Description

The abundance of rainfall in 2023 brought the open spaces in Southern California to life in a very special way.  Having photographed several prior locations for the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, I knew that I had to get out there and capture the effects of this very wet winter.  I called my contacts at the IRC and they agreed.  Together we obtained this high resolution panoramic photo on Feb, 16.

Coming off E Loma Ridge to Jeep Trail, this magnificent view caught our eye.  It isn’t often one can see snow-capped San Gabriel mountains providing a contrasting backdrop for the Santa Ana Mountains which at their lower contained a beautiful orange poppy blanket, complements of the recent storms.

Please visit the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks website to hike this area or further explore the natural heritage of Orange County, CA.