Vaca Mountains
|
Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve Vaca Mountains |
April 22, 2008
It's Earth Day! This means that I should be out enjoying the earth,
so here I am. Having read something about it on the Internet, I have opted to
visit this trail; it is maintained and researched by the University of California,
Davis campus, as part of the world's largest university-administered reserve
system. Thus one was named after the world-renowned plant geneticist
and U.C. professor, G. Ledyard Stebbins. Located in the Coast Range, which
separates the Sacramento Valley from the wine country to the west, the trailhead
is just an hour's drive from my home.
The trailhead is unsigned on the highway; I watch for the silver metal gate on the south side of the road, then park on the opposite side. A short distance in, there are informational posters and a registry to sign.
The trail itself is quite well-maintained, and wooden steps have been installed on the steeper sections. There are quite a few different flowers out today.
Easy walking
Golden Fairy Lantern
Pacific Pea
Longbeak Storksbill
A particularly shady section of trail is covered by tall bushes and small trees. Hundreds of caterpillars are crawling around here.
Caterpillar corridor
One of many
This California Ringlet may or may not be related to the caterpillars
A small stream crosses the trail; beside it are a number of morning glories
and some blue-eyed grass.
There still is running water here
Western Morning Glory
Blue-eyed Grass
Just past the creek, I encounter a flower type that I have not seen in many years.
Purple Chinese Houses
After strolling through an open meadow, at about the 1-mile mark a spur
trail veers left to an old homesite beside the creek. This is the prettiest
and coolest portion of the route thus far; it also is riddled with mosquitoes.
Friendly trail
The John Vlahos homestead, built in 1938
Back on the main route, I presently meet a pretty young coed from a nearby college. She cannot tell me much about the trail ahead; but she does promise to check out my web site, and I hope that she sends me an email as well.
Having been remiss in my research, I decide to turn around here, after only a mile and a half. On the return, there is ample opportunity for more photos.
Yerba Santa
Ithuriel's Spears
Death Camas
Scarlet Pimpernel
My adventure ends all too soon, but there are photo opportunities during the ride home.
Nearing the trailhead
Pipestem Clematis adorn the highway
Yellow Lupine are in abundance at roadside
§: It turns out that a 5-mile loop was available, by continuing to the
ridge top and hooking up with the Blue Ridge Trail just to the west. Had I
continued, I also would have been treated to a view of Lake Berryessa below.
Next year I'll do just that.
| Scenery |  |
| Difficulty |  |
| Personality |  |
| Flowers |  |
| Solitude |  |
