Trip to Idyllwild

This past Monday, Gail and I went for a 3 day stay in Idyllwild, in the San Jacinto Mountains.  Idyllwild is a mountain town at about the 5,300 foot level, and is famous for its school of music and art.  It is small enough to have no traffic light!  We rented a little cabin for our stay.

*Note - clicking on the pictures will make them big and beautiful!

Not luxurious, but good enough!

One must be careful to not run over Bigfoot while driving through town.

Tuesday, we hiked up the Devil's Slide Trail.  Have you noticed how many geologic attractions have the word "devil" in them?

The trail passed under Tahquitz Rock (Lily Rock) which flanks Idyllwild on one side.  Suicide Rock flanks the town on the other side.

The view from the trail after about one mile.

This deer must be quite used to hikers!  The area we hiked in on this day is a designated wilderness area.

The Indian Paintbrush was blooming, as well as snow flower and others.

In one place, I had to move some boulders that had fallen on the trail.

Gail took an anti-gravity pill to make the climb a little easier - I think that's cheating!

After climbing to about the 8,000 foot level, we followed the ridge using the Pacific Crest Trail.  We stopped and had lunch at this overlook where the rocks here fired up our imaginations.  Do you see a skull with teeth?

Looking the other direction towards our destination, Tahquitz Peak, 8,846 feet.

Our lunch spot panorama!

On Tahquitz Peak is this historic fire lookout built in 1937.  We were invited up by a ranger volunteer who is part of a group that is restoring the structure.  Because it is in a wilderness, no power tools can be used.

To learn more, click on this plaque photo.

Inside the lookout. On the center table is the "Osborne Fire Finder".  Electricity and gas are no longer allowed due to the wilderness designation, so the lookout is not functional.

The volunteer's job is to explain the lookout to the public.  He can stay there overnight if he wishes.  He gave up golf after his son preferred to go hiking, so he has become a hiker in the last few years.

Thanks for taking our picture, Mr. Volunteer!

From the tower looking over to Marion Peak.  Behind that and to the right is San Jacinto Peak, which we climbed on July 3rd.

The wind and rain have weathered this wood beautifully.  (Photo inspired by Nick.)

We made a long loop out of the hike by taking another trail down the mountain.  We had to stop at this lovely "window".

Coming almost full circle and looking up at Tahquitz Rock again.

At last, back at the cabin, freshened up, and ready for food and drink!

The master of presentation srikes again!

Wednesday, we hiked the trail up to the top of Suicide Rock.

On the way were areas of wildflowers that reminded me of Northern California.   Columbine were growing next to a little stream.

This is a lemon lily, an iconic flower for Idyllwild.  This weekend is the Lemon Lily Festival at the nature center there.

Gray squirrel eats a snack.

Western Fence Lizard looks back.

The Dog-face Butterfly is California's state insect.  The dog faces are quite evident when the wings open up.

Red dragonfly.

A Painted Lady.

Finally, we arrived on Suicide Rock, and looked across the valley to where we had hiked the day before.  In the foreground is Tahquitz Rock, and the very top is where the lookout is on Tahquitz Peak.

We could have napped a long time atop Suicide Rock!

We saw several Southern Sagebrush Lizards on the way down. 

After spending a leisurely day exploring Idyllwild on Thursday, we headed back to the more typical Southern California.  Just outside of town, Gail had noticed a sticker on the back of a roadsign, not just any sticker, but an Andre The Giant sticker created by Shepard Fairey, that she remembered from the film "Exit Through the Giftshop".  After a little research today, I read that Shepard Fairey graduated from Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts in 1988.  His experiment in phenomenology spread around the world with his symbol of Andre the Giant.  The illusration often has the word "OBEY" under it. 

There is Andre on the back of the bottom sign.

We headed down the mountain and missed an important turn off, which had us sailing out into the desert on Indian land. 

After about 10 miles, we caught our mistake and stopped at this observation point.  Quite a difference from where we were just 40 minutes earlier!  Gail spotted a roadrunner crossing the road while I was resting my eyes, so the error in navigation was worth it.

Desert owies!

We were happy to find that Idyllwild is almost Sierra-like, and is only about two hours from Carlsbad.  We will return, maybe in winter for a little snow-shoeing, or more hiking anytime.  There are great cabins to rent, cool restaurants, and gorgeous surroundings! 

A Comical Bird

Sunday, I took a little hike in a nearby hiking park, Calavera Hills.  I took a faint trail down the steep backside of a little peak where I spotted a large bird plunge into the brush.  After a few minutes, it emerged into a little clearing.  At that pint, I realized it was a roadrunner. 

You can barely see it in the center of this picture.  Moments later, it flew down the hill into some brush.  I thought I would use my iPhone to make a roadrunner call (Chirp U.S.A.) on the chance it would draw it closer.

Wow, it worked!  It came as close as about 12 feet from me, and kept turning its head from side to side checking me out..  I probably was a disappointment, as I learned later the call was a mating call.  The roadrunner did make a rapid clacking sound with its bill. 

Roadrunner in action! 

San Jacinto Peak

We did it!  Yesterday, we conquered 10, 834 foot San Jacinto Peak.  The day began with an early two hour drive to Palm Springs.

So early, in fact, that we were the first ones to the tram parking lot.  The tram was not yet open for business.

To kill time, we drove through Palm Springs.  This has to be the world's largest Marilyn Monroe - no trick photography here!

Later, we returned to the tram parking lot, and were greeted by this big and colorful Granite Spiny Lizard on the steps.

Okay, I have to tell the truth.  We rode the tram from an elevation of 2,643 feet up to 8,516 feet.  This amazing tram is strung over just four towers.  Its two cars are the world's largest rotating tram cars and hold 80 people each.

It takes just 15 minutes for the car to ascend almost 6,000 feet up North America's sheerest mountain face.

From the top of the tram looking down over the Palm Springs region below.  Unfortunately, smog and dust interefered with the view, which can be over 100 miles on a good day.

Most tram riders just go to the gift shop and restaurant, but we were here on a mission of high altitude training.  We started our 12 mile hike that would gain 2,318 feet.  I had some issues with the abrupt altitude change, and suffered some from dizziness and sudden breathlessness.  There was definitely no time to acclimate to the altitude, which can make a big difference.

With all the granite and big pines, there is a definite similarity to The Sierra Nevadas.  This is a snow flower plant (very unusual - look it up on Wikipedia).

The meadows and bogs were pleasant surprises.

We stopped for some lunch along the way.

An old trunk, possibly battered by lightning, fire, or both.

A closer look at the tree's layers of decomposition.

The last stretch is a scramble to the top.

We weren't the only ones to make it to the top.

Mountain woman extraordinaire!

Mountain man needing extra air!

This is the very cool peak shelter built in 1933 by the CCC.  The stone is all dry laid.

Inside are bunks with sleeping bags (note teddy bear!), dry food, and first aid supplies. 

On the way down we paused by this large meadow to watch Violet-Green Swallows catching bugs, and a very hefty deer on the far side.

Does anyone know what these plants are?

At 6:30, we took the tram back down after downing a very expensive beer, apparently the result of no competition.

The tram ride gets all the passengers excited.  Everytime the car goes over a tower pulley, it dips and sways and everyone goes,"Ooooooh!!!"  It was great to find a new area with excellent backpacking and hiking potential that is not overrun by crowds.  We shall return!