Giant Sequoia State Park
The last roadtrip I did while living in California was visiting Sequoia.
Along with having to move cross-country in the same month, this trip didn't go without a few bumps along the way.
Deciding to do this spontaneous trip during (technically) the winter, does come with a number of drawbacks.
One being that the main road that travels from the state route to Sequoia is closed off due to snow. The only way up and into the Sierra Mountains is small, narrow, winding roads that take half and hour to traverse only a few miles.
Although the slow way up the mountains is scenic and allows you to witness the change of environments from desert to snowy alpine, it is not recommended for those who experience carsickness.
Taking it slow on the way up is the only way to take in the views amidst driving through the combination of switchbacks and rapid increases of altitude.
Driving up and into the Sierra Mountains
Once we arrived at the cabin in Sequoia, the air was crisp and full of cedar, and a foot of snow blanketed everything.
This was certainly not Los Angeles anymore. It was only ever around thirty degrees. Our cabin also did not have much heat so we had to bring firewood. There was also only one store in the park where we bought more firewood from.
Another bummer of the trip, again due to the weather, was that all of the trails were closed.
All of the trails were not plowed and were unable to be crossed. However, that didn't stop us from taking a short trek from where we were staying.
Although we hadn't planned for all of these winter snow closures, we still were able to see some Sequoia and beautiful snowy landscapes.
Another positive note, was that I took a lot of photos. I was trying to finish a roll of Kodak Portra 800, which has 36 exposures - twelve more than I'm usually used to.
It's always nice when things don't go quite as planned, but you still make the most out of it anyway. I never planned on camping in the winter, but seeing California in the snow is something I never thought I could say I've done.
It was a really charming time, especially during the holiday season to get away from the city and spend the weekend in the wilderness.
