We started by climbing Devil's Slide out of Idyllwild to Saddle Jct, a steep climb of 2.5 miles that didn't count toward our day's mileage. We ate the chicken burritos we bought as take out from a Mexican restaraunt. Mmmm, good breakfast. We'll have to use that technique again.

The climb to Saddle Jct was followed by a climb of a thousand feet, a descent of a thousand feet, and another climb of a thousand feet. By that point we were really beat. And it was still early!

The scenery was outstanding: wind-swept pines and manzanita mixed into fields of large boulders. And vistas to the surrounding mountains and the desert below.

It is amazing how a few miles can dramatically alter the ecozone. Late in the afternoon we started an 8000 descent starting in pine forest. As we descended we dropped through a burned zone that is just beginning to grow again and then dropped further into a sparsely vegetated desert zone.

The sand is so riddled with burrows that we can stand still but sink suddenly when a burrow collapses beneath our feet. We plugged all the holes in a small area so we could pitch our tent. We slept well and the burrow builders, whoever they are, did not visit us.

It seemed to take forever to contour down to Snow Creek. The switchbacks were extremely long and we only gained a few feet with each switchback. We got views in every direction.

There was no creek but the Desert Water District put a water fountain on one of their pipes. Nice! We drank and chatted with Medicine Man and a couple of day hikers.

Then we slogged across the sand of San Gorgonio Pass to the I-10 underpass where we ate lunch to the sound of whizzing traffic overhead. Our next treat was a walk amongst the whirling windmills whining in the wind. The windmill farm office had a water drop for hikers. We rested in the shade.

Our final distance for the day was up, running a broad ridge, switchbacking down and repeating. We were aiming for the Whitewater River for water and a campsite. We arrived at dusk. Late evening light is one of my favorite hiking times. That's why we

We were so comfortable on our sand tent site that we overslept. We got packed and on the trail in no time, though.

Our first steps led across the wide Whitewater River channel. The river itself was only four feet wide but we spent a long time stumbling across alternating rock bars and sand bars aiming for a very tall post that we could see on the far side.

We then switchbacked up to a ridge and ran along one ridge to another on steep barren hills which had also suffered from a fire. We dropped into the Mission Creek drainage and spent the rest of the day following the tiny creek. The very narrow riparian area contrasted sharply with the bare burned area with only sand, blackened rocks and ghostly black trees.

As we crossed and re-crossed the creek I heard rustling in the bushes at my feet. I jumped the creek and turned back to see who was in the bushes. It was a skunk! I shot two photos as it scurried away from me.

Climbing up a creek is slow hard work. Our elevation gain was more than a vertical mile. Our goal for the night was the campground. Ken went to the corner of the corral and found water that had been eluding hikers. We had two dinner plans: a low water version and a real dinner. We ate the real deal.