Early Winter Field Trips
There aren't that many flowers this time of year
(Arctostaphylos and chamise come to mind) so we have
some trips searching for non-flowering treasures.
Be sure to periodically check our Santa Cruz chapter website for additional offerings, as trips may be added after the newsletter is printed: cruzcnps.org. For additional field trips and other events, check the websites of our neighboring chapters:
http://www.montereybaycnps.org/
http://www.cnps-scv.org/
For farther-flung floriferous adventures check out the primarily Southern California and desert flowering hotspots on these websites
http://www.theodorepayne.org/hotline.html
http://www.abdnha.org/pages/03flora/reports/current.htm
http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/wildupdates.html
http://calphoto.com/wflower.htm
For more information: contact Ellen Holmes, at (831) 684-2363 or ellen@centralcoastwilds.com
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Saturday, January 14, 9:00am to 3:30pm
Fetid Adder’s Tongue Hike RSVP requested
It’s a stinky little flower but an exciting one since it’s one of the first of each new year! Join leader Andy Werner to see if the intriguing Fetid Adder’s Tongue is blooming in the Land of Medicine Buddha. If not, we’ll have a nice hike in a lovely forest and observe two albino redwoods (one up close).
Bring water & lunch. 6 miles/700 ft. elevation gain. Because of limited parking, carpooling will be required and early departures from the hike will not be an option. Arrive early, we leave at 9:00 from the back parking lot of the Congregational Church of Soquel (on the Main Street side). Rain Cancels. Call Lynn at 375-7777 for a reservation.
Sunday January 22, 10 AM – 1 PM
CANCELLED (lack of rain!)
Fungus of Nisene Marks State Park with Christian Schwarz. RSVP requested
This amazing redwood forest is home to a great diversity
of some of our most beautiful and little-known fungi. The
Waxy Caps (Hygrocybe spp.) are especially well
represented here, as are the pink-spored Entoloma, as well
as the Agaricaceae (Agaricus, Lepiota, Cystolepiota,
Leucoagaricus). The mycota is like no other place in
Santa Cruz county, and is more reminiscent of the far
north coast. We will visit old-growth redwoods, large
tanoaks, and tall oak groves. A deeply cut ravine with
steep rock walls and moss-hung bigleaf maples bisects the
lower part of this park, making for very picturesque vistas
from the trestle bridge. This area encompasses the
epicenter of the famous Loma Prieta earthquake!
The hike will be one to two miles, easy to mildly
strenuous, mostly flat with slight uphill slope over a long
distance.
Meet at the trestle bridge inside Nisene Marks State Park
at 10AM, (or at 9:30AM outside the park). The bridge is
just before the winter gate, which will be closed, and the
end of the drive. Parking is available just before the
bridge, mostly on the right side of the road as you come
in.
Things to bring: A sweater (it gets cool in there!), a snack,
and a notebook and/or camera. There is an $8/car day use
fee, so bring a parks pass or be prepared with cash. You
may wish to meet other carpoolers outside the park at
9:30, in the big dirt lot next to the bike shop, to arrange
carpools, and share the entrance fee. Meet on the righthand
side of the road, at the far end of the lot, as you head
into the park. Carpools are voluntary, and not CNPS
sponsored/insured.
RSVP Christian Schwarz, cfs.myko@gmail.com or 831-
435- 9918
Sunday January 29, 10am-2pm
Treasures of Henry Cowell SP w/ Deanna Giuliano
Join Deanna Giuliano to visit one of our local treasures:
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. We will see our local
endemic Arctostaphylos silvicola and Ribes divaricatum
in its special habitat of the sandhills, and then meander
through some of the controlled burn area to discover what
is sprouting, on our way to the observation deck for a
stunning view of Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay. Our
loop back will take us up Eagle creek where we will see
some special plants. Hike is moderately strenuous (deep
sand!) and about 4.5 to 5 miles round trip.
Trip is from 10-2 bring water, layers, sunscreen, hat and a
lunch. Meet at Juvenile Hall parking lot off Graham Hill
Road. Carpooling is encouraged, but not CNPS
sponsored. Contact Deanna Giuliano for any questions at
drosegiuliano@yahoo.com or call 831 335-4902. Heavy
rain cancels.
Saturday February 11, 10am-2pm
Ferns of Fall Creek w/ Deanna Giuliano
Come frolic in the forest of Fall Creek on a fern foray.
Join Deanna Giuliano on a fern hunt: we will try to locate
most of the 15 species of ferns that grow in the park. Hike
will be leisurely about 2.5 miles.
The trip is from 10-2; bring water, layers, and a lunch.
Meet at the State Park parking lot on Felton Empire Road
in Felton. The first 10 people to show up get a key to the
native ferns of Santa Cruz County!
Carpooling is encouraged, but not CNPS sponsored.
Contact Deanna Giuliano for any questions at
drosegiuliano@yahoo.com or call 831 335-4902. Heavy
rain cancels.
Saturday February 25, 10am-3pm
Hike to Chalk Mountain 1609' and
Beginning Plant ID
with Deanna Giuliano
Come follow Deanna Giuliano’s lead, and enjoy
spectacular panoramic views and amazing redwoods and
understory plants we can key on the steep trail up to see
flowering endemic Manzanitas at the top. Strenuous
elevation gain of about 1500’, 4 miles round trip.
Trip will be from 10-3, bring water, layers, sunscreen, hat
and a lunch. Meet at Westside New Leaf parking lot at
9:30am. Limited to 15 people. Carpooling is encouraged,
but not CNPS sponsored. Contact Deanna Giuliano for
any questions at drosegiuliano@yahoo.com or call 831
278-2699. Heavy rain cancels.
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