A Land of Sand and Snow
The trees were certainly the theme of our first day in California. We left the land of shivering maples and leftover snow, trading it for an oasis of palm fronds and sand.
Featured photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/AGkB8HMKwJJiU2wL7
April 8th, 2023
Day 1 of our California trip!
We found ourselves landing in the palm tree-lined airport of Palm Springs, CA. As we elbowed through the crowd to find our luggage, the airport transported us suddenly outdoors to an airy pavilion of sorts. Shade canopies stretched overhead, comfortable jj were scattered conveniently, and palm trees welcomed us into their friendly midst. It was warm, sunny, and beautiful. Having just left chilly, damp Ohio, this transition felt as though we were stepping into a tropical oasis. It was wonderful! As we drove through Palm Springs, we couldn’t help but remark at the beautiful landscaping in front of every house. Oleander bushes were in hot pink abundance. Palm trees guarded the city lovingly. We even saw carefully planted cacti. It was a manicured wonder that we delighted in!
As we left the city, we headed towards Joshua Tree National Park for a few hours of hiking. Joshua trees, as we learned, are not actually trees. They are actually part of the yucca genus, making them more like exceptionally tall, spiky shrubs. Nonetheless, they are quite tree-ish in behavior, and nobody would once suspect them of being imposters. These trees in particular live in a fascinating desert world of sand and stone. As the Joshua trees methodically dot across the landscape, massive boulders rise up out of the sand. Some of them lean on each other, forming mountain-like piles where you can often find rock climbers testing their luck. We were not this courageous, so we kept to our hiking trails. The trails wound between boulders and trees alike, transplanting the modern visitor to a time where the desert reigned supreme. The Barker Dam hiking trail leads explorers to a small manmade dam built by ranchers. It is a testament of a human attempt to tame nature. It still holds a pool of water, but the water was tepid and brown, an unappealing water trough for the unfortunate livestock who once lived there.
We would have liked to continue exploring the striking desert environment of Joshua Tree, but a 6:00 PM reservation for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway forced us to leave early. As it was, we still had to sprint through the parking lot and wait in a “late arrivals” line to catch the last tram up the mountain. The aerial tramway packs passengers into a circular cable car that is ferried 8,500 feet up a mountain for spectacular views and, if you pay extra, an excellent dinner. As you slowly climb up the mountain, the floor of the tram rotates so that everyone is afforded a 360 degree view of the mountain and the valley below. Unfortunately for Tyler, not everyone realized that the floor was moving. The poor guy was stationed next to a tiny old lady who insisted on holding the hand rail with a death grip, sending her slowly rotating right into his armpit!
When you step off the tram, you immediately notice two things: 1) 8500 feet in elevation is very high, and 2) 8500 in elevation is noticeably colder than the valley below! The gift shop in the visitor center is keenly aware of this fact, so they wisely sell jackets and ponchos for the unprepared. We were prepared, fortunately, so we zipped up our coats and circled the balcony to soak in the views. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway actually transports visitors into the Mount San Jacinto State Park, so we were surrounded by massive pines, a good assortment of birds, and immense amount of snow. Having just been in the desert, it was startling to see drifts of snow that were 4 feet tall! Being Ohioans with excellent snow experience, we wanted to take a closer look.
Behind the visitor center, a winding paved path zigzags down the mountain and into the heart of the park. As we descended down the path, enormous pine trees rose up to greet us. I cannot describe how beautiful these pines were! They were massive, putting even the largest Ohio pine to shame. Their trunks were broad, their branches wide, their bark was flaky and thick. The snow around their trunks was piled thick and deep, packed down by the footsteps of visitors. There were many people here, holding hands in the snow, building snowmen, sledding down the hills, having snowball fights. It was a magical place! There were no frowns here; laughter echoed off the trees in jubilant peals. Everyone was smiling, playing, recalling their childhoods where fresh snow was the most supreme form of joy. The pine trees watched over it all, guarding their wards with a grandmotherly benevolence. It was if the trees themselves were creating the joyous mood, shielding the visitors from any unhappiness with their broad, piney arms. I could have stayed here all evening! We stayed as long as we could, caught by the infectious happiness of it all. It was the sunset that finally chased us away. As it filtered pink and gold through the pine needles, we slowly climbed back up the zigzagging path. I was reluctant to leave, but a soft blanket of darkness was putting the pine trees to bed. We’d be back, I promised myself.
We ate supper on top of the mountain. We expected something subpar, given that we had only paid $7 in addition to our tram ticket to receive dining privileges. However, the food was amazing! I had chicken with roasted potatoes and vegetables. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a chicken breast that was seasoned so well! It was dark when we left, so our tram ride down the mountain overlooked a nighttime city casting a glow into the sky. I thought about the pine trees behind us, watching that same city glow every night. They’ve watched it for decades, I realized. They’ve been guarding us for ages, giving us wood for our cities, shade for our comfort, and a little bit of magic when we need to escape. Truly, the trees were the theme of our first California day.
Hiking Trails:
Oasis of Mara Nature Trail (Joshua Tree)
Barker Dam (Joshua Tree)s
Long Valley Discovery Trail (Mount San Jacinto)
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