rewarding. Cold beers at the tram station are on me! Enjoy

This hike is brutally tough. The worst of it is all prior to Long Valley, but it doesn't get easy after that since your legs will feel like sludge from the Skyline Trail section. By starting early in the morning, like 2 or 3 AM early, you'll have the opportunity to view an incredible sun rise. Bring a head lamp and follow the white dots painted on the rocks, especially at the beginning of the hike. This is one hike I highly suggest using a GPS for. Download someone's confirmed gpx file for this and use that for a guide. There are several cutoff "trails" off the main drag of the Skyline Trail that will cause some confusion as to which trail to follow; stick to the white dots and follow the footprints while often checking your gps to confirm your path. Since most people start in pitch black, a map and compass doesn't offer much assistance.

This is by far the hike I am most proud of completing. I lost the Skyline Trail within a mile of Long Valley and spent an hour wandering around lost. I hiked overnight in August. Read as much as you can before the hike to prepare, and make sure you hike with others who are adequately prepared.

Started out @ 0600 got to the tram by 5.
This was a very intense trail, let it be known I carried over 30lbs when I started out.
Tip:
Go light bring at-least 4L of water. Start early to enjoy the sunrise and kick some a$$!

I wouldn't say it's best used from March to October. But I'd say in late fall (when it's no longer hot and just before snow falls) and early spring (when snow has mostly melted at the top and before the desert heat comes back).

Hiked this beast with 3 buddies on Veteran’s day this past weekend and wow what a humbling experience. This hike is as intense as it gets no joke. Went with an avid backpacker, an ex army paratrooper, my brother inlaw who hikes regularly and myself I exercise 3-5 x per week/hike regularly and we all agreed it was the toughest day challenge of our lives. We did half dome in June in a day and this was like hiking up to half dome twice and back down once. No training can prep you for this journey unless you spend all day training for iron man stuff. C2C is actually over 21 miles not 18 as stated here. It’s 10 miles from museum to Tram station (8000 feet elevation gain) and 5.5 more miles up to san Jacinto (2600 feet elevation gain) and 5.5 miles back to tram.

Once you are up a couple miles there is no turning back and you’ll be stuck in the desert until you climb to 8k feet elevation. The first couple miles are steep but you’re fresh and will put them down no problem. It doesn’t really get much easier going up through the desert and mile 8-10, after flat rock, you will be in for torture with the free for all steep grade scramble to the top. Once you hit the top of skyline trail you will feel like you just climbed through hell to heaven. The rest of the hike to San Jacinto was forgettable for me, pretty monotonous albeit with some solid views towards the top. Perhaps i was just over not sleeping for almost 40 hours and hiking for 15+.. Unbelievably hard to continue on that final stretch after the skyline trail battle and with the altitude but we made it.

Views are incredible starting at night watching the city lights and night club sounds slowly fade below you, watching the sun rise from 6k or so feet over the city and the Salton Sea was absolutely amazing i swear you could hear a pin drop it was fantastic, and the landscape changes as you go from desert to mountain were remarkable.

Advice: Go in a group, take 5L of water and refill at tram station, do not hike in summer unless you have a death wish or like stepping next to snakes at night or taking breaks on rocks that snakes hide under, take two meals/snacks/salt tablets/energy gels, bring clothes to accommodate the weather changes as it’s like 20-30 degrees cooler in long valley and up Mt san Jacinto (having sweat drenched shirts when hiking in the cold is no bueno). Hiking poles are an ABSOLUTE must too. This is an insane journey and a bucket list item for the insane like myself. Truly a day i will never forget the rest of my life. Be prepared and go kick some ass!

It's amazing but you better be prepared for a loooong hike. When you see and hear the tram it's NOT over , it goes another 2 hours so just know mentally to keep treating till it evens out. Worth it but very hard because of the elevation which makes breathing hard and it never stops going up! Bring enough water and food. Not good if you have bad knees or if you are in bad shape. Again, prepare!

There’s a reason why this is the 5th hardest day hike in the US. The first 8 miles are difficult, but definitely the last 2 miles before reaching the tram station take the life out of you, it has a very pronounced inclination and wears you out. After the tram station is really easy to go up since you only gain roughly 2000 ft elevation over 5.5 miles.
We started hiking at midnight and we enjoyed the cool night temperatures of palm springs and had breakfast while enjoying the sunrise from ~6000ft elevation. In general it has beautiful views and you can see how the vegetation changes with the altitude gain.
Bring a minimum of 6 lt of waters, plenty of snacks, protein bars, and 2 meals; also wear layers because the change in temperature between the base and the peak is pretty dramatic.

Great hike! And yes it's hard. The mileage from the museum parking to the tram is 15+ miles, not 11 as most sites say so be advised.

This trail will provide a memory that will last a life time. Completed in 1969 no GPS no rescue boxes, little water. only the will to complete. Thank God for a patch of snow to provide energy to make it. Be prepared and stay strong.

Starting at 330 to try and clear most of the low desert before sunrise was key to a successful C2C for my group. Trail is easy to follow for the first ~2m, but after that we relied heavily on our GPS to guide us back to the trail until the sun came up. The final push at Grubb’s Notch on the Skyline Trail is as tough as it is exhilarating. The trip from the tram to the peak is not very difficult, but after Skyline, it felt like it was never going to end! Drank 3L on Skyline and 2L during the the hike up from the Ranger Station. We hiked for just over 15h and enjoyed most of it. :)

3:15 am start. Carrying 6 liters of water, no food. Have been training without consuming any calories during my hikes on the Bear Canyon Trail of Mt Baldy, and I wanted to see if I could do it for C2C.

I should have ditched 3 liters of water to make the ascent to Grubbs Notch easier. That last 2 miles is grueling and the extra weight only makes it worse. Took 6.5 hours to reach Grubbs Notch and begin the 2nd phase to Mt. San Jacinto.

There is a water-refill at the Ranger Station. Make sure you register because a ranger was coming down the trail and checking people to ensure they carried their receipts on their person.

The trek through Long Valley up to the summit is no picnic, but it feels like a leisurely stroll compared to the Skyline Trail. 9.5 hours over 16 miles, 10,250 ft. climb to the summit. 12.5 hours to complete the 21 mile total for return trip to the tram. Next time I'll carry less weight and improve the time. Be prepared to wait up to an hour in line before you could board the tram down for the descent. I was not able to get reception on my iPhone 7, nor was I able to connect to their WiFi so coordinate with others knowing that you might not be able to communicate. Plan ahead.

I highly recommend using Iron Mountain and the Bear Canyon Trail of Mt Baldy as your training hikes to prepare for this beast. And minimize the weight you carry!

I consumed 3.25 liters of water, only. No food or energy drinks. I highly recommend experimenting with using fasting to induce ketosis as your source of energy. Less weight to carry, lower water consumption, no stops for chow. For comparison, I am 6 ft. tall and 165 lbs., 58 years old.

An amazing trail! Come prepared fitness wise as it is very challenging. Come prepared with enough fluids and food. Be patient as it’s a long day of hiking. One of my favorite hikes I have ever done.

Loved this hike. beautiful time of year to hike it. We left at 4:15 AM and I'm glad I had the GPX tracker as we lost the trail several times. Made it to San Jacinto peak at 1 pm and down to the tram by 4. It was hard but not as bad as the reviews make it out to be. Great experience.

Almost a week later and I still cannot believe I completed the infamous "Cactus to Clouds" hike in Palm Springs. Rated the "Fifth Most Difficult Day Hike in the United States" by Backpacker Magazine, the hike starts on the desert floor of Palm Springs (near the cactus) and gains thousands of feet of elevation leading to San Jacinto Peak (up in the clouds).

I woke up at 1:00am Sunday morning (10/15) to meet at my carpool spot by 2:00am. Kiyomi, Jessy, and I headed to Palm Springs and arrived in time for our 4:15am start. Sure it may have been pitch dark but with the desert sun, it heats up quickly and we had to climb as much as possible before the sun would start scorching us. One of my fellow WTC students, Charles, arranged the hike and although I had been incredibly hesitant I decided to give it a go. After all, I thought I was going to stop once we arrived at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

So at 4:15am we started the ascent and there was no turning back. Literally, no turning back... Once you start on the Skyline Trail portion of C2C, you are committed to climbing 8,000+ feet in ~9 miles. Turning around is simply not an option as you would descend into an inferno otherwise known as the desert heat.

The Skyline portion was not terrible until the sun started heating up the exposed trail. I was carrying three liters of water and a 32 ounce Gatorade and reached the tram with about half a liter of water to spare. Water is not available until you complete the Skyline Trail (arrive at the tram). I was thankful for all the snacks I brought - especially the bananas which I am certain helped avoid cramping.

Our group of seven reached the tram around noon (we took a lot of breaks) and enjoyed a break while eating lunch. I felt like I could make the push for the peak - another 5 miles and ~2,500 feet of gain + 5 miles back - so myself and five others departed the tram and headed for the peak. My body started feeling it about two miles from the peak. But, with great determination I continued on. After all, I hadn't hiked ~12/13 miles just to turn around two miles from the destination. Four of us reached the peak. I was overcome with joy as I scrambled up the rocks and caught sight of the "Mt. San Jacinto Peak" sign at about 4:30pm.

"Set your goals high and don't stop till you get there." Well, I followed this quote and reached the summit. Unfortunately, what goes up must come down. The trek back to the tram was exhausting - both mentally and physically. My feet were aching, my muscles were sore, and the sun was setting faster than we were descending. It was time to put the headlamp back on; we started the hike with it and we finished with it as well. Reaching the tram around 7:00pm, I had never been so happy to end a hike (and that's saying something!!) We waited for the rest of the group, took the tram down, hopped in an Uber, and returned to the Palm Springs Art Museum where we had left the car 14+ hours before.

My Fitbit said I walked/hiked more than 68,900 steps/28.4 miles on Sunday - more than most people walk in an entire week. It was exhausting and I seriously contemplated calling in sick to work yesterday as my body felt like it was ran over by a semi truck but I did it. I completed the "Fifth Most Difficult Hike" in the entire United States. I had hiked from the Cactus to the Clouds. I completed the trek to San Jacinto's boulder-strewn crown in such a way that is only 800 vertical feet shorter than the climb from Everest basecamp to the summit and comparable to doing more than a thousand flights of stairs. This hike was no joke and everyone even thinking about attempting it should do their homework and check it twice.

10/21/2017 grueling but rewarding trail. Do your research, there are many great resources online. Let me say that again: do your research, and check out the incredible resources that are online for free. Unfortunately I did not stop to enjoy the scenery through the pain...
Started at 1 am, got to the tram area by 9 am, summitted just before 1 pm, got back to the tram just before 5. Surprisingly, I had pretty consistent cell service (AT&T fwiw) all the way to the tram. I hiked solo but I (correctly) suspected that there would be others hiking that day; I saw two other cars of hikers in the parking lot and one other solo hiker. Took just under 6L of fluids with me, which turned out to be far too much since I was quite chilly on the skyline trail, and I only drank about 3L of fluids on that stretch. It was my first time hiking in the dark and I forgot that I'm scared of the dark...would not recommend but I made it through. Again, it was reassuring that I knew that there were others on the trail 10-30 min behind me, since I lost the trail a few times, and once I lost it quite badly. I use AllTrails for GPS nav, but I'm sure that there are other great apps and gadgets out there. Timing wise, I passed Rescue 2 before dawn and hit Flat Rock around dawn.
Leaving the tram area, I felt pretty great, since I was open to stopping at the tram if need be. By the time I got to the divide, I was still feeling fine but hiking slowly. The last two miles to the summit and the descent were hell. I was completely exhausted and starting to feel the effects of elevation, which made it feel worse than even the ascent to Grubb's Notch. I descended at about the same pace that I was hiking uphill, and I had to stop for a nap at the divide on the way down. I definitely was having a bit of a temper tantrum because I was in a lot of pain, so kudos to my boyfriend for being patient and very encouraging.
As preparation for the hike, I had been doing some big hikes all through the summer, and this was the last peak in the "SoCal Six Pack" for me this year. I had done Gorgonio via Vivian Creek about a month prior, and hadn't been at elevation since then. Admittedly, I did not prepare as much as I could have in that month leading up to the hike, but I did stick to a workout regimen the week before (Friday: squats 3 sets of 10 reps at 135#, 1 set of 20 reps at 135#, Saturday: 3.5 mi run, Sunday: 100 body-weight squats, Monday: rock climb and run, Tuesday: 3.5 mi run, Friday: 1 mi light run). I was only sore for about a day afterwards; my calves were the sorest but my quads looked amazing haha. The last caveat is that I am in my 20s so a short lead up and quick recovery are privileges that I understand I will probably not enjoy for too much longer. If you build up those muscles and prepare yourself (especially mentally!), you can do it!

Amazing hike. Started at 0300 and we were at the summit and back to the tram in 13.5 hours.