Face Cards
You Know Who can't stop putting his face on things, plus, Rain in the Southwest, Flower Forecasts, Lawn Swaps, and more
howdy
I just dodged the bullet.
I scrambled to get my renewed America the Beautiful request in before the end of 2025 and received my updated card with a photo of a lovely roseate spoonbill by Michael Zheng on it. If you’re updating after that, you may not be so lucky.
Instead, you will be subjected to looking at one of the worst people the country has ever created each time you want to enjoy this nation’s public lands.
Yes, unfortunately Donald Trump’s saggy, caked face is now shoulder-to-shoulder with George Washington on the America the Beautiful Pass, which can be used to cover entrance fees at most public lands throughout the country.
Unsurprisingly, this has caused quite a stir for those of us who like to pick up the pass every year for outdoor adventures, for a few reasons. The new portrait on the pass may very well be a violation
of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, which requires the annual pass to display a photo from the National Park Foundation’s annual public photo contest (the Center for Biological Diversity has already filed a lawsuit about this), not that getting caught doing illegal things has stopped this particular president before. You could also argue that the two Trump administrations have been—let’s just say—historically awful on the protection and management of public lands across the board, so it’s kind weird to see him on something that helps people access those lands that isn’t a “Come Build a Strip Mine Here” invitation.
So no, I don’t want to look at that guy’s face when I’m going hiking, either.
Oh, and they also removed Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Juneteenth as fee-free days on federal lands, replacing them with Independence Day weekend, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, and Flag Day, which also happens to be Trump’s birthday (🤮). I’m sure those date changes were purely coincidental and don’t offer any kind of insight at all into the biases of the people now running these organizations!
Almost immediately, people began sharing plans to cover up Trump’s face with stickers on their cards … and then the Department of the Interior updated their policies to say that altering the pass in any way could be considered voiding it entirely, though Park Service staff have the final say. Artists have taken to designing workarounds for this, which include a number of sleeve designs and park pouches that allow you to keep your America the Beautiful pass unaltered without having to look at a twice-impeached convicted felon all the time.
Some folks have also said they will not purchase a yearly pass with Trump’s face on it and will instead opt to pay entrance fees on the lands they visit. If you’ve got the cash to spare, this is a nice option that also gives more money to the parks. As for me, I’ll just enjoy my spoonbill for now and hope the lawsuits shake out.
Modern Hiking
Good stuff from the Modern Hiker site
Here in the Pacific Northwest, it has been abnormally dry this winter. Almost all of Oregon is sitting below 50% of its snow-water equivalent levels for this time of year … and I haven’t been able get on a ski slope once yet! Meanwhile, our neighbors to the south are having an exceptionally wet rainy season, where (with some notable caveats) the entire state has just been declared drought-free for the first time in 25 years!
This means it’s an exceptionally good time to check out the creeks and waterfalls of California. I had a conversation recently with a PNW hiker who was pooh-poohing the waterfalls of Southern California, and I had to say yeah, sure, these are not quite as majestic or breathtaking as places like Multnomah or Snoqualmie Falls, but I kind of think the ephemeral, temperamental nature of SoCal’s cascades makes them special. Some of these things only last for a few days after a rainstorm, and seeing a waterfall on a trail you’ve hiked a dozen dry days before is its own kind of specialness.
Many years ago, I remember calling out “sick” from work after a few days of atmospheric rivers to trek to all of the SoCal waterfalls I could think of, and it remains one of my fondest memories of living in Los Angeles.
Check out my list of the best waterfalls in Los Angeles and see for yourself. And if you’re a bit further north, be sure to check out our list of waterfall hikes near San Francisco and get your boots muddy on some creek-hopping treks in the Bay Area, too.
Also,
The Modern Hiker site remains up and running, but due to AI scraping and a reduced social media presence, ad revenue is down. I want to keep this hiking information online and accessible for everyone as long as I can, but if the costs of the site’s upkeep, hosting, and maintenance exceed the revenue, I don’t know how long that will last.
The revenue from paid subscribers of this newsletter helps offset these unreliable advertising revenues, but I get that not everyone can commit to a monthly subscription. If you would still like to help and have some cash to throw at this project, consider donating via Buy Me a Coffee. All funds received will go toward keeping the lights on for the site and the newsletter, and are greatly appreciated!
Your Parks
Your Places
Wait After it Rains
One of the most commonly asked questions we hear around this time of year is “… do I REALLY have to wait for a few days after it rains to go on a hike?” In places where the rain doesn’t fall all that often, waiting for a bit after the skies clear is a good rule of thumb for a few reasons. If you’re hiking in a canyon or a place with a creek or ephemeral stream, those areas can turn into significantly larger, fast-flowing rivers. I have hiked Switzer Falls a few days after a big rain and had to help guide unprepared hikers who found themselves knee-deep in creek waters. Waiting gives the water levels time to recede. But most importantly, letting the trails dry out significantly reduces the impact of hiking boots, bike tires, and horseshoes on the trails themselves. Taking a day to wait can greatly reduce the maintenance needed to repair a muddy trail that was tore to shreds by slips and slides.
Although some land managers do close parks and trails to visitors after a storm, for the most part the judgement is left up to the users. Orange County’s Irvine Ranch Conservancy has more on the topic, as well as some helpful numbers and websites to check to make sure the trail you want to hike is open.
The Parks Under Trump
The New York Times has a feature article up on the Trump Administration’s effects on Yosemite National Park (UNLOCKED) and, um … surprise, surprise, it’s not good. In addition to a 25% drop in permanent staff across the Park Service, the parks have been left open during shut downs and remain woefully under-staffed, leading to an increase in littering and rule-breaking like flying drones, BASE jumping, and climbing without permits.
Mount Baldy Tragedies
The tallest peak in Los Angeles County claimed several lives so far this winter, as it does with some regularity, unfortunately. A hike that is challenging but non-technical in the warmer months becomes a technical mountaineering route when the ice and wind roll in. The Los Angeles Times has a moving tribute feature on 19-year old Marcus Muench Casanova, who died on the mountain in late December after slipping and falling some 500 feet in an ice chute south of Mount Harwood.
The piece mentions Casanova tried to reach rangers for updated trail conditions but could not get through to anyone, and that the hikers had deceptively calm weather that masked the danger at higher elevations. There are also renewed calls for better safety in the heavily-trafficked area, including permits and other options.
Leafing Out
Plants!
Keep an Eye on Desert Flowers
Due to the aforementioned heavy rains in the southwest, it seems like desert wildflowers may be in for a very nice season (don’t call them superblooms, though!). Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has already reported the starts of some very lovely blooms, and with Death Valley’s ancient Lake Manly reappearing after heavy rains in November, rangers there are expecting some flowers starting in early February!
As always, wildflower blooms can be very fickle—a few hot days or late season cold snaps can drastically alter the size and intensity—but it does seem like this year is gearing up to be a solid one for desert wildflowers. I have a trip planned to Joshua Tree in March so … fingers crossed!
Keep tabs on the wildflowers in Death Valley here. And check in with the Anza-Borrego Foundation for the best info on that park. You can find more wildflower resources on good ol’ Modern Hiker, too.
Trade in Your Lawn
If you live in Los Angeles County and are looking to swap out your lawn with some California native plants … and you don’t mind being on camera … you may be in luck. The Santa Monica Mountains Fund is on the lookout for local lawns that are in the market for a big change for a new documentary they are shooting, and if you are chosen, the landscaping work will be done for free!
The homeowners have to agree to appear on camera, the site has to have suitable sun exposure and access, and ideally they are looking to transform green, maintained lawns. Also, they’re just doing the plant stuff—so no new irrigation systems or lighting or anything like that. If you’re interested, send an email with the subject line LA Makeover to lamakeover@samofund.org with the following:
Photos and / or a 1-minute video of your lawn
Why you are interested in a lawn makeover
The estimated size of your lawn
Why you are interested in California native plants
Your address
One More Thing
Oh yeah, before I go …
It has now been one year since the fires in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Earlier this month, many outlets marked the anniversary, noting the resilience of the residents, the frustrations around rebuilding, and the vegetation and wildlife that are bouncing back.
One Year After the Fires – NYT (UNLOCKED)
Photos One Year Later – The Atlantic
That’s all for now! I’ll have some personal updates and more outdoor stories coming your way soon, but until then,
Happy Trails,
