Flying over one's home is quite a rare and unique experience. When our friend, Dave offered to take me over Idyllwild and the surrounding area in his private plane, I eagerly accepted.
Looks are deceiving. This plane appears small but it has a mighty 150 HP engine inside enabling it to fly effortlessly in this mountain country.Officially, it is called a Grumman Lynx but I've nicknamed it "The Lynx" after the image on the side.
It reminds me of the bobcats I sometimes see.
Our flight began in Hemet. Citrus farms dotted the landscape below us.
We followed the windy mountain highway that leads to Idyllwild.
I wanted to linger for more photos of Tahquitz Rock but that wasn't an option since "The Lynx" was going 120 mph and couldn't hover for me.
At an altitude of 8,500 feet, we were only 400 feet lower than my favorite look out tower - Tahquitz Tower
Here is a photo looking down on the quaint little town of Idyllwild.
Lake Hemet is the closest lake to Idyllwild. It is in an area called Garner Valley about 15 minutes away from the town. More shoreline is showing than normal as a result of the drought.
The lake was used for refilling by firefighting helicopters like this Sikorsky SkyCrane last summer.
These close up views of the Desert Divide show the devastation from the Mountain Fire last summer. The Pacific Crest Trail, PCT, that once went along this ridge no longer exists.
From the top of Tahquitz, one can see a shimmer of the Palomar Observatory. Today we could see it more clearly. Originally built in 1928, the historic 200 inch telescope is located at 5,617 feet atop Palomar Mt about 60 miles away from Idyllwild.
The scarcity of water is most noticeable from the sky. When the azul water appears from the nearby lakes, it is a welcome sight!
Vail Lake has an interesting shape only visible from a plane.
The hour glass shaped Diamond Valley Lake is recognizable on many high country trails in Idyllwild.
This lake has a trail around the perimeter. Looks like a great place to explore.
Before I knew it, this great airborne adventure came to an end. Thanks, Dave! I'll always remember our flight in "The Lynx".
