4/20 Mt Diablo

It was a beautiful day, not too warm and with a nice breeze, and there were lots of flowers, but it is a hike which feels much, much longer than the 5 miles from Juniper Camp to Devil's Elbow via Bald Ridge and Prospector's Gap. Thank goodness Karoline and Shirley were there to shuttle Susan, Elaine and Phred back to Juniper Camp. We were all more than a little tired.

It was especially interesting for me to compare the flowers Ulla and I had seen the day before when we hiked Donner Canyon. Of course there was some overlap, but, for example, the Ericameria was in full, extravagant bloom on Wednesday's hike and almost completely gone to seed on Tuesday's. Same with the Clematis. Tuesday the display of silvery seed heads was eye catching; Wednesday there were a few fading flowers, but the seedheads had not really formed. Tuesday we saw Fairy Lanterns enough to light the whole kingdom; Wednesday we only saw a few buds. But Wednesday we saw the Fritillaria affinis in flower, whereas Tuesday all we saw were fat seeds. And so it went.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/9BnDDb

4/19 Donner Cyn & Falls Tr

Not a Wednesday hike, a Karen and Ulla hike, but the flowers were too good not to share!
We started from the Regency Dr entrance, walked up the Donner Canyon Fire Rd to Cardinet Oaks Rd. Then Falls Trail to Middle Trail. Back to Donner Canyon Rd then down Hetherington Tr til we rejoined the Rd near the Cabin site. 5.4 miles with elevation gain/loss of about 1000'.
The hike was interesting for several reasons: 1) it was almost exactly 4 years (4-18-2012) since we last did the hike and 2) it was good to compare what two weeks of spring weather had done to the flowers we saw when the group hiked there at the beginning of the month.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/10JJij 

04/13 Ring Mountain

Ten of us started from the end of Westward Drive and made a loop up the Phyllis Ellman Tr to the Ring Mt Fire Rd with stops at the Petroglyph Rock and Turtle Rock. Then we headed out to the actual peak and had lunch overlooking the Bay. Return was via the Loop Tr. This is a short walk, only about 2.6 miles, but, Oh, the flowers! Masses of blue eyed grass, tidy tips the size of half dollars, poppies and (a first for me) the Calochortus umbellatus (Oakland Star-tulip). Many tahanks to Phred and Elaine for suggesting this walk!

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/zhM3qs 

04/06 - Donner and Back Canyons, Mt Diablo SP

Only 9 of us were brave enough to venture out on what was forecast to be a stinky hot day. We were rewarded with lots of green, water in the creeks and flowers! We hiked out Donner Canyon Rd to the Donner Cabin site, then took the Hetherrington Tr along the creek and rejoining Donner Canyon Rd. We turned downhill as far as Tick Wood Tr which we took around the point to meet the Back Creek Tr. Lunch was in a shady spot along the creek. These trails have lots of shade and there was a nice breeze now and then, so we really didn't find it overly warm. The cars were hot on our return, tho. We parked on Mountaire Pkwy this time as Regency has been so crowded on past visits. Of course this time it wasn't. Distance about 3.3 miles.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/7J6U27