California Lilac. Photo by Annette Kondo.

In wilderness, one expects a stunning vista or two. You anticipate the spicy aroma of towering pine and fir. And, if you are lucky, the fleeting sight of an endangered species, maybe a Nelson’s bighorn sheep scuttling up a rocky peak. This time, though, our hike in California’s Cucamonga Wilderness in the San Gabriel Mountains began with a humbler sight. Ladybugs. Read more