The California Superbloom of 2019 was a rare event, and we nearly loved it to death.
There’s always some kind of natural phenomenon we’re suppose to care about. A blood moon, a meteor shower, solar eclipses, lunar eclipses, a “once in a lifetime” planetary alignment that you'll need a telescope and a $10,000 camera lens to capture. A super duper mega ultra wolf moon that peaks at 3am on a Tuesday and will not happen again until the next time it happens, which is actually next month, but this one is slightly bigger. We’re told each one is unmissable, unrepeatable, a cosmic gift that will leave you forever changed. And every single time I look for one of these phenomenon, I’m left unimpressed.
The California Superbloom of 2019, though? Now that was different...
THE PLAN WAS MAMMOTH
Winter was coming to a close, Mammoth had received well above its average snowfall, and I was determine to be immersed in it before the season was over. I had heard something about a superbloom happening in Southern California and treated that information with the level of urgency it deserved. None. (Yeah, Yeah, I was ignorant what can I say?)
I threw that opinion right out the window the second I pulled up on Lake Elsinore.
The hills were bright orange and I immediately understood what all the fuss was about. I wasn't even mad about the traffic buildup it was creating, it gave me time to take it all in. By the time I processed what I was seeing the decision had already been made. I followed the line of cars off the exit and I was parking.
A NEON EXPLOSION SEEN FROM SPACE
First of all, just wow. Look at this! The photos don’t even do it justice…
And yes, you could actually see them from space!
(DigitalGlobe satellite image of a super bloom in California's Walker Canyon on March 19, 2019)
HERE’S WHY THE SUPERBLOOM IS KIND OF A BIG DEAL
The recipe for a large superbloom, like the one in 2019, is intense and oddly specific. Seeds have to lie dormant in the soil until just the right conditions align.
You need rain. But not too much rain, and not at the wrong time of year. Autumn rain first to reach the seeds deep in the soil, then a steady winter rain to keep them going. Too much at once and the seeds wash away before anything gets started.
You need cool temps. The cooler air slows the bloom down, keeping the flowers going longer than they otherwise would. Any early heat wave and it's over before it begins.
You need some years of drought beforehand. Years of dry seasons mean more seeds.
And the secret sauce for 2019, wildfires. The ash left behind acted as a natural fertilizer and supercharged everything in Lake Elsinore.
Honestly, it was breathtaking. For once, a natural phenomenon had finally delivered!
And then of course….
THE THING EVERYONE CAME TO SEE, THEY DESTROYED
The crowds were massive, one article said they saw "Disneyland sized crowds", and the city was not prepared. The mayor even called it a "Poppy Apocolypse" 😳
Take a look...
And it wasn't just chaos. The damage was real.
According to Jonathan Reinig, reserve manager at Walker Canyon, an estimated 50% of plants were destroyed before they could seed. A direct result of people trampling through the fields.
What a gut punch to Mother Nature.
To prevent a repeat of this situation, Walker Canyon is closed during any potential Superblooms. So in short, disrespect the flowers and you get nothing.
We’ve had a couple of blooms since but nothing has come close to 2019.
But right now, out in the hills, the seeds are quietly doing their thing. Lying dormant in the soil, just waiting for the perfect conditions to align once again.
And when it does, I’ll be ready.
