Palms to Pines and back to Palms

After a slow start today we decided to take a ride up the mountain to Idyllwild.  It is about ten miles from Palm Springs as a bird flies.  Driving though is about a 50 mile drive by way of Hwy. 74.  Lots of tight curves at the beginning and climb up to 6000 feet on the way.  

We stopped for lunch in Idyllwild where we saw a rustic mountain town with snow on some roofs and shady places.  It was sunny and about 55 degrees up there while it got to around 70 in Indio.  We decided to drive back down on the other side going to Banning and back on I5 and 111 through Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, etc.  The view at the top back towards the west was fairly clear and quite impressive, although not impressive or clear enough to stop and take a picture.