[pct-l] Palm Springs trail to San Jacinto

[Freiman, Paul]

Twenty years ago the "Outlaw Trail", as it is correctly known, was a very slight use trail.  Now it is very well defined.  On October 28, 1995 there were at least 78 hikers on the trail.  It is true that the last 1/4 mile is hard to navigate because of so many trail cuts. 

Bivy


Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:27:59 -0800
From: Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com
        <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Palm Springs trail to San Jacinto
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Message-ID:
        <985558DF-E2F9-4A48-ADC0-EBC067195615 at santabarbarahikes.com>
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On Jan 5, 2009, at 9:35 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
>
> I don't think Cactus to Clouds is by any definition a "good" trail,
> although it is more well defined than most realize. It involves 
> 8,000 feet
> of gain in 11 miles, with a lot of the gain at the beginning and 
> the end.
> In season, a very early start is needed to avoid 100+ degree 
> temperatures
> with no shade on the lower part, but side trails can lead one off 
> route.
> In winter, there are icy chutes near the top that have resulted in 
> many
> falls and a few deaths, and currently buried in snow. The upper 
> part of
> the trail is less defined, with some hikers going off route and 
> ending up
> stuck on ledges where they can go neither up nor down. The last 
> pitch is
> deliberately left vague so tourists from the tram don't stumble 
> across it
> and start down somewhere they don't belong. It is strongly recommended
> that the first time you do this you go with someone who has already 
> done
> it.

Pain, suffering, heat, cold, blood, getting lost and hidden from 
tourists isn't the definition of a good trail? I must be hanging with 
the wrong crowd. :)

Piper.