PCT - Possible Bypass Routes for the Mountain Fire Closure

[Backwoods]

Jim it's all of the things you said and more. It's amazing that buldozers can go straight up something that steep and rocky. It's the old overgrown firebreak by the lake right? I diden't get that close by Lake Hemet I checked it out from the 74 but I have been there pleanty of times I'm pretty sure there's a barb wire fence there by the lake road blocking access too that hillside. I could go on and on but for me atleast knowing what I know about backpacking it gave me a bad feeling and I don't want to hike there is what I meant by Bummer. At the other end off the 243 I was kind of pre occupied looking for a way around the grinding station I diden't have much luck there either it's thick brush. I suppose the only way to know for sure would be to hike the whole thing if the FS dosen't come through and it comes down to that.

[Hikin_Jim]

It's the old overgrown firebreak by the lake right?

Actually it's a service "road" (you can see tire tracks anyway) for the phone lines that run up the hill. You can see the phone lines if you look closely, and the "road" (very crude) basically follows the phone lines.

At the other end off the 243 I was kind of pre occupied looking for a way around the grinding station.

Can you just walk through the grinding station? It looks mostly like a big open dirt area, yes?


HJ

[sweettooth]

Hi,

I'm planning on walking from Palm Springs (well, I'm going to cheat a little and start at the top of the Tram) to San Diego around the second or third week in February. Was going to just take the PCT down to intersect with the Trans County/Sea to Sea route but have been trying to figure out how to get around the closure being discussed here.

Anyone walked most or all of this proposed blue route detour and the yellow route alongside 74? I'm thinking of giving it a go for fun so any current info would be greatly appreciated.

Hiked the PCT this last season and sad I can't revisit what once was in the San Jacinto Wilderness. It's a gorgeous area and I was pretty bummed when we learned of the fire.

Thanks, Sweet Tooth

[hvydrt]

The area around Bald Mountain on your Blue Route is fenced. There is a section of private property there and the rest is state game refuge.

[KathyW]

I don't think there are any easy options to get through the closed area. You could drop down Live Oak Canyon to Palm Canyon (if you can follow the trail) and then hike to Palms Springs where you could take the tram back up into Long Valley and hike out to where the PCT is open at the other end of the closure. That would be a tough work around, but you could take a cab or hitch a ride from Hermits Bench to the lower tram station.

[Hikin_Jim]

Well, through hike season is upon us and there still is no official PCT bypass for the Mountain Fire Closure.

Morgan D, whom some of us here know, just road walked it. Here's Morgan's blog post. Her blog is eminently readable, and she is ripping up the trail. Go, Morgan!

HJ

[Backwoods]

Hey HJ at least we try'd!!!

[Hikin_Jim]

Halfmile just bypassed the Mountain Fire Closure. I've plotted his route on topo maps using his GPX files. Hope it's helpful to some since there's no official bypass route. You'll need to zoom in (a lot) to make sense of the labels and markers.

He's got additional information on his blog:
Bypass Part 1
Bypass Part 2
Bypass Part 3

HJ