Hurkey Creek/ Idyllwild Burn Report

So I drove out to check out the damage from the latest Idyllwild Fire. Hurkey Creek is toast. Much worse than the last fire in 2015. I’m not sure there is anything that didn’t burn this time around.

So this is an overview shot taken from the parking lot of the Lake Hemet General Store. You can see the whole mountain face (and Southridge) is toast.


This is looking up to the area where you would finish the Hurkey loop...Tunnel of Love, etc


Two photos of the climb up from the campground




The flowy section from the top of the climb down to May Valley


Looking out into May Valley from the highway. The only thing that didn’t burn was the pet sanctuary.

 

I then drove over to Idyllwild itself and saw the fire burned all the way from the Hurkey Creek campground past Mountain Center. Everything but the town there is GONE including everything up 243 for 4 miles. Once close to town, you can see they made a stand on the 243 and along the ridgeline facing South where the 1st line of houses is built. Idyllwild itself, including the Arts Center and Hub Trails appear untouched. Sitting in the center of town, you would have no idea there was ever a fire.

You can see where they made their stand on the ridgeline.


The canyon between Mountain Center and Idyllwild


Stopped on the 243 looking down into Mountain Center

 

Thanks for the info. Tear falling down my cheek. And a special thanks to the loser that took it away from us again.

 

Thanks for the intel. I've been meaning to check it out. Made it as far as Thomas Mtn last weekend, but didn't have time to drive to Hurkey to check things out.

Good to find out the Hub trails appear untouched. Might need to check them out this weekend.

 

So sad to see that Glad we were able to ride it @mtbMike several weeks ago.

 

For sure...I don’t expect Hurkey Creek to open again before I leave SoCal in 2022. Just one more reason to go ride new places NOW rather than putting it off until next year. Next year the trails just might not be there.

 

Words to live by.

Any chance of moving sooner? One less car on the road would be swell.
Hoping to tag along on one of your rides this winter as soon as work settles.

 

Amen to that. Glad I got to ride Hurkey a few times last spring.

And thanks for posting the pics. I went out there last weekend too and took pretty much the same set, but didn't have time to post. Rode Hub trails Saturday evening. There is retardant on the trees there right up to the parking area but I didn't see any actual fire damage. The area south of the parking area is within the closure area so I rode further north. Hoping some of those trees along keen camp climb are still alive - still have needles on them, so maybe.... Gonna be tough for hikers too as the fire burned right up to SOT and Southridge trail.

 

We need to start doing more stuff...

 

Fall is coming

 

Nope, wife has to do 4 more years to get the "golden handshake" from her employer. We have talked about *me* going a year early and her commuting to Prescott on weekends though. We'll see how that works out.

 

May see you there in 5yrs. Our boy goes to school there and is planning on staying.

 

I may see you guys in 26 years!

 

There's definitely tons of great riding opportunities available there, especially if you enjoy intermediate singletrack in the woods. You can link Boy Scout type trails together for a 30 mile ride with no problem. There is a group there trying to get the Forest Service on board with more gravity oriented trails so hopefully that will come to fruition. In the meantime, Sedona is 67 miles away and Flagstaff (where I've never ridden) is 95 for your gravity fix.