Sid Hultquist said he was relaxing one day after a long hike while camping on an old wagon trail in Death Valley when something unexpected happened.
A somewhat uninspiring desert vista changed, almost instantly, as the sun began to set.
“Suddenly all of these flowers bloomed, and came to life and exploded,” said the former fire chief of the Apple Valley Fire Protection District. “I can only tell you it was probably one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen.”
The longtime High Desert resident, who now works as a consultant for the Barstow Fire Department, later found out the wildflowers he watched bloom were called Evening Snow.
The flowers, which resemble common weeds in the daytime, only bloom in the afternoon or later and emit a jasmine aroma, Hultquist said.
Hultquist related that experience — and several others from his years exploring the High Desert — during Thursday’s Victorville Rotary Club meeting.