Photos: Obama to designate chunk of San Gabriel Mountains a national monument

The snow-covered San Gabriel Mountains rise behind the downtown Los Angeles skyline in December 2012.  (Nick Ut / Associated Press)

Brian Campos of Anaheim relaxes in the East Fork of the San Gabriel River in the Angeles National Forest in August.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Precious Adams, 8, center, of Norwalk plays in the East Fork of the San Gabriel River in the Angeles National Forest, where her family was cooling off on a hot Saturday in August. The area will be part of a new national monument.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Mariah Adams, 3, of Norwalk cools off in the East Fork of the San Gabriel River in August in what will become part of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Elijah Hernandez, 7, of Covina plays in the East Fork of the San Gabriel Valley River in August.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Families wade in the East Fork of the San Gabriel River in the Angeles National Forest in August.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)