342 Adventures in Scenery 



ing mud pots, and mud geysers, is thought to be related to the 

 San Andreas fault, and to be derived from the volcanic heat 

 associated with that great break or fracture in the crust of the 

 earth. 



Alternate Route (a), Palm Springs to Los Angeles via Palms- 



to-Pines Highway, 167 miles. (Alternate Route (b), 



via San Gorgonio Pass, 107 miles, see p. 345 ) 



Leaving Palm Springs via Palms-to-Pines Highway the 

 route is over the San Jacinto Mountains, and is most charming. 

 Retrace the course to the date gardens, 13 miles, then turn up 

 Dead Indian Creek, a typical desert canyon or arroyo, and 

 begin the climb over the San Jacinto Mountains. There is no 

 need to get dizzy on the winding ascent provided the driver 

 does not round the curves too fast. It is a fine ride up and 

 over Black Mountain, past the head of Deep Canyon, then 

 swinging around the base of Sugar Loaf Mountain (4,780 feet) 

 onto Pinyon Flat. This is a high mountain "flat," not a valley 

 proper. Crossing a low ridge between mountains, beyond is 

 Vandeventer Flat. Swing around the north base of Lookout 

 Mountain (5,535 feet), thence northwest past Bunker ranch, 

 down a faulted valley, past Gleneagle (4,665 feet) and Ken- 

 worthy Ranger station to Hemet Lake (elevation 4,350 feet). 

 Thomas Mountain is off to the left (6,823 feet). A fork of 

 San Jacinto River follows the San Jacinto fault zone (called 

 also the Thomas Mountain fault) through Hemet Valley to 

 Hemet Lake. Off the highway to the right are Tahquitz 

 Lodge and Idyllwild, in San Jacinto mountain forest surround- 

 ings. In the distance to the north (right) are Tahquitz Peak 

 (8,826 feet) and San Jacinto Peak (10,805 feet). The gran- 

 ite rock which forms the great core and body of the San 

 Jacinto Range is on either side of Hemet Valley, broken here 

 by the Thomas fault southwest of the lake and valley. The 

 Hot Springs fault is along the northeast side of San Jacinto 

 Valley east of Hemet (city), the uplifted granite wall above 



