At Juniper Ridge, we’re inspired by the locations we love. When we’re crafting each release, we let our imagination run wild with our love for the location, and few places offer a better feast for the senses than Sand to Snow National Monument.
Nestled in Southern California’s Mojave Desert, Sand to Snow National Monument offers a dramatic landscape showcasing the area’s remarkable diversity. Established in 2016 to protect the wildlife corridor running through the monument’s heart, this 154,000 acre stretch of land is absolutely packed with a richness that’s just waiting to be explored.
It’s hard to believe so many different wonders are contained inside Sand to Snow. The area drowns you in its opulence, with the earthy, sticky smell of its diverse ecosystem greeting you at every turn. No matter where you find yourself, you’re never far from Yerba Santa, Juniper, Honey Mesquite and other dazzling smells that invigorate your senses.
With a topography that ranges from sea-level desert to rocky crags that rise above the treeline, Sand to Snow has a little bit of everything. It’s even got regions that are more temperate and lush, like the riparian woodlands that snuggle alongside Vivian Creek. While there, taking in the rich scent of cedar and fir feels like the perfect way to unwind. Little oases like this dot the landscape all over Sand to Snow, bringing explosions of green to the otherwise arid desert.
Nearby is Big Morongo Canyon, which offers some of southern California’s best birdwatching. Visitors have the opportunity to see Yellow-Billed Cuckoos, Least Bell’s Vireo, and even the occasional American Bittern. The canyon is also painted with incredible greenery, featuring Parry’s Cloak Fern, Iris-leaved Rush, and lots of sheltering scrub brush that deliver some additional eye candy.
Just a few miles over is the area’s centerpiece: San Gorgonio mountain, which is southern California’s highest peak. At more than 11,500 feet, the peak held spiritual significance for the Serrano and Cahuilla people who lived at its base. While standing up there, it’s easy to see why: it offers a breathtaking view of the Mojave Desert sweeping out before you.
From up there, the diverse topography of Sand to Snow reveals itself. Within the National Monument’s borders there are more than 1,600 plant species, 240 bird species, and 12 endangered or threatened species. These numbers are a testament to the region’s diversity, and tell a story about the magic of nature. For so many wonders to be held in such a small space shows the importance of preserving areas like Sand to Snow.
In crafting this release, we aimed to capture the diversity of a region that holds so much beauty within such a limited space. By celebrating the rich topography of the region, we were able to recreate a piece of this jewel within the southern Californian desert. From conifer forests to the soft smells
among the desert brush, our Sand to Snow release embodies the aromatic wonders held within this unrivaled landscape.