Halls Valley Trail, Joseph D. Grant County Park, Santa Clara County, CA, 4/12/2014
Here is a classic California golden sunset a friend and I enjoyed near the end of a long arduous hike one spring day. I had forgotten how challenging and steep Washburn Trail is in Joseph D. Grant County Park near San Jose, CA, and we started our adventure by hiking up the entire trail. Next we headed south on Cañada de Pala Trail and finally back downhill along Halls Valley Trail. Having carried my camera gear all day, I was weary by the time we reached this spot with a clear view to the west. Nevertheless, I sprang into action when I observed how the sun was setting over a beautiful arrangement of hills, and I had just enough time to make this single exposure. Evening haze created depth in the scene; trees on a distant ridge cast radial shadows in the golden glow! In 1968 California's legislature made "The Golden State" the official nickname, honoring California's long association with gold. Such connections can be found throughout the state's history and natural scenery. The name of the Golden Gate Bridge is a legacy from the days when California was a huge source of the precious metal. Sunsets, especially over the ocean here are often richly golden in color. The state's official flower, the golden poppy, can be found growing in abundance throughout the region, lending their hue to meadows, fields, and hillsides. The California Gold Rush of the 1850s is still seen as characterizing the state, which tends to generate technology, social, entertainment, and economic booms and busts.
