Ranch of the Seventh Range

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY

I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to the cooler days of Fall. While desert dwellers love the stark beauty of our harsh environment and would not trade it for all the mountains, beaches and plains on earth, we do grow weary of the infernal heat of summer. While it keeps the year round population of our area from becoming like that of Los Angeles it also limits my ability to explore beyond the few hours on the fringes of daylight. Thankfully, it will soon be coming to an end.

I had several ideas on where to go hiking today. I thought about going to the Tram, back to the Mecca Hills, to Joshua Tree. Ultimately I did not feel like driving to any of those spots and went over near Lake Cahuilla to hike near the site of the old horse stable, The Ranch of the Seventh Range.

The rocks here tell the story of water, when the ancient Lake Cahuilla filled the entire southern region of the Coachella Valley with a lake that was 27 times larger than the Salton Sea.

There are a few trails but mostly the area is open desert behind this flood control berm.

Or at least it was. There a now several reservoirs behind this chain link fence. It is part of a groundwater recharge facility intended to pump water back into the ground to replenish the aquifer which lies under the desert. We are, in a sense, lucky that our water is underground. Were it not Los Angeles might have stolen it like they did the water of the Owens Valley.

The sun leaves me alone with the stillness of the open desert and the unusual sound of water.

Wanting to see more of the recharge station I decide to climb up this little hill.

The recharge station spreads out across the desert.

For some reason I am now suddenly very thirsty.

Looking out toward the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto National Monument I look forward to the coming cooler days when I will be able to explore here more greatly. Tonight, however, I have to get home to watch the Ken Burn's special on the National Parks.

For some reason I have always been drawn to these twin mountains. On some cooler day in the future I will climb these. I'll let you know what's up there.

The Painted Desert

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY SEVEN

Work and family left me little time to hike today and tomorrow will be a similar day. I need to find a new job. Where can I apply as a professional hiker?

I headed up to the Kahlua Trail later than I'd hoped. Except for this little portion at the beginning of our hike, the shade was gone. We'd be walking in the sun.

For all the graffiti abatement programs the city has this area never seems to get cleaned up. I'm thinking that maybe I should call the graffiti hotline.

Not only do these taggers leave their marks, they also leave their cans. I'm definitely contacting the city TODAY. Since it's out of view I bet they don't even know and most hikers probably forget about it once they get back to their cars. I wonder how long it'll take the city to clean up this mess.

Kahlua fancies herself as a hunter but there is no way she can catch one of these Antelope Ground Squirrels. They are too quick and too smart and as much as Kahlua loves the outdoors she's not much of a hunter. Just don't tell her I said that.

Only the start of the Kahlua Trail is really much of a trail. I think anytime we come up here we go a different way and never leave much to follow the next time. Starting next year we're going to have to make this a real project. Dog people need more area to hike around here.

I wonder what this wash basin thing is doing here. Hiking around I see so much interesting stuff and always wonder the story behind it.

We head up into the sun and it is starting to really warm up.

Kahlua is looking for some place to lay in the shade. She has NEVER done this before. Of course, I usually don't bring her into the direct sunlight. That black coat isn't made for sun.

I let her lay down for a while and get her some water. She doesn't need much time to rest and we're on our way again. Cooler weather can't come soon enough for either of us.

We get to the base of the hill and I give her another moment to rest. There's a perfect little den for her to kick back before our return home so I can shower and head to work. We'll get this trail done one of these days; I just have to remember to work in some shade along the way.

Visiting Hours

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT

A few weeks ago I took my boys and two of their friends to the Idyllwild Nature Center. There was only one problem: it was Monday and the Nature Center is closed on Mondays. It didn't matter too much that day because we did another hike but I wanted the kids to see the Center so today we came back. The boys really liked the Center. In fact, they liked it so much that none of them wanted to go hiking. Finally, Eliot decided to go alone but the rest of the boys stayed behind.

The Nature Center is really easy to find. It's right on Highway 243, just west of Idyllwild and right across from the Deer Springs Trailhead. It's $2 for adults and $1 for kids.

I left the boys at the Center and took Eliot out on the Summit Trail hike. Once you're on the trail the signs are actually pretty good but near the Center, not so much.

Good thing there's not any water in the creek. This is not a very good bridge.

The trail is big and easy to follow. Thankfully, most of it is shaded because despite our elevation of over 5,000 feet, it's still a bit warm today.

There are lots of signs all along the trail making it a good place to bring the family, especially if they are directionally challenged.

There are a lot of boulders for kids to climb on or under.

The trail starts gaining some really good elevation once it starts to leave the campground.

Once you get up a little bit you get a very nice view of Tahquitz Rock.

Eliot has had enough. He heads back to the Center and I continue on. This is the last I see him for several hours and only after a major search involving several agencies is he located. Just kidding. He makes a detour through the campground to get some water but makes it to the Center no problem. It's not really very far.

I get to what I think is the summit and there's a big cross there. Only it's not really the summit.

I wonder across the plateau and find a big pile of logs and wonder if this is the summit. Nope.

I think maybe these rocks are the summit but I can't really be sure. There is really no distinct top to this hill, at least that I can find. How do you call a trail the "Summit Trail" when there's not really a summit?

After all my wandering around looking for the summit I lost the trail and have to go cross country to get back to the Center. I find I'm not the only one who's done it because there are a couple of little use trails up here. Fun stuff.

Once I connect with the trail I easily find my way back to the Center and collect the boys. We head home because I have to work this afternoon but sometime we're going to have to come back to camp at the Campground and do a bit more exploring. I'd like to find that elusive summit some day.

Back So Soon?

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY

While I try to hike in a different place every day but sometimes it's not possible. Generally I wait weeks or even months before going back to an area but today I went back to a hike that I just started on Wednesday. I found a new trail and wanted to see where it went.

The trail I take is well marked. It even is marked when it travels over some bigger rocks.

As I turn off of the main trail onto the trail that goes up the canyon there are several Indian trail shrines.

I follow the trail up the canyon to see what I can find. It is easy to see where to go at this point.

That doesn't last, however. As I get to this wash the trail pretty much disappears.

I guess I'll just go over here and see if I can see anything.

I've come quite a way from where I started. It hasn't been difficult even though it's a constant uphill. The footing is not great since I'm stepping on rocks the whole way but after a while you get used to it.

I don't see a lot of interest but then this circular thing catches my eye and I have to hop over several boulders to go and check it out.

It is a mirror. I have no idea what good a mirror would be up here but I guess for some people it's important to look your best while exploring.

I look around some more and find a few dry tinajas. There may be some larger ones up here that hold water but I've got to get back and head to work. I don't think I'll be coming back as soon next time. I'll probably wait until fall when the weather cools off a bit.

There's nothing to see here today but the water that catches in here could remain for weeks and would be a nice watering hole for wildlife.

I wish there were some record, or some old guys who knew the history, of this canyon. Since there's not I'll just have to make it up. I've decided to call this Yucatan Canyon since it's above the Yucatan area of La Quinta. Now I just have to get out of here without spraining my ankle.

Cedar Spring Trail, Garner Valley

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE

This afternoon I left the desert and went on one of my favorite little hikes to Cedar Springs. It leaves Garner Valley and climbs up over the Desert Divide to a little spring high in the San Jacinto Mountains.

You start toward the end of Morris Ranch Road and are quickly met by several signs. I think it's obvious that the Oak Grove Trail is closed to the general public.

This gate leads to the Cedar Springs Trail and is the first of four you pass through.

Blah, blah, blah

It's nice that the landowners allows people to cross their property.

This sign is new. I don't think it is really necessary but putting it here gave someone a job and we need more of those these days.

Another new sign and this one is en Español.

Yet more signage. Since I didn't start hiking until after 4:30 I think I'll limit my adventure to going to Cedar Springs. Since the Toll Gate closes at 5:00 I don't think I'll make it there in time.

Another of the gates. Cattle have been known to roam these hills so it's important to close all these gates when passing through them.

There's a picnic table here for the unadventurous hiker. It is only about twenty minutes from the trailhead to get here.

Only adventurous hikers should proceed beyond this point. I have a water bottle and a camera so I'm prepared.

They have another mileage sign because the one I came to 1/2 mile back probably wasn't enough.

At the top of the trail, you cross the Pacific Crest Trail and we have yet another sign. This one has seen its better days, though. The wind up here has beaten it up a bit.

The view from up here is fantastic with the Coachella Valley thousands of feet below.

After a quick mile of downhill, you come to Cedar Springs.

It is a different world from the surrounding chaparral and oak woodland. It's more like a forest here.

It is also a popular campsite.

It has running water.

Although I don't think they have to worry about people washing in this basin.

Or this one.

Near the campground is one of my favorite lunch spots in the San Jacintos. The view is amazing.

And with four bedrock mortars like this one, it's obvious that I am not the first to enjoy this view during a lunch or dinner break.

Cedar Springs is a great little excursion for an afternoon or overnight trip. I ran into a Pacific Crest Trail hiker on his way to Canada who stopped for some water and to enjoy the serenity of the area. It is easily one of the nicest water stops in Southern California and a fun little day hike.