![]() ![]() ![]() Palm Springs Fire Department Battalion Chief David Rees said he understands the appeal to take such a daunting journey, but he doesn't believe the Skyline Trail is meant to be a life-threatening trek. "If people make really bad decisions, you can do a lot to mitigate things, but you're never going to get to 100 percent." "You can't fix stupid," said Jim Barbor, who's been hiking in the San Jacinto Mountain Range since the 1960s. Still, Coachella Valley locals and visitors alike continue to hit the Skyline Trail every summer, perplexing and angering rescue volunteers and other avid hikers. Few vacationers flock to the Coachella Valley for its hiking trails - especially in the summer. Yosemite, of course, is one of the premier hiking destinations in the country and saw nearly four million park visits in 2014. To compare, according to a story by Outside Magazine, from 2006 to the spring of 2014, five hikers died while attempting to climb Half Dome in Yosemite National Park - a trek that used to see thousands of visitors on weekend days before a permit system limited it to just 300. Five individuals died from their injuries. Of those, 40 involved hikers suffering from heat-related trauma. Since 2009, 61 rescue missions have taken place on the Skyline Trail below the tram, according to data collected by The Desert Sun. Yet still, the Cactus to Clouds Trail - more specifically the Skyline Trail segment - boasts not only one of the most difficult sections of trail in the country, but also one of the most dangerous and deadly. Oregon's Timberline Trail is longer, New Hampshire's Pemi Loop offers more elevation change, New York's Great Range Traverse takes hikers up and over nine peaks and Colorado's Windom Peak scares visitors off its summit with violent thunderstorms. Later that day, air temperatures in Palm Springs reached a sweltering 116, but Liebler's body wouldn't be recovered until 30 hours later.īack in May 2005, Backpacker Magazine released a list of America's hardest day hikes, with the Cactus to Clouds route coming in at No. I don't want me to be what's keeping you from doing the hike." We started going down, and then he goes, 'This is silly. "It was still dark, and it was starting to get pretty hot. "I said, 'I don't know if this is a great idea,' " Elser said. ![]() Elser taught physics at Cornell University, no intellectual slouch himself.īut as the morning sun rose over the Little San Bernardino Mountains, casting natural light on the daunting task ahead, the pair made a glaring mental error that would cost Liebler his life. ![]() government, developing secret codes for covert communication. Liebler had been a mathematics professor at Colorado State University since 1972 and also performed national security work for the U.S. To reach the tram, they had to hike about 10 miles while gaining roughly 8,000 feet on the Skyline Trail, a section of hiking that's proven in recent years to be one of the most dangerous and deadly day hikes in the country. The two were in southern California to do some consulting work, and Liebler had made plans to hike up to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway solo during some time off.Įlser, who had some hiking experience himself, decided to give Liebler some company before the pair met friends at the Mountain Station and headed to the top of Mount San Jacinto at 10,834 feet, completing the Cactus to Clouds Trail. Alongside colleague Veit Elser, the two longtime college professors slowly trudged upward, getting lost multiple times in the predawn light on the numerous dusty paths leading them away from their destination, losing precious time.Įven in the early morning hours, the temperatures hovered around 90 degrees. July 18, 2009, Robert Liebler's boots crunched in the desert sand on the mountainside just above the Palm Springs Art Museum. $5 at the door or get your free tickets ahead of time on Eventbrite.Around 3 a.m. 6 and 7 at The Expo at World Market Center from 10 a.m. The Holiday Arts, Craft and Gift Festival takes place on Nov. So grab the kids and friends, get dressed as your favorite superhero and head to this awesome event. The event features workshops, drawing classes, special appearances and more. So come on down to desert breeze park on Saturday and find treasures new and old.Īlso on Saturday, the 13th Annual Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival will take place at the Clark County Library from 9:30 a.m. Organizers say there will also be food trucks at the event. There is no entry fee to browse and shop. Come here for fun things to explore in the Las Vegas area every Saturday and Sunday.ĭesert Breeze Community Center is hosting a Community Garage Sale on Nov. LAS VEGAS (KTNV) - Welcome to the Community Calendar, a weekly feature showcasing community-minded events throughout the weekend. ![]()
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