Evening star., 1939-12-10
California
Boasts Sun
And Snow
Tourists Find
Wide Range
OF Scene

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9.-From
surf line to snow line Southern
California meets varied whims for
winter recreation. With sunshine
and flowers for the guest from a
frosty land, tropic beach and azure
sea for those from inland regions
and majestic mountains for the
plainsmans view, Southland scenery
runs the gamut, from towering
Mount Whitney to sub-sea-level
Death Valley, from the moving
glacier midway between Los Angeles
and San Francisco to the Sahara
like sand dunes near Holtville, from
the ermine-clad monarchs OF
Sequoia to the mysterious patriarchs
Of Palm Canyon. And a veritable
network of highways interlaces all.
The visitor who explores the Palm
Canyon region will lose himself in
African jungles, yet the forests Of
Washingtonia palms are only three
or four miles from the luxurious
Palm Springs resort. where tennis,
golf, badminton, weekly gymkhanas,
rodeos and pastel swimming pools
are casually accepted as midwinter
playthings by sun worshippers at
tracted there from all the world.
Just a few miles south Of Palm
Springs is Indio, famous for date
gardens and gateway to the I'm
perial Valley, which once was part
Of the oceans bed.
Valley Offers
Intriguing Region.
The Salton Sea, the bubbling
geysers, the mysterious hot springs,
whirlpools lined with pigments used
as Indian war paints-these, with
footprints of prehistoric dinosaurs,
fantastically shaped sandstones and
many other phenomena, combine to
make the Imperial Valley one of the
most intriguing regions in the
Southland.
For the supreme tryst with nature
In fantastic mood many visitors
choose the weirdly beautiful scenes
of Death Valley. Spacing tennis
and swimming at luxurious Furnace
Greek Inn, sightseeing may include
such breath-t taking vistas as that
from Dante's View, which over
looks by vertical mile the lowest
point in the United States "a glim-
mering alkaline pool known as Bad
Water) and spans the hundred
miles of clear desert air to lofty
Mount Whitney.
While the visitors first Christmas
In the Los Angeles area may be de-
cidedly different" it has undeni-
able charm which fingers in his
memory. Poinsettia gardens reach
above his head in strange contrast
to the midget stalks so carefully
nursed In fowerpots at home, Liv-
ing deodar trees at Altadena stand
double file in a mile-long lane,
sparkling with colored lights draped
from their 85-foot crowns. Midwin-
ter horse racing is staged against
mountain backdrop on track
fanked with blossoms. Yuletide
oranges can be picked right from
the trees. The Christmas diversion
may be golf, badminton. tennis or
any of dozen other sunshine
sports.
White Christmas Only
A Few Hours Away.
And yet Just few hours away
from the metropolis. at Arrowhead
and Big Bear Lake, in the San Ber-
nardino Mountains at Big Pines, In
the San Gabriels, or farther north
at Sequoia, Yosemite. or the high
sierras of Inyo and Mono Counties
glistening white meadows and FROST
ed trees provide traditional
Christmas scene, where ski fans.
toboganners, figure skaters and art
lists of the snowshoe disport in
winter wonderland.
In strange contrast to the noun
tain Fairgrounds of Southern Cali
fornia are the resorts of its several
deserts, these latter offering pam
Drama of painted mesas, fantastic
cactus plants and canyons lined
with ancient palms rooted hundreds
Of years ago by unrecorded wander
erS.
Throughout its million and a half
acres the wonders of Death Valley
preserved as a national monument
BY the United States Government,
hint continuously of the supernatu-
ral and stern grip on reality Is
needed for the overwhelmingly ave-
some drive from Stovepipe Wells to-
ward Townes Pass as the ever
changing desert haze paints the
ramparts in violent reds and somber
blues, in golden browns and ambers
and amethyst purples, in corals,
fades and black; while oceans, riv-
ers, raging currents and frothy surf
pound against ominous black cliffs
which suddenly loom from the des-
ert mountains with such stark GER
tainty that reason is recalled only
by recollections of how one scof1ed
when others told Of Death Valleys
mystifying mirages.
Many people, however, find mi
RACES inadequate when 1t comes to
marine scenery. and others think
little of desert sightseeing as COM
pared to the salty tang of the Pacific
Sea, a tussle with sporty tuna, a
test of balance on aquaplane or surf
board, while real waves roll IN from
China to the very real shore by the
sea.
For these the coast cities rank
high in vacation satisfaction. and a
continuous program of nautical
events is in progress throughout the
winter months. high-lighted by the
annual Christmas week regatta,
December 80 and 81 at Newport,
the New Year races" at San
Diego and the classic February
regatta at Los Angeles harbor, which
draws craft Of % classes from Pacific
waters near and far.
Wilt Uvrpoo,V