October 16, 1999
2:47 AM, Holiday Inn Select, Room 513, San Diego, CA, elev. Sea Level: Joe, alone on a business trip, awakens to find his bed rolling around the room. Momentarily forgetting where he is, he blurts,"Georgette! What the HELL are you DOING?!!"
Just as the earthquake peaks, Joe decides to find shelter. Too late. Oh well, back to sleep. Two more aftershocks disturb his sleep but not enough to get him out of bed.
5:30 AM: Joe learns that there was a 7.1 earthquake just north of his planned hike. Having no alternative plans and having already shipped all his hiking maps and books home he decides to go out as planned. Hopefully the Palm Springs Arial Tramway will be inspected and running.
9:00 AM, Palm Springs Arial Tramway Valley Station, elev. 2643': Only 8 or 9 people in the station and all of them hikers. In line buying his ticket, Joe overhears two hikers ahead of him quizzing the operator.
Hiker: "So
you guys inspected this thing, right? I mean the earthquake
epicenter was only 30 miles north of here and this thing gets
really high."
Operator: Oh, yeah. Normal procedure. No problem.
Do this all the time"
H: "Cool! Nice to know you guys
are on top of things."
Joe: "Exactly how do you
inspect the Tram? Tower inspections? Cables? Or something
else?"
O: "Oh. Well, we send the Tram up
to the top. If it comes back, we send up tourists."
Everyone is feeling much better.
9:30 AM, Palm Springs Arial Tramway, Mountain Station, elev. 8516': 8 Hikers have just completed the most nervous 15 minute, 2.5 mile ride of their lives. Knuckles are white. There is a rush to clear the tram car.
10:00 AM, San Jacinto Park Ranger Station, elev. ~8500': Joe begins the 6 mile ascent to San Jacinto Peak.
11:00 - 12:30, Somewhere on the Trail, elev. 9000'+: From time to time, Joe is stumbling up the trail. Convinced he must need energy, he eats a Power Bar or two. Only later does he learn that the stumbling was due to the "hundreds of aftershocks" that the area was experiencing.
12:30 PM, San Jacinto Peak, elev. 10,804': Joe summits his first peak over 10,000' and begins to enjoy the views. Strikes up a conversation with some locals.
Locals: "How
long did it take you to get here?"
Joe: "About 2 and a half
hours."
L: "Really? Where'd you
start?"
J: "The Tram"
L: "Oh. So you stayed in the park
overnight?"
J: "No. I drove in this
morning."
L: "Where were you this
morning?"
J: "San Diego"
L: "Oh. Sea level, huh... How's
your head feeling?"
J: "Now that you mention it, I am
getting a headache."
L: "Not surprised. You summited a
little quickly for having been near sea level less than 4 hours
ago."
2:00 PM, God Only Knows Where, elev. - Somewhere Lower Than the Summit: Oh, the pain! Joe's head is pounding. Each step is like someone hitting his head with a sledge hammer.
4:00 PM, Palm Springs Arial Tramway Valley Station, elev. 2643': Sweet Relief! Lesson learned. Acclimate! But gotta do that one again!
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"All these Southern California
summit photos are starting to look the same. I better
change my shirt and hat next time."
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Palm Springs, CA. - Temp. 104º F
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"Toto! I don't think we're in the Adirondacks any more." |