[pct-l] Mountain Fire - Eastern Bypass?

[Hikin' Jim]

 I continue to see some chatter on an eastern bypass for the Mountain Fire
closure.  Take a look at this PCT Bypass Map<http://caltopo.com/map?id=0E6F>
 (http://caltopo.com/map?id=0E6F).  The gold line shows how you can drop
down to the desert to the east.  The problem is that the trail ends at
Hermits Bench, and then you've got a long road walk (shown in purple) ahead
of you to re-join the PCT.  You also have to go through the fairly big city
of Palm Springs.  The last part of the road walk would be along Highway 111
through the desert.  This is a high speed divided highway.  There's no way
anyone wants to walk along that.  True, you could take the Palm Springs
Tram (shown in light blue) back up into the mountains, but taking a tram is
hardly hiking the PCT -- and you still have to ascend to 10,000' to cross
over to the PCT.

The more logical route is to go west and go through the hiker-friendly
mountain town of Idyllwild.  Going east through the hot dry desert?  What?
 Doesn't make sense to me anyway.

Halfmile's updated maps have been placed on the PCTA website.  It looks
like they're calling out a western bypass.

HJ