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Outside <strong>Idyllwild</strong><br />
<strong>Idyllwild</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Crier</strong>, July 17, 2008 - Page 3<br />
By Bruce Watts<br />
Devil’s Slide Trail<br />
The main artery into<br />
the high country and the<br />
most-hiked trail in our local<br />
mountains is the Devil’s Slide<br />
Trail to Saddle Junction. If<br />
you have done any hiking in<br />
the <strong>Idyllwild</strong> area you probably<br />
have hiked the “Slide” on<br />
more than one occasion.<br />
At 2.5 miles and with 10<br />
or 11 switchbacks (I seem to<br />
get a different count going up<br />
or down), the trail is truly the<br />
gateway to our magnificent<br />
high country. Upon arriving<br />
at Saddle Junction, you have<br />
four trails that go off in different<br />
directions to choose<br />
from, and they lead to alpine<br />
peaks and fern-covered open<br />
meadows.<br />
All that being said, it is<br />
understandable that I would<br />
attempt to hike the Devil’s<br />
Slide and make my first foray<br />
into the high country since<br />
2004. Although the plan was<br />
to get to Saddle Junction, I<br />
am starting to learn that my<br />
goals must be very modest<br />
with the current condition<br />
of my legs and lung power.<br />
I got an<br />
early star t<br />
at 7:30 a.m.,<br />
but the day<br />
turned out<br />
to be much<br />
cooler than I had anticipated.<br />
In fact, it was cloudy on the<br />
way up and most of the<br />
way down. I was hoping the<br />
relatively cool weather would<br />
stop my legs from cramping<br />
up like they did on Deer<br />
Springs.<br />
Once again, the mechanics<br />
of walking eluded me. I<br />
finally came to the realization<br />
that I was not bending my<br />
knees and pushing off like<br />
a normal hiker, and that is<br />
what led to the leg cramps.<br />
I was walking stiff-legged and<br />
only my trekking poles were<br />
keeping me going.<br />
So once again, I had to<br />
lower my goals. I decided to<br />
try and make it to the end of<br />
the fifth and longest switchback.<br />
The idea was to still have<br />
enough energy left to do the<br />
hardest part of the hike, and<br />
for yours truly, that is the<br />
downhill. I just didn’t think<br />
I could handle the 2.5-mile<br />
downhill from the Saddle.<br />
All and all, I would have<br />
to say that I was enjoying<br />
the visual part of the hike<br />
much more then the physical.<br />
The views from the trail of<br />
Tahquitz and Suicide rocks<br />
had me reaching for my<br />
camera over and over. I took<br />
48 photos in about 3 miles<br />
of hiking.<br />
Two of the three streams<br />
that cross the trail were dry,<br />
but the second stream had<br />
one of the best displays of<br />
red monkey flowers I have<br />
ever seen, including one<br />
large bush that had dozens<br />
of blooms.<br />
On the way up, I got many<br />
dramatic views of Suicide<br />
Rock and Marion Mountain.<br />
The low, green vegetation<br />
marked the headwaters of<br />
Strawberry Creek running<br />
down from Marion Mountain<br />
into Fern Valley.<br />
On the way down the rock<br />
gendarmes stood as sentinels<br />
on the ridgeline that leads<br />
down from Tahquitz Peak<br />
to the top of Tahquitz Rock.<br />
<strong>Idyllwild</strong> experienced a<br />
summer thunderstorm<br />
last weekend, and had<br />
quite a light show in the<br />
early hours of Friday<br />
morning while thunder<br />
clapped and lightning lit<br />
up the sky.<br />
Photo by Jenny Kirchner<br />
It’s funny that I had never<br />
noticed this rugged rock<br />
formation before, at least not<br />
from this vantage point.<br />
This hike turned out to<br />
be a wonderful experience,<br />
despite the nagging leg pain,<br />
and once again I am inspired<br />
to keep going every week<br />
and enjoy myself out on the<br />
trail.<br />
Valencia<br />
Oranges<br />
Great for Juicing!<br />
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Open Monday through Sunday, 5:30am to 9pm<br />
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