Escape to Idyllwild

Monday, we took the two hour drive up to Idyllwild, a small town on Mt. San Jacinto.  It is at about 5,600 feet elevation, and 2.8 miles below the Pacific Crest Trail.  It has a real Sierra feel.

This is the cabin we stayed in until Wednesday.

Gail watching a Gray Squirrel from inside.

 The squirrels were very entertaining, and the Quiet Creek Inn provided little bags of peanuts for our room.

 We lounged by the creek awhile the first afternoon before taking a hike in the immediate area.

 I enjoyed seeing two Granite Spiny Lizards basking in the afternoon sun - on granite, of course.

Both have lost tails recently, but escaped with their lives.

Pretty flower.

 Thistle.

 The bees were loving all the manzanita flowers.

The signage was a bit much for my little brain!

 Tuesday, we hiked the Devil's Slide Trail up to the PCT where we had lunch and turned around at about 8,500 feet.  Gail burst into yodels at different points along the way, inspired by this hat that belonged to the Tillins.  Gail says it also makes her feel smarter!

 At the "Saddle" looking towards Taquitz Peak, which we climbed twice in the past.

The trees were quite storm battered up on the ridge.

 I'm not sure why some of the big dead pines have this twisted pattern under their bark.

 Silhouette of Dead Tree by Gail

 Back at the grounds of our inn.

 Everything was very clean and tidy.

 Decompressing after our big hike.

Gail spied a game called Anasazi which stated it was for ages 10 and up and could be played in 30 minutes.  No Way!  We spent an hour and a half figuring out the rules and setting up the mesas, towers, etc.  We had great laughs trying to figure it out - not so much trying to play it, though.

Beware!

Wednesday, we took our longest hike up the Deer Springs Trail to Strawberry Junction and another intersection with the PCT.

 A beautiful Granite Spiny Lizard diving for cover.

 Very large oaks.

 Gail posing like a prairie chicken - actually she's in front of a blooming yucca.

 Indian Paint Brush.

 I'm standing beneath a giant mushroom.

 The bark of a Sugar Pine looking like a puzzle.

 There were occasional snow flowers.

 Interesting rock formation.

 Gail captured this rotted out log that still had its side branches left inside.

 As we neared 8,000 feet, we came upon a grove of large cedars.

 Fire survivors!

Nick style photo from Gail.

 Inner log shot.  gb

 Our turnaround point.

We had a bird sighting first for us - Red-breasted Sapsuckers.  They were drumming loudly on high dead limbs.  This is an internet photo.  We also saw a Yellow Warbler, another first.  Other birds seen included Mountain Chickadees, Juncos, a Western Tanager, Mountain Quail, Stellar Jays, Scrub Jays, a Red-tailed Hawk, Ravens, Tree Swallows, and many regulars.  Idyllwild was indeed a very pleasant escape.