This pic was taken from Highway 243 heading up the mountain toward Idyllwild, looking back down on the town of Banning with Mt. San Gorgonio in clouds in the background. Mt. San Gorgonio, also known as “Old Greyback”, is the highest mountain in Southern California at 11,502 ft. Banning was named for Phineas Banning, stagecoach line owner and the “Father of the Port of Los Angeles”.
This pic shows the ranger check-in station on Mt. San Jacinto, behind the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway terminal station, where long distance hikers headed to area trails register their trips before embarking. I just stopped by to chat with the ranger on duty, which is always fun and informative.
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Here’s a pic of the Carlsbad Flower Fields to add a little color to your day! This shot was taken from the walking paths on Armada Drive near the Museum of Making Music.
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A couple of weeks ago we caught just the beginning of the 27th Annual Antique Car Club Fun Run held at Big Bear Lake. Over 500 classic cars were expected with a highlight of the weekend being a cruise around the lake by everything from restored stock vehicles to wild hot rods. The pic above shows one of our favorites!
The Warner Bros. Studios water tower is another iconic site/sight in Los Angeles (Burbank, to be exact). The tower was built in 1927 and moved to its current location in 1933 after the Long Beach earthquake. It’s 100 feet tall and can hold 100,000 gallons, although it is currently empty. It was used in the Animaniacs TV series to incarcerate the characters Yakko, Wakko, and Dot.
Last week I posted a pic of the Butler Peak Fire Lookout (see link below). Today I am posting a pic of the awesome view of Big Bear Lake that the Lookout offers. You can see most of the lake including the airport at the far end.
Links: Butler Peak Fire Lookout
Casa del Mar is one of three guest cottages at the Hearst Castle near San Simeon. It boasts 8 bedrooms in its 5,000+ sq. ft. of living space and has welcomed many VIP guests in the past including Hollywood actors and politicians like Winston Churchill, Charles Lindbergh, Howard Hughes, Joan Crawford, Cary Grant, Charlie Chaplin, and Gary Cooper, to name just a few.
Links: Casa Grande Neptune Pool
Jenks Lake is a beautiful little mountain lake located off Highway 38, twenty eight miles from Big Bear Lake. Sitting at an altitude of 6,800 ft, it offers fishing from a wooden pier or from shore. A hiking trail (with picnic tables and restrooms) runs along the parking lot side of the lake. We want to return and do a little kayaking.
Links: NFS
On a grassy spot next to the parking lot for Swami’s State Beach in Encinitas sits this eye-catching tiki carved from a tree stump. It always makes me smile when I walk by!
The road to the Butler Peak Fire Lookout (north of Big Bear Lake) reopened to the public in July 2016 after being closed for 9 years. Sitting at 8,535 feet atop a tangle of rocks, the lookout offers a commanding 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains. Fire Lookout Host volunteers James and Mark gave us a great overview of its history and function. Check with the Big Bear Discovery Center to make sure it’s open before you go.
Links: Fire Lookout Host Program
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