Snow Daze in Southern California
Snow is coming!!!
One of the hardest parts of moving away from home was realizing winter would be spent without the snow. I love the look of snow, especially as it is freshly falling to the ground.
Unfortunately, moving to Southern California means no snow in the winter. Yet, just last week, a cold front was heading through and they were forecasting flurries. I’m not going to lie, I was a bit excited. Not for the cold, but for the possibility of snow. Unfortunately, the weatherman was wrong again. A couple storms did come through, but when it got cold enough to potentially snow, the sky was clear.
However disappointed I was to not see the flurries, there was still hope. The snow had fallen in the mountainous areas. Only a short drive away, and I could see all the snow to my heart’s desire! So that was the plan - a drive up the mountain to see the snow.
With my husband behind the wheel and me in the passenger seat, I started to wish I had taken a valium (or some other nerve calming medicine) before we took off. After all, I am deathly afraid of heights, and looking out the car window and seeing how far a person could fall off a mountain definitely doesn’t help.
If I had my way, I am pretty sure we would have been going up the mountain at a snail pace… which would have probably taken almost the entire day. So, to get over my fear, I documented our trip up, and down the mountain.
I like snow. I grew up in snow. I can't imagine a winter without snow. Yet, this year we moved to California. Not the part of California that actually gets snow... the southern part. The ability to go through a whole winter and not see a drop of snow is just odd to me.
However, I am lucky. I have the option of visiting the snow. While it isn't the same as staring out the window and watching as it falls peacefully down, visiting the snow is all I have, so I will have to make due.
This particular picture to the right intrigued me. The snow was deap were we were at, but you could tell it wasn't going to last long. It was already starting to melt.
A View From the Top
Is there anything more beautiful then being able to look down from the top of the mountain? I honestly don't know. It is vast. It is almost overwhelming. To be able to look down and see everything is almost awe-inspiring.
On the other hand, like I said earlier, I am not a fan of heights.
The drive down is steep, and I don't like heights. Yet every once in awhile you feel like you are driving through a tunnel. It makes me feel safer. I might end up hitting rocks if we lose control, but at least I won't be tumbling off the side of a mountain!
The trip up the mountain seemed to take forever, at least when you compared it to the drive down. The view from the top is breath taking. It will make you speechless.
The argument about missing the snow was always that in California I could go visit it any time I wanted. It was just a short drive away. Yet, for majority of the time, you are able to enjoy nice warm weather. I will admit, I do miss the snow, but I definatetly don't miss having to shovel or clean off my car.
If you are like me and you like the snow, taking a trip up the mountain is a good way to get your fix. You can make snow angels, you can make a snowman, you can even have a snowball fight.
Eventually you do have to come down the mountain. This was my trip. I hope you enjoy the beauty of it.
Comments
Lovely photos--and I am content to see snow only through someone else's pictures. We live in Northern CA, but not the part that gets snow.
I was born & raised in San Francisco. We had a freak snow flurry once, when I was in high school.
When my kids were very young, in 1976, there was another freakish snow visit. By scraping the entire front lawn bare, we were able to cobble together a very small and very dirty snowman.
I don't like to be cold, and having to drive in snow and deal with tire chains would alternately freak me out and irritate me horribly.
So, where we now live, we have a 'deal' with snow: it doesn't visit us, and we don't visit it. ;-)
Snow is pretty, but as you say, shoveling it is probably no fun.
I am reminded of the story about the fellow who called up the TV weatherman and exclaimed, "I just want you to know I've just finished shoveling a foot of 'partly cloudy' out of my driveway!" ;-)
Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos.
Oh I can SOOOO relate to your fear of the EDGE.. lol, as you know I grew up in Michigan, so TONS of snow all Winter. I too really didn't care for the bundling up, cleaning the car off, shoveling yourself out BLAH! lol. But I know the fear of driving up the side of a mountain because we used to go from MI to GA to visit family, and when dad would go around the curves I was GLUED to the window "Daddy we're too close".. lol! My mom would always assure me we weren't, but as a kid looking down, ya see an endless PIT aaaahhhhh! I can say I think I just like looking at snow is photos, you took some GREAT shots! Beautiful!! :) I know what you mean about seeing it fall fresh on the ground, so pretty and glistens with sunlight! There's really something magical about it. Then reality of shoveling bonks ya in the head LOL!! The little stream is really pretty. That's the kind of snow we get here on the East coast (when, that weather man is WRONG lol) it's so pretty when it's coming down, but hits ground and warms up, melts! Aw, one time this year it stuck enough for a few snaps of my back yard, the blip! Gone! :) Thanks for sharing your day and photos, and glad you made it down safe to a dry road! :)
barber, At least you didn't say anything about a stick shift. H
Good one again - I wish I could take photos like that! I get plenty of snow here - you can have it! I hope you helped your husband drive;)! Haha! Or taken the Valium about 30 minutes before you left!
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@Dzy - I like the snow but not the cold. I find I need to wrap myself in a bubble to be a comfortable 75 degrees at all times. However, it was a weird feeling because the snow was around but it wasn't cold. Beautiful sight.
@Katherella - Glad I was able to share my day. It was beautiful sight. And I remember being just like you as a child this time around, "Dear, you are way to close to the side." I tried to bite my tongue for fear he would get frustrated and swerve a little.
@Harvey - We had an automatic... but my friend had a stick shift... ha ha ha ;)
@Real - The photo taking was accidental. My husband drove and I hung the camera out the window. It allowed me to be able to see without actually looking. I think I had a total of 64 pictures of just driving. I wish I would have had the valium. But, I did good, I bit my tongue so I didn't side seat drive! Ha ha
Is it bleeding? Haha! Well taking the photos probably helped take your eyes off the road:). I can never see well through the camera lens - my eyes are wearing out - I always have to take two pix in case the first one doesn't turn out! I have about 400 photos from when I visited LA because my husband wasn't there!
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I could easily get 400 photos on any trip... of course... half of them are self portraits because I want to prove that I am even there (and I always have the camera) so 200 of them are self portraits that need to be trashed... 100 are relevant... 99 are blurry... and I get one of me :)
You funny girl! You always make me laugh! My friend with the good eyes has about another 400:-) we shared!
You are a lucky gal! Those photos are absolutely breathtaking! I know what it is like to yearn for a snow white picture outside of the window, I felt that way when I lived in Florida for a time. Afraid of heights and all, I am sure it was worth it, but I also would have wished to go at a snail's pace haha! :)
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When I requested my husband go at a snail's pace my husband just cackled... it was almost scarier than the drive! But it was beautiful so I might have to endure the rough conditions of my husbands driving up the mountain again!
Nice looking photos in there.thanks for sharing this.
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Thanks for stopping by. I am glad you enjoyed the photos!
Beautiful photos, I live in southern California and enjoyed seeing the snow on the mountains, but it melted very quickly. Thanks for sharing
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Thank you - I am glad I got a chance to get up there before it melted! Hopefully there is another time this year.
i can relate to many white knuckle drives through some pretty formidable mountain country in Southwest Colorado. Steep grades and when you peek down the hill you see wrecks of vehicles that did not make it. As a former resident of the 'Inland Empire' I always saw the snow on the mountains but was never anxious to play in it. Great photos and a great hub....
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We used to live in Colorado Springs and one time on a drive to head to Las Vegas we decided to take a short cut. We ended up on the very narrow and steep roads that lead up to Leadville... I believe it was the 74 but don't quote me. We drove for 6 hours at about 25 MPH. By the time we got through it, I was happy I was so young cause if I was any older I would have had a heart attack. I will admit, the mountains by the Inland Empire isn't nearly as bad as the ones in Colorado!
If you ever go up to Lake Arrowhead along Highway 18, it is right on the edge of the mountain. The drive you made up to Idylwild is not got as scary for newbies as it is not on the edge of the mountain all the way up. Beautiful pictures by the way.
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I will definately have to check that out. I haven't been to Idylwild yet and I know my husband has mentioned it. Will definately have to make a trip out of it.
Thanks - glad you enjoyed the pictures!
Oh I thought Lake Hemet was up in Idylwild. Sorry! It looks similar to Idylwild, the pictures you took.
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I do believe that it is close... we did see signs for Idylwild... so I know we weren't far from it.
Fantastic photos and the way that you described the journey made me laugh, as it sounds like my partner when I am driving lol.
Voted up, funny, interesting and SOCIALLY SHARED.
The snow in the mountains looks nice. I always thought I would like California and if I got nostalgic for snow I could go in the mountains to see some.
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@Brett - Yeah - I am not too big of a fan of driving through the mountains... or being a passenger for that matter. I am not sure if it is purely my husbands driving or if it would be anybody's driving. Although I will admit, I have been in southern California for over a year now so I am getting a little more use to it. Glad you enjoyed the photos... that was the one thing that kept my mind off of falling off the mountain! :)
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@dahoglund - I am glad that I do have this option. If I were living anywhere else I am sure I would be missing the snow terribly. HOwever, in California I can always go up to the mountains to visit it. Thanks for stopping by and glad you enjoyed the pictures!
Growing up in Wisconsin as a kid was really fun. The building of snowmen, snow forts, snowball fights, etc., plus the sheer beauty of it. For the 4 years my husband and I lived back up there, I'll admit...it is really pretty. But the shoveling of it, driving in it, etc. is not as much fun. We go many years in between Houston winters without ever seeing a snowflake and on the very few occasions when it does snow, it never lasts long.
Loved your photos and funny description of your drive into the mountains of southern California. Voting this beautiful and will share.
I grew up in Southern California and we used to drive to Big Bear or Forest Falls (beyond Redlands) to get to the snow. Ironically, I moved to the Great Lakes region and now we're buried in snow for much of the year - it has lost much of its allure, lol! The snowblowing, driving, and the hassle of carrying wet/muddy coats and hats when walking in the mall are my least favorite parts of winter. That and the salt covering the car and the floors (I must mop 2 times per day)! I absolutely love fall here, though - there is absolutely NOTHING better than the gorgeous leaf changes in fall!
Hey my little Hemet Sister! I drive those roads nearly every day! Beautiful shots! Fabulous Hub! Voted up and shared! :)
Awesome, sounds like fun. I am hoping to make it to the snow before our short winter ends! Voted up!
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@Peggy W - I think that growing up in the snow is much more fun then being exposed to it as an adult. I can't imagine life without four seasons where my husband is the exact opposite. He views snow as something to visit. The probably explains the reason I always got stuck shoveling as well. It probably explains why I fear for my life when he drives in it too... just like up the side of a mountain. Glad you enjoyed this!
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@leah - It seems like the two of us have switched positions. However, I have to admit I really miss the fall. And lately, it has been really cold here, so I kind of feel ripped off when it comes to being cold but never getting any snow. But I will admit it is nice not having to drag around wet and muddy snow clothes everywhere! Thanks for stopping by and glad that you enjoyed this!
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@Rusticliving - I can't imagine driving those roads every single day. I guess you would get used to it after awhile. Glad you enjoyed the pictures!
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@MosLadder - It is already March and I have yet to go up to visit the snow... how disappointing. I might be a little too late for it now. I even went back to visit Wisconsin and they had no snow! I guess this year I go without! Although a drive up to the mountains does seem very appealing right now. Thanks for stopping by and glad you enjoyed this!
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