[pct-l] Idyllwild Enter/Exit

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning,



I enjoyed Devil’s Slide.  It was a nice change-of-pace.  I was not looking
forward to the road walk to town from the park, but just as soon as I
reached the parking lot at the end of the trail, Squatch was there and
offered me a ride.  Thanks again, Squatch.  The next morning I got a ride
back up to the park from the manager of one of the hotels in town – and I
hadn’t even stayed at his hotel.



Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT -- 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

On Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 8:49 AM, Erik The Black <erik at eriktheblack.com>wrote:

> The Devil's Slide Trail is a great little trail. I've been up and down it
> half a dozen times and I really like it.
>
> But, I think it gets a bad rap because of the circumstances under which
> most
> thru hikers encounter it.
>
> You see, the PCT leading up to Saddle Junction is the steepest and most
> rugged up to that point. It's a big contrast to the rolling hills and lazy
> switchbacks in the southern 150 miles. Some people even refer to it as the
> "mini Sierra".
>
> By the time you reach Saddle Junction (from which Devil's Slide trail
> descends to Idyllwild) you are absolutely beat from climbing all day! It's
> getting late and you had hoped to be in town hours ago. So you're grumpy
> and
> pissed off and the last thing you want to do is stumble down two miles of
> steep, root-covered, seemingly never-ending trail to the end of an
> abandoned
> trailhead, from which you may have to walk another 2.5 miles on hard
> pavement into town.
>
> However, if you do it first thing the next morning, when you are fresh and
> relaxed, it is an entirely different experience. The Devil's Slide Trail
> has
> everything going for it. It's beautiful, shaded and there is water along
> the
> way. Birds are singing and trees are overhead and it's one of the first
> times you get to walk in the woods after a hundred miles of mostly desert.
>
> You can't camp at Saddle Junction. It isn't allowed. But there is a creek
> two miles before you get there (south). This is where I always camp the
> night before going into Idyllwild.
>
> There is a practical reason for using Devil's Slide instead of hitching in
> from 74 too. It shortens the stretch from Idyllwild to Big Bear (which is
> also a challenging section).
>
> Cabazon is not really a good resupply option. It's hot, the hitching sucks,
> and there isn't much there to warrant the trip. If you are going to hitch
> anywhere from I-10 go to the right into Palm Springs. This isn't easy
> because it's illegal and impractical to hitch on the Interstate and there's
> virtually no traffic on the frontage road. Most hikers do a straight shot
> from Idyllwild to Big Bear.
>
> -Erik The Black
>
> "The Ultimate, Ultralight Pacific Crest Trail Maps & Guidebook"
> www.pctatlas.com
>
> PS. Hiking back up Devil's Slide with a full pack is not that bad either.
> I've gone up Devil's Slide with a full pack several times and it's always
> easier than expected, especially after a good breakfast in Idyllwild.
>
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