Tee up Tamarack Pines by George Winston
Trees and pianos vibe nicely.
And George Winston is the shit.
I've spent 100+ days in Idyllwild in 2023. A small mountain town of 3,000 people.
It's been cool. And I've gained a lot of perspective.
For me, there was an extreme idealism of what life could be be in a small remote place.
I saw "country life" as an aspirational goal in my life.
Consumed in nature without the distractions of a city.
Similar to my aspirations to "consume my life in nature" with Chill Charters, the seed of the idealism of what a life on the water would be.
Well, that didn't quite work out as planned. A little monotonous and repetitive. It becomes boring with time.
I'm glad I learned that lesson with Chill Charters. And I'm glad I had the chance to not learn that lesson in such an intense way with Idyllwild. A few months was the right amount of time to learn that:
-- San Diego is perfect for me
-- And I still love Idyllwild
::
Idyllwild is the perfect place for a break from the chaos of a city. Sometimes you need a breather, and Idyllwild is exactly that. A breather.
I learned that I love the chaos of a city. I thrive in the chaos. Concerts and food and friends and airport access and stuff happening. All that stuff adds up.
I may like nature the most, but I like all the other stuff collectively more than nature alone.
::
This year I hiked ~214 miles on the mountain. I fell in love with hiking and big epic nature adventures. The bigger and harder the better.
The following is a recap of the joys I experienced up on the mountain. I'll start with the big epic shit.
Mt San Jacinto (All Trails)
It's 22 miles roundtrip to hike from Humber Park to San Jacinto peak (10,800). It's a pretty steady incline the whole trek up, with a friendly decline. Not too steep, but uphill for 10 miles.
It'd be a long day to do in it one, but an option if you start early and do it in the summer.
I think it's perfect for two. The two day, one night backpacking trip is my favorite hiking party trick.
The summit is special. The view at the top does not disappoint. It's the only 360 view in the area, with sweeping perspective in all directions. Seeing Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, and Anza Borrego from up top was really tight.
We camped at Round Valley and found a very pleasant campsite next to a small creek about a mile from the summit. Great disc golf too.
Little Tahquitz Valley Campground
For an abbreviated option for the two day one night adventure, we camped at Little Tahquitz.
All in it was about 12 miles, which made for two very easy and relaxing days of hiking. The connection point between Devils Slide and South Ridge is a flat 3 mile stretch with big, epic views looking South on the ridgeline. It's the closest place from San Diego with big rocks, big trees, and big nature.
The camping spot is super chill. We camped on a beach, situated at the creek, in a beautiful valley. A true delight.
A host of great options for disc golf and a relaxing day and night on top of the mountain.
The backpacking stuff is really a summer activity unless you're willing to brace the cold. On a recent trip in late September, the nights dipped down to 30 degrees, and I don't fuck with cold nights.
The Loop (All Trails)
This was my go to. One word: pleasant.
If you want to skip the backpacking, just turn that 12 miles into a day hike. Make sure to pop out on the stretch that connects Devils Slide to South Ridge. Tons of cool cuts with big rocks and big views. Easy to find if you keep your eyes open for lightly marked trails off the main stretch.
I loved doing this hike in the fall last year (October - December). The open valley at the top was covered with snow and made for a beautiful adventure. I love hiking in the snow, because you don't have to follow trails. Open terrain and beauty in every direction.
Definitely make sure to get micro spikes, because there's some sketchy sections near the top of the South Ridge that you don't want to fuck with (a lesson learned once, the sketchy way).
South Ridge in the Snow
If you're looking for adventure, keep an eye on the snowfall in the winter (January - March). It doesn't snow often so you gotta be strategic. Aim to hit South Ridge the morning after a huge snowfall. First trek up after a big snow is pure bliss.
Snowshoeing up South Ridge was my favorite of all my days in Idyllwild. The initial two miles up the forest road are tough, but when you get to the trailhead, it's a massive open field and everything is fair game. Completely alone and surrounded by snow and beauty.
Lily Rock (All Trails)
This is the destination for proper rock climbing, a sport I don't care to entertain.
If you park at Humber Park, hang a right at the very beginning of the trail. It's a very challenging 45 minute hike that is straight up. Not for the faint of heart.
But it does not disappoint, this is easily my favorite destination in all of Idyllwild. Lily Rock looks big when you're in town. But when you're standing at the base, it provides a completely different appreciation for how cool this rock is.
The terrain up here is unfriendly (a strong will is needed), but you could easily spend a full day exploring cool big rock ledges at the base of Lily. Glorious rock patios.
Make sure to take very acute notes when you get to the base. Finding the trail back down is a challenge, but taking very special note of unique trees, rocks, paths will help you stitch your way back to the main trail on the way back. Don't fuck this up or expect an extremely unfriendly hike back.
Suicide Rock (All Trails)
This hike is cool too. This is probably the easiest fastest route to big epic views.
The hangout on top is super chill.
Ernie Maxwell (All Trails)
5 mile roundtrip hike connecting South Ridge to Humber Park. This is the connector between the two if you only have one car or no pickup on the loop.
It's really easy, really pretty, and a great option if you want a 1-2 hour option to experience the beauty of nature in Idyllwild. I recommend starting on the South Ridge side.
::
What's Next?
I can't wait to do this Palm Springs hike. It's about 8 miles from Humber Park to the Palm Springs tram. I look forward to doing a long weekend from Idyllwild --> Palm Springs --> Idyllwild via tram.
There's probably 30-40 miles of trail that I haven't hit on top. My goal is to touch every mile on top of the mountain. All these trails interconnect, and I want to see them all.
I really want to hike the entire section of the PCT that runs through Idyllwild. I believe it's a ~50 mile trek from Anza to I-10. That'll probably be 4-5 night backpacking trek.
::
Other Pro Tips in Idyllwild
-- Bring your own alcohol because they fuck you in town
-- Idyllwild Pizza Co is my favorite food spot, followed by the bagel shop
-- HELP Center is my favorite thrift store, followed by the church in town (weekends)
-- Jazz Fest is the first week of July, super small and super cool
-- myidy.net highlights music stuff, and Farro is my favorite for random music
-- keep an eye on the weather, it's high enough that it can be moody
