I know you’re in California, and I don’t know what kind of maple trees you have out there… but it’s worth mentioning that you can make maple syrup from maples that aren’t sugar maples. 

Acer saccharinum and Acer negundo, silver maple and boxelder, are two examples I’ve heard of which thrive in the area I’m from, which is much much too warm for sugar maples. There are probably even more maples that will work. 

You need more sap to make it but they still make syrup. 

You can also make syrup from birches and hickory trees, but it’ll taste different, of course.
You also have to look out with birch syrup because 1. It burns easily and 2. It contains xylitol which is deadly for dogs and cats to eat