I encountered these signs today. The trail legally is blocked off by the Forest Service at mile 162 and resumes at 178. If you get caught in the blocked-off area you could get a $2500 fine, and rumor on the trail is that two hikers did – ouch! Each hiker is choosing what to do. I am being somewhat pure (anal) about hiking all the trail. So today I hiked to the blockage, and then I took a detour and went off trail and hiked down Cedar Springs trail. Then I road walked highway 74 for 8 miles until I was completely exhausted where highway 243 breaks off for Idyllwild. Walking highway 74 was a bit sketchy since it didn’t have shoulders and was a curvy mountain road. There I hitched into Idyllwild high high back up into the mountains. I never would have had the energy to road walk highway 243. Now I’m in the Idyllwild Inn for the night and back on the trail tomorrow.