Winter Wonderland

A recent look at the mountains after the rain.

Social Distance Road Trip: Playing in the Snow on the Angeles Crest Highway

 

Regular readers of this blog know that we like to marvel at how close we live to the snow in Los Angeles. I'm not talking driving all the way to Big Bear; during the winter months and after a lot of rain, the snow is a quick drive up the Angeles Crest Highway (the 2), above La Canada-Flintridge. And after the holiday rains, we knew we wanted to get up there to play.

So we grabbed the sleds and headed up in late December. The good news: The snow was at low elevations, which meant we started seeing it on the side of the road just 15 minutes after leaving home in Glendale. The bad news is the 2 is closed at Mt. Wilson, which means there is no ability to drive higher and play in the really deep snow. Instead, this would have to do, and luckily we found a side-of-the-road spot with enough snow and enough space to go sledding.

Clearly, we weren't the only ones to have this idea. The Angeles Crest was crowded with cars, especially where the highway is closed right at Mt. Wilson. We somehow found a spot with no other people.

I'm assuming the snow is all gone now, especially with our warm days recently. Here's hoping more rain comes and we can return in the next few months!

Social Distancing in the Snow: A Quick Trip Up the Angeles Crest

Just 45 minutes up the 2 freeway, and on the Angeles Crest Highway, and we're 7,000 feet above it all, enjoying quite a bit of snow.

That was our adventure on Saturday, as the Blogger Kid 2.0 and I grabbed a few sleds and headed up the nearby mountains, inside the Angeles National Forest, in order to have some fun with the cold stuff. We probably could have used slightly thicker jackets and gloves, because we weren't expecting *this much* snow. But it was well worth the drive up.

At the lower elevations, the crowds were surprisingly heavy. Apparently people were itching to get out of their homes. But with so many people further down the mountain, I'm not sure safety precautions were being met. Up the mountain and in the snow, however, the number of people was tiny — and we were able to have fun, safely away from anyone else.

The snow will be up here for a little bit longer, thanks to all the rain we've had so far this spring. If you're getting cabin fever, I'd suggest you get up there. A few more pics:

We Went to Palm Springs and Got Stuck in a Snowstorm

Yes, it's true. A few weeks ago we spent a few days in Palm Springs for spring break, and just like we did in 2012, we took the famed Aerial Tramway from Palm Springs' Chino Canyon (elevation 2,643 feet) to the San Jacinto mountains (8,516 feet).

Down below, the temperature was in the 80s. Up there, it was chilly. Upper 30s, low 40s. Cold enough for snow. And it was there that we experienced our first "thundersnow" -- a downpour of chunky snowflakes, accompanied by some thunder and lightning. We hiked a bit, until we decided it was safer to go back and get some hot chocolate at the Aerial Tramway station. But it was pretty cool experiencing real heat and a blizzard, all in one afternoon. Some more pics:

A Snow Day at the Los Angeles Zoo

You gotta hand it to the marketing team at the Los Angeles Zoo. Their occasional events are always a hit with the crowds -- such a hit that it causes traffic jams on the 5 freeway, and there's never enough parking for the crowds. But I hope that means it's keeping the zoo in firm financial shape -- there were a lot of people there this Sunday, just as there was the last time I visited, in November for the LA Zoo Lights display.

This time I took the Blogger Kid 2.0 to Snow Days at the LA Zoo, and I must say, the crowds and the long lines were a big turn off. But the most important thing was this: The Blogger Kid 2.0 had a great time.



Yeah, I quietly grumbled about playing in brown snow (and how it was more ice than snow) but The Blogger Kid 2.0 still found it a treat to touch the stuff -- after all, even though we make it up to Big Bear or the Angeles Crest Forest once or twice a year, the whole idea of "snow" is still exotic to him.



Snow play was limited to five minutes, which didn't seem like much time after waiting in line for a long time in the hot sun... but it turns out it was the right amount.



Highlights also included ice sculptures (above), and perhaps the coolest part, snow in some of the animal exhibits (including the tiger, at top). I love how the tiger is keeping shade in his hut, not paying much mind to the cold stuff around him.

I love the LA zoo, but I do hate crowds and traffic. The best advice is to get to special zoo events super early, and you'll have a good time. Or -- most importantly -- your kids will.

FRANKLIN AVENUE IN NEW YORK: My Own Snowmageddon

Timing is everything, and I couldn't have found myself in New York at a more interesting time: SNOWMAGEDDON! Well, for me, anyway, I'm just not used to all this stuff anymore. (It's been, well, a while since my Chicago college days.) But hey, it's an interesting change from all those pesky 80 degree days in L.A., so I'll enjoy it.

Below, the view outside my hotel window:

In Sunny SoCal, Paying To Experience 9-Degree Weather at Long Beach's "Chill"

It may be 80 degrees in Southern California, but deep inside the Long Beach dome (the one that once housed the Spruce Goose, next to the Queen Mary), it's a chilly 9 degrees. The Queen Mary's annual Chill event gives SoCal residents a taste of the cold without having to drive into the mountains -- although it's not cheap, at as much as $40 a ticket. (Search for the cheaper $20 tix at Costco or online.) Still, it's a unique experience to walk through Chill's "Ice Kingdom," where ice sculptures tell the story of The Nutcracker and a slide made of ice thrills the little ones. Outside the dome, ice skating comes with the price of admission (or snow tubing, also inside the dome, is one more option). Located under the sparkling holiday lights of the Queen Mary (also included with Chill admission), it's a good way to give the kids a quick afternoon taste of winter. Before putting your shorts back on.

Chill continues until Jan. 5. Some pics:


Ice soldiers guard the Ice Kingdom


Ice Sugarplum Fairy


The Ice Queen Mary


Riding down the ice slide


Don't worry about bringing a heavy jacket: Everyone who visits the "Ice Kingdom" gets a thick blue parka. (It's actually required to wear if you want to ride the ice slide.)


Ice Christmas tree, and mini ice Queen Mary


Alpine Village


Giant snowman


Outside the dome, a mega rocking horse


View of the Queen Mary at twilight


Ice rink (comes with the price of admission)