The Coachella Valley has seen a hell of a Spring so far (I mean 70-something highs over Memorial Day Weekend!!), but it looks like it’s quickly come to an end and we are entering that time of year when everything is hot and terrible and, because someone has to say it: it’s probably best if everyone takes a break from hiking the local desert trails for a few months.
Yeah, yeah, I know. Some of you will say, “but I’m an experienced hiker” and “I can take the heat” and, yet, every year, there are rescues and, worse, deaths on the trails of people who said the same thing before heading out. I mean, trust me, I don’t want to be a buzzkill here, but, really, someone has to say it and I guess that’s gonna fall on me, since I am just tired of posting about hikers who die on Coachella Valley trails every summer.
And look, we all know that going to the gym and walking on a treadmill set to 15% incline just isn’t the same, so perhaps think about getting yourself a Summer Tram pass for $80 and then do all the outside hiking you want in some unbelievably nice weather. I have been doing this for the last couple of years and it’s the best money I have ever spent in the Coachella Valley during the summer.
And hey, if the Tram isn’t your thing, Idyllwild is a short drive away and not only are there some great hikes up there, they also have a kickass brewery to chill at after your stroll through the mountains.
So, please, at least consider taking a few months off from hiking the desert trails this summer as the temperature soars well over 100 degrees everyday in the Coachella Valley. Trust me, those trails will be waiting for you on that first day it’s nice enough to go again.
