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!
2 comments:
I saw the skull and teeth in that rock!
Looks like a great getaway. The hikes are beautiful! And that volunteer has quite a pleasant gig!
The Andre the Giant graffiti was interesting. How cool that Gail recognized it and that you put the story together. If I were Andre, I would have been flattered. Maybe he did sue at one point, but I'm pretty sure he passed away some time ago. See? Now his memory lives on in that cool graffiti.
I stand corrected. Fairey was sued by the AP for creating his Hope image of President Obama from an AP photo. The suit was later dropped. Andre did die in 1993.
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