The Backbone adventure proceeds apace. Five sections down, eight to go. This section is particularly enjoyable, with spectacular rock formations and awesome views. And, at this time of year, lots of fungi!
Backbone #5
Tag: hiking
Paeonia californica
Easy part of the Backbone Trail. Glad to see the native peonies emerging!
Paeonia californica, a perennial herbaceous plant reaching a height of 35–70 cm, undergoes subterranean retreat during the summer and reemerges with the onset of winter rains. Its flowering period primarily spans from January to March, followed by the development of two to five fruits per flower.
Indigenous to southwestern California and northern Baja California, California peonies thrive in dry hillsides within the coastal sage scrub and chaparral communities. Frequently found as understory plants, they grow up to an elevation of 1500 m.
backbone #1
Over the next few months, I’ll be hiking the 67-mile/108-km Backbone Trail in easy chunks. Annette and I started with section one on New Years Day, Will Rogers to Trippet Ranch. It was a gorgeous day, and we were tired and happy at the end. A great way to start the year!
Lynx rufus
Thank you, nature, for the best gift — a bobcat sighting!
Delairea odorata
I hiked up to Parker Mesa Overlook from Los Liones yesterday. I‘ve only been to the overlook once before, on Nov 9, 1997 (according to my hiking book). My friend David and I did a sunset/night hike that evening, and we saw a rocket launch from Vandenberg Air Force (now “Space Force”) base. We actually didn’t know wtf we were seeing, but we read about it next day in the news. It looked like a massive translucent zeppelin. Amazing sight!
Delairea odorata is a perennial vine (family Asteraceae) native to South Africa. It is problematic in some of our coastal riparian areas, moist forests, and oak woodlands. The vines form dense mats of vegetation over trees and shrubs, killing plants underneath. It is toxic to animals and fish can be killed when plant materials are soaking in waterways. Unfortunately, it’s completely taken over Los Liones Canyon within Topanga State Park.
phantom trail
We hiked a new-to-us trail in Malibu Creek State Park, steep and almost overgrown in parts. It’s unclear why it’s called Phantom, except perhaps that hardly anyone goes there? We didn’t encounter any ghosts, but we did see some out-of-season wildflowers in the wetter areas to the north of the ridge.
Sostomo->Deer Valley
Annette and I have hiked to Tropical Terrace in Solstice Canyon many (many) times. But today was our first foray up the Sostomo Trail and around the Deer Valley Loop. We have declared it our new favourite hike. The creek crossings are delightful and the views from the top make the climb worthwhile.
We saw a hedge nettle (Stachys bullata) blooming out of season. What’s up with the common name? This member of the mint family neither grows in a hedge nor stings like a nettle. 🤷🏻♀️
get on your high horse
We hiked Nicholas Flat for the first time since spring. The new bridge has remarkably high sides; Vic says it’s to make it safe for horses.
Toxicodendron
This could be the poison oak encounter that I won’t be forgetting for a while. It can take several weeks for the rash to appear, but I’m already feeling (psychosomatic?) tingling on my forearms.
However, the Humboldt Lilies were fab!
Epipactis gigantea
They say virtue is its own reward, but I got a bonus 😊.
Stream orchids are widespread in North America, and ranked secure in conservation status, but they are rare and vulnerable in our mountains.
hashiworks 