Southern California and National Parks

Looking out over La Jolla Cove in San Diego, CA. 

Isabelle plays with the wildlife at Ellen Scripps Browning Park in La Jolla, CA. 

Isabelle, after what seemed like hours of playing with fish and sealife, is finally ready to explore something else in San Diego. 

This squirrel at La Jolla, CA was a picky eater -- he would only eat the bottom part of the grass, before moving on to another. 

This is seal beach in La Jolla, CA. This section is roped off and reserved for the local harbor seal population. 

From San Diego, we made our way to Joshua Tree National Park. 

The Joshua Tree, named so because missionaries believed it resembled Joshua reaching up to God, only exists in the Mojave Desert in California. 

Snow-capped mountains in the distance from the desert in Joshua Tree National Park. 

Isabelle in the trunk... Why? Maybe it was her never ending singing late at night! 

From Joshua Tree we drove to Death Valley National Park. Here is a picture of Isabelle while climbing along a narrow ridge in Mosaic Canyon. 

Isabelle does some climbing in Mosaic Canyon, Death Valley National Park. 

Isabelle reaches for the top in Mosaic Canyon, Death Valley National Park. 

An abandoned salt mine in Death Valley National Park. 

Another view of the salt mine. 

About to hike up to Zabriskie Point along the Golden Canyon Trail in Death Valley. 

Isabelle and Joern on the Golden Canyon trail, Death Valley. 

Badwater Basin in Death Valley, the lowest elevation in the United States. 

Usually completely dry, we were lucky enough to see a lake at Badwater Basin, as a result of record setting rainfall the weeks before. 

Isabelle and Joern hiked into Ubehebe Crater, Death Valley. I stayed at the top, chatting with another park visitor and together we watched Isabelle and Joern nearly fall to their death on their climb back up. 

From Death Valley, we drove to Sequoia National Park. The road to the park is very long and windy. 

At the peak, near Morro Rock at Sequoia National Park. Notice the fog from Fresno, CA moving into the valley below. 

This tree, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, is located at the park ranger's office. They claim it's between 400-500 years old. The bark is incredibly smooth and soft. 

Isabelle watches the fog move in as she rests at the peak. The winding road we arrived on can be seen below. 

Joern makes his way down from the peak, as we head back to the cabins. The snow was 5-6 feet deep at some parts, which required the use of snowshoes. 

Isabelle and Joern in the "Giant Forest". The Giant Sequoia is the largest living thing on earth and some of the trees are believed to be over 3,000 years old. 

Our last several hours in Sequoia National Park were spent at the lower elevations, without the snow. Isabelle and I stumbled upon a little cave. 

Inside the cave, was a small waterfall and water was dripping down from the top. 

The small pool at the entrance to the cave. 

Some fallen leaves at a campsite location a few miles north of the cave.