Idyllwild before the fire

Sadly, the beautiful South Ridge of Idyllwild is on fire. On May 3, 2012, we took a walk up the mountain.  It was a cloudy day down in the valley, but we were above the clouds. The blue skies beckoned. The clouds lifted a bit and we could see for miles. As we headed back down the trail... mosses and lichens covered the boulders, lizards frolicked on the rocks, and red plants exploded from the earth.