Can we have a Conversation about the California Super Bloom and Sustainability?

To say that the California super bloom really left its mark this year would be an understatement. There’s no denying that the super bloom in California – which actually stretched into Baja, Mexico – was stunning, stacked with another layer of eye candy when you catch the thousands upon thousands of Painted Lady butterflies that are making their annual migration to Mexico.

There were sunflowers, poppies, lavender, Primrose and more that I’d never heard of or seen until this year.

Though, by far the most talked about occurrence was poppy bloom outside Lake Elsinore in Walker Canyon. The natural poppy fields (California’s state flower) there became an international sensation. It attracted thousands of people each day. It quickly trended on social media – just search for #superbloom and you’ll see. It became the poster child for spring blooms and the backdrop to more than one engagement photo.

Heck, the Lake Elsinore super bloom was even photographed from space.

I get it, when Mother Nature makes such a rare appearance, you show up. And the poppies really showed up to party this year.

Why was everyone freaking out about the flowers?

The super bloom isn’t something that happens every year. In fact, it’s quite rare. Southern California is a naturally dry, desert landscape that doesn’t get much water. Due to the loose topsoil and sandy ground, when it does rain, it often quickly washes away, causing erosion, mudslides and flash floods. So, for the super bloom to grace California, there needs to literally be the perfect storm. It needs to rain enough to let the seeds of wildflowers germinate, but not so much that it completely washes them away.

Though I’ve seen wildflowers during the last four years of living in California, I’ve definitely never seen anything even remotely similar to this year’s super bloom.

I saw some stunning sunflowers during my surfing trip to Dana Point this month.

And before that, I drove through the Lake Elsinore super bloom last month on my way to go snowboarding in Mammoth. It was otherworldly. There you are, driving along I-5 through barren desert mountains when you turn around a bend and see Walker Canyon covered in a blanket of gold. The hills looked like someone spilled buckets of organ-ish yellow paint on the hills and let it drip down in every direction. I heard other people call it “Cheeto dust.” Also an accurate description. The super bloom didn’t even look like a color I had seen mother nature create.

I almost wrecked my car craning my neck to catch a glimpse of it as I drove by.

And that’s where the problem starts. Because others had the same reaction – and some even did wreck their cars.

For those that didn’t, they merely found themselves sitting in congested traffic, 5 stand-still lanes of traffic and/or hoards of foot traffic as thousands of people flocked to the poppies each day to get their #superbloom photo. Lake Elsinore city officials have actually had to close down Walker Canyon because of the sheer number of super bloom seekers and safety concerns. They then re-opened it but required that you pay $10 and take a bus from the town of Lake Elsinore.

The highway, canyon, park facilities, and nearby town simply could not handle the influx of visitors. There isn’t the infrastructure on what is normally a small-town hiking trail.

And that’s not even mentioning the strain on the super bloom itself.

Viral photos have shown people laying in the flowers, traipsing through fields of poppies, picking buds for their own DIY bouquet and letting their dogs run through the fields for a cute picture. While most of these photos had a cliche quote about the beauty of the California super bloom, few noted the importance of staying on the trails. Or even bothered to stay on the trails themselves.

Though one or two people doing any of these things may not have a lasting impact when you multiply that by a couple thousand, it’s a different story. It kills the flowers, prevents them from growing back in the future and ultimately ruins the eco-system.

Now, I don’t want to turn this into a rant.

Instead, I want it to be an opportunity to not only share sustainable tips for enjoying nature but also to share some examples of why. I know I need to know the why, and I figure more information will help people make more informed shifts in their actions.

Super Bloom and Sustainability: Do they Go in the Same Sentence?

I would argue, yes.

It only makes sense that, if you enjoy nature and the beautiful wonderful things that happen – like the California super bloom – that you would also want to make sure it’s there for future generations. Or heck, even for next spring.

In theory, that makes sense. “I’m no flower murderer!” you might be thinking.

Good.

But that idea can get lost in practice. First off, I believe this can simply be because people don’t know how to protect nature. I know I’ve certainly learned a lot.

I’ll admit, I chose to talk about the California super bloom because, well, everyone can get behind some orange poppies. That’s fairly non-controversial. They are pretty and almost everyone can agree that these little flowers (which happen to be the state flowers) should be protected.

So, flowers it is. What can possibly be controversial and political about a nice, cute, little poppy?

At first glance, not a whole lot. But, in my opinion, this year’s super bloom is actually a perfect conversation starter for other – much larger – events in the recent past that called to attention the need for more awareness and education about nature.

A bear attack near Yellowstone National Park, leaving people debating whether or not the offending bear should be put down (there have been a few in recent years). The longest government shut down in the history of the US, leaving parks open without admission and no rangers or staff to upkeep them. People going into those parks, trashing them and even irreparably vandalizing vegetation (like the person who cut down a Joshua Tree this year). The Interior Department shrinking 10 National Monuments – most famously Bears Ears’ – in favor of activities like logging, drilling, and grazing cattle.

And now the California super bloom.

In each of these situations, human interaction with nature had a negative effect – on all parties involved.

Each of these made me really angry for different reasons. I wanted to say something but, honestly, I didn’t really know where to begin. I didn’t think I had the most influence or even the best information to argue one way or the other – and I certainly have made mistakes that are just giant “oh, I can’t believe I did that,” moments.

But now I’m seeing that that mentality is flawed, too.

Here’s why…

It’s okay not to know best sustainability practices

I was so afraid to say something that I wasn’t sure is true or speak without having all the possible information about a situation because I didn’t want to look stupid. I thought I might get backlash on social media or that my friends would roll their eyes and call me a hippie.

But I didn’t realize that the idea of speaking up isn’t necessarily to be right.

It’s simply to start a dialogue. To open myself up to other opinions and be a safe space where people can share their experiences and ideas.

This was my biggest takeaway.

The point is, I’m just a human. And I’m learning. We all start somewhere. Rather than wait to share the things I learn until I feel like I’m the most experty-iest of the experts, I want to start sharing things as I learn them. So we can share this journey together.

So we can level up as humans who like the outdoors together.

The California super bloom has made me start wanting to have conversations. I want to start following people and organizations that are committed to getting good information and educational materials to people. I’ve listed two of those below.

But I’ve also listed just a few, very high-level tips for putting sustainability first when stepping out into nature. It’s okay if this is the first time you are reading any of these. But it’s not okay if you know better and still keep doing harm to the world around you.

Quick tips for protecting nature – and you

Yes, I want you to enjoy the playground that is Earth. Boy oh boy do I really want that. I think it’s a darn shame that there are people who never get to enjoy a National Park. I myself never stepped foot in one until I was 22 and moving cross country to California.

The sheer beauty of being amongst on Angel’s Landing Trail in Zion. The joy of waking up in a tent and having one of my first waking breaths be that crisp morning air as I stuck my head outside my tent somewhere in Colorado. The blanket of stars I felt like I could reach out and touch in Arches National Park as I watched the Milky Way twirl across the sky.

I was hooked immediately.

I quickly wanted to learn as much as I could. And I wanted – I still want – to share things as I learn them.

1. Research a place before going

A lot of us plan trips these days because of a photo we saw, blog post we read or guidebook we were skimming. That’s totally ok!

Hey, the California super bloom photos on Instagram made me wanna go, too. But it’s important to do a bit more research – what are the conditions? Are their trails? Marked roads? Will there be bathroom facilities and garbage cans, or will you need to be ready to pack everything you bring in, back out?

A lot of times, spending time researching a place gives you a bit more of an investment in it and an appreciation for what you are about to see. Which helps translates to taking better care of a place when you are there.

2. Know the Leave No Trace Seven Principles

If you follow only these seven rules, you’ll be lightyears ahead of the masses.

They are: plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife, be considerate of other visitors.

3. Keep all arms, hands, and legs inside the vehicle (trail) at all times

Okay, that’s a bad dad joke for, “stay on the trail!”

While you’re at it, keep your kids, pets and significant others on the trail, too. I’ll even look the other way if you want to shame strangers into getting back on the trail (but, like, politely).

This was the biggest mistake people made during the California super bloom last month. And it’s a rule that is usually more about protecting a fragile eco-system than the visitor. Though, in the example of cliff-side trails, volcanos and a few other places I’ve been, safety can be a concern, too.

Anyway, if you think that it’s harmless to walk off for a bit and seems safe for you, it might be. But that means the trail is probably there to protect nature from us.

4. Pick up that trash

I’m going to assume that, if you don’t consider yourself a poppy murderer, you probably aren’t a serial litterbug either.

But, more than just leave no trace, in most urban trails and nearby parks, you have the opportunity to leave it even better than you found it. I almost always hike with a day pack and have external pockets that I can easily put a used water bottle or granola bar wrapper in. I like to think of picking up items like this as the dues I pay for visiting that particular park.

5. Please don’t feed the trolls – I mean, squirrels

Like flowers, squirrels seem harmless.

But the food you leave out for them may also be enticing to nearby animals, too. We generally don’t want big animals – like mountain lions or bears – coming up to us looking for food. But that’s what we are inadvertently training them to do when we leave out scraps, improperly dispose of leftovers or forget to lock food up at night.

Keep the wildlife wild and help prevent future, potentially fatal, interactions.

6. Forgo the risky selfie

It sounds silly, but did you know that more than 250 people have reportedly died trying to take a selfie since 2011?

If you have to lean over a railing, get uncomfortably close to an animal, turn your back on nearby wildlife, go off trail or stand on the edge of a ledge, it may not be worth the epic shot. For those that are driving, see also “things that aren’t worth the risk.”

Again, like the staying on trails point, remember that “risky photo” could also mean destroying the environment. Lots of people laid in the poppies for the perfect super bloom photo and I’ve heard of people moving the boulders at Racetrack Playa to get a better angle or walking across the lakebed when it’s muddy.

The Playa in Death Valley is so dry that a muddy footprint could end up staying there for years. And walking across the flowers to get to the perfect vantage point is what caused those dirt “trails” or footpaths through the flowers that people claimed were them staying on the trail.

7. Follow people who are promoting sustainability

There are plenty of influencers, bloggers and journalists that are sharing sustainable practices and not just “doing it for the likes.” I love Katie Boue and Nicole Brown. But there are other men and women who share great resources!

8. Consider peak times, and then reconsider your plans

When there is a big event happening – like the super bloom or the upcoming free park entrance for Earth Day this weekend – it’s safe to assume you aren’t the only person who wants to go.

Everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy nature. But you may think about altering your plans just a tad to reduce the impact. For example, could you go earlier in the morning, for sunrise? There won’t be as many – if any – crowds. Plus, your photos will look better in that lighting.

You can also just adventure a bit further or choose a similar but different experience altogether. I had people mention that there were hoards of people along the roadside in Lake Elsinore. But, when you walked about a mile in, the crowd thinned out.

I opted to drive by and instead enjoy the super bloom at Dana Point and I have friends who headed to Anza Borrego instead.

It takes a little more research, but you can often find a very similar place. Trying to go to an iconic place like say, Antelope Canyon or Horseshoe Bed? A nearby canyon may look similar but have no crowds, making it even more special.

See, most of those are easy to do, right?

Let me know if you have any tips of your own to share. Or, if you have anything to add to these.

This blog post is the first of it’s kind, so I want your opinions. There are no inspiring photos. We aren’t mapping bike routes. I’m asking you, me, your neighbors – everyone – to step up.

But I do want my blog to be a place where the outdoors can be more accessible. I want to give people the information they need to enjoy it safely. It’s for you and nature – oh, and the animals 🙂 .

Which is why I brought up poppies today. Or really, just the super bloom in California in general. Because it’s about more than just the Walker Canyon super bloom in Lake Elsinore. So, thank you for reading.

And for those of you that don’t know the significance of those 7 words put together, just try out a little Google search or geo-search on Instagram. Walker Canyon has since re-opened and most the petals are falling, but it was truly beautiful.

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