The west of Rocket Mountains, towards the Pacific coast, there is in the south a stretch
of desert area that suddenly becomes verdant in the Imperial Valley of California. In
the north, after leaving Salt Lake City behind, until one reaches the coastline on
encounters foothills and a few isolated mountains. In the very northern part of the
Pacific coast region is the city of Seattle located on Puget Sound and neighbored by the
Olympic Peninsula, on which is located Olympia National Park, the location of a
completely fascinating temperate rain forest, and the Cascade Range, where Mr. Rainier
stands. Not too far away from the city is the site of the St. Helens eruption, where
visitors can observe the ecological recovery from that devastating explosion.
The coastline towards the south is quite rugged, with precipitous cliffs and
boulder-strewn beaches. Only occasionally is there a sand beach suitable for picnicking
and swimming. It is not until one reaches Los Angeles that one finds long stretches
of sandy beaches occasionally interrupted by a sheer cliff now and then.
Before then, the city of San Francisco remains an important center of urban sightseeing,
with Berkeley and its University across the Bay, and Stanford University a short distance
south of San Francisco. Farther south is Yosemite National Park with its spectacular
scenery of valleys carved by glaciers and numerous magnificent waterfalls. And even
farther south is Monterey, the scene of many John Steinbeck stories. The coast road
continues south through Big Sur, a picturesque retreat for such authors as Henry Miller,
Jack Kerouac, and poet Robinson Jeffers.
There are few places of natural beauty in Southern California. Most of the interest lies
in human creations such as Hollywood and Disneyland. Yet for surfboard riders,
sunbathers, and ocean swimmers, there are few places in the United States that can
match the beaches stretching from Los Angeles to San Diego. The weather is always
temperate and there is little rain. People spend most of their leisure time outdoors.