It seems to get rarer with time, but we had snow in the Laguna Mountains, and I could not wait to visit.
Snow In The Laguna Mountains, And We Must Go
I should mention that the reason why I headed up the mountain was so my daughter could throw snowballs at me. She is getting older and has very good aim. Because I was most interested in goofing off with her, my focus on photography was not a priority. Creating some memories with my child trumped creating photo memories.
That being said, it was very nice to visit fresh snow that hadn’t been trampled on. Perhaps a little too early to visit, because as we headed up we found that the snowplow teams were still scraping the road, and many parts were still packed with snow and ice. Luckily, the AWD in my Subaru kept us glued to the ground, and we enjoyed various areas of the Laguna Massif without issue.
Most people who visit the Lagunas after a snowstorm head to the Sunset trailhead area. That section can be pretty congested and not much fun with little elbow room. We opted to visit most of my favorite Laguna Mountain overlooks, and then let the snowball action commence North of the Village. This area is quieter, with few people, and my daughter could enjoy a very large area with no footprints all to herself.
In some places, the snow was 6-8″, which is pretty nice for the Laguna Mountains a little higher than 5,000 feet elevation.
Further Viewing
Laguna Mountains Portfolio Archive
T.M. Schultze Fine Art America Print-On-Demand Store
T.M. Schultze is a San Diego-based photographer, traveller, and writer. He writes, photographs, and draws things of the outdoors that have inspired humans for thousands of years. He co-authored the Photographer’s Guide to Joshua Tree Park which can be purchased here.