Hiking, come Hail & Highwater

[Sally]

Well, it seems that EVERYBODY was on San Jacinto last weekend, due to the re-opening of the tram. Having to go to work, I was very envious. Also I had not visited the San J's since before the fires. So, I was much obliged when Ellen agreed to do the Deer Springs trail with me on Tuesday. Our first choice was to go up Deer Springs and down Devil's Slide, but a call to the ranger station confirmed my suspicion that a chunk of the trail from the Peak to Humber Park was closed. We then decided to take Deer Springs up, and go down Marion Mountain trail.

Ellen and I met at the foot of the road to the Marion Mountain trailhead and Ellen followed me to the parking area. After some hemming and hawing, we figured out how to get into the parking lot without getting stuck in any of the gullies caused by recent rains. We left Ellen's car there and drove in my car to the Deer Springs TH.

On the trail by 6:40, we made it to San J Peak at about 11:30. We had our snack while watching the quickly changing cloud show. Before heading back down I had the pleasure of meeting Ellen's friend Joe.

We made our way back down and when we reached the trail crew encampment below the Fuller Ridge junction, we found many members of the crew industriously engaged in all sorts of work. We really couldn't tell just what it was they were doing, but they were doing it in earnest! One of them was using a peculiar looking and sounding tool doing who knows what.

Then we took the Marion Mountain trail at the junction. The clouds got darker and were spitting a light sprinkling at us. Thunder was rumbling, but it wasn't too close. There was no need for raincoats as it was fairly warm and it wasn't raining hard. When we were about a half hour from the trail's end I made a comment to the effect that we weren't getting THAT wet "knock on wood," and within a minute it was coming down harder. The thunder intensified and now we were seeing lightening. Another minute later the skies opened up completely. We looked at each other and simultaneously reached into our packs for our rain jackets. Then we were pummelled by pea-sized hail stones. We picked up the pace as the trail turned into a muddy stream. Figures, I was wearing my brand new boots, a pair of Moab Ventilators, or "sponginators" as I call them. Adrenaline was kicking in as we focused on getting back to the car before it could float away.

Whew! the car was still there and we were able to navigate it back onto the road and into Idyllwild. There was much excitement in town as it looked like it was under 3 inches of snow. We had Mexican at the place across from the ranger station. Back at my car, there was still plenty of hail on the ground, and an eerie cloud of steam arose from the highway, making seeing the road practically impossible.

It was yet another fantastic adventure... Thank you Ellen!

Got some pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1009477359 ... directlink

[cynthia23]

OMG, the photos of the 'hail pile-up' are crazy! I was hit with a summer hailstorm on MSJ once, but nothing like that! Ouch!

Thanks for a fun post!

[towbradley]

Very nice pic's sally. Am shooting for next saturday to run up devils slide to either fire watch tower or, if able, to s.j peak. Who knows. But am anxious for clean air and those blue skies.

[zippetydude]

Great post Sally! Somehow the crazy unplanned adventures are the most fun, huh? I especially like the picture with the hail, cactus, and fir trees in the background - it really shows the strange intertwining of climatic influences that San Jacinto experiences.

z

[Ellen]

Howdy Sister Sally

Thanks so much for a fabulous day and trip report -- you definately come up with creative titles. Are you perhaps related to HJ and Arocknoid

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Sally]

Thank you, everyone!

Hey Ellen, was the gentleman that I met at the top named Joe or Jack? (Blame it on the thin air!)

And, no, I think HJ and Arocknoid come up with their stuff spontaneously, whereas I have to really labor over it, and it still comes out corny!

[Hikin_Jim]

Are you perhaps related to HJ?

What the hail are you talking about? You're obviously all wet. Your judgement was clouded (or was that just stream of consciousness?). Hey, I'm willing to go with the flow here, but don't treat me like I'm some kind of drip. I mean I am working on lightning up, but by thunder don't push me -- we've already got a stormy relationship! One more remark out of you, and I'll give you a most weathering glance.

I'm not trying to precipitate a crisis here, so I say let it all drop, OK?

HJ

[cynthia23]

UR the punmaster, HJ!

[trcar]

I haven't the foggiest idea what he is all worked up about!

[Ellen]

Howdy HJ

Is it possible to expire from laughing -- you're killing me

Gotta add this to "HJ's Field Guide to the Puns of the San Jacinto's"

What the hail are you talking about? You're obviously all wet. Your judgement was clouded (or was that just stream of consciousness?). Hey, I'm willing to go with the flow here, but don't treat me like I'm some kind of drip. I mean I am working on lightning up, but by thunder don't push me -- we've already got a stormy relationship! One more remark out of you, and I'll give you a most weathering glance.

I'm not trying to precipitate a crisis here, so I say let it all drop, OK?

HJ