Hike Skyline Trail (Cactus to Clouds), Palm Springs, California

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The Skyline Trail (Cactus to Clouds trail) in Palm Springs, California starts at the Palm Springs Art Museum and accends to San Jacinto Peak. The hike is a very hard way to hike up to Mt. San Jacinto Peak. It is considered the 5th hardest day hike in the country. The trail has the greatest elevation gain of any trail in the US. It climbs 7,900 feet from the desert to Long Valley (at the Top of the tram), then joins with the main trail to San Jacinto Peak, which adds another 2,600 feet. Although the Skyline Trail is not officially mantained by the California State Parks or the Bureau of Land Management, it is in good shape and is not difficult to follow. It takes 7 to 9 hours to hike to the Tram. This challenging trek, which stretches to 14 miles (23 km) and 10,300 feet (3,100 m) to the Peak (12.5 miles (20 kilometers) one-way to the tram, 7,900 feet elevation gain), can be completed in a single day, but most choose the return via the Tramway rather than hike back down. Alternatively, hikers can spend the night on the mountain and return another day the way they came. For the truly adventurous there is also a mountaineering route from the town of Snow Creek that will provide an extreme challenge and access to the summit. The trail begins at around 500 feet (150 m) elevation near the Palm Springs Art Museum. The hike starts on the Museum Trail for about 1.5 miles to a flat area with a couple of picnic tables. It then continues on the east side of Mount San Jacinto along a ridge between Chino Canyon and Tahquitz Creek. The route goes straight east along the ridgeline. It makes a northward turn at 7,500 feet (2,300 m), a difficult part known as "The Traverse", before turning east again to reach Long Valley. In Long Valley, hikers usually take a break at the tramway facilities at 8,400 feet (2,600 m). Most descend via the tramway at this point. The remainder of the route follows a well-maintained trail to the summit of Mount San Jacinto. The hike is especially dangerous during the winter when there is ice on the trails, and during the summer when there is extreme heat. The primary hazard of Cactus to Clouds is the weather, in particular the extreme variance between the desert start and the subalpine end. Temperatures in the lower portions of the trail can reach up to 110 °F (43 °C), while temperatures of −10 °F (−23 °C) are not uncommon at the summit of Mount San Jacinto in the winter. For these reasons, the hike usually begins in Palm Springs very early in the morning, as early as midnight. The hike is typically done in Fall or Spring. When arriving at Long Valley, pick up a free, self-issued wilderness permit at the Ranger Station if planning to continuing to the peak. Bring lots of water and food and pace yourself accordingly. Bring layers if the weather is cold. It is much colder at the peak and with elevation. It will cost $12 to take the tram down. The last tram down is at 9:45 PM nightly. Either take a taxi/uber back to the car, if parked at the Art Museum. Or leave a car at the tram parking lot before the hike. The tram parking lots open at 6:30 AM in case parking a car for a shuttle after the hike. Do it the night before if planning on starting very early.

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