It was eerily quiet high on the mountain. No birds chattered in the chaparral, and it was so still the mountain seemed to be holding its breath. Sometimes in cloud and sometimes in sun I made my way along the rocky ridge. Was I on the correct route? In the thick brush and towering rocks it was hard to tell.

Descending along a narrow, rubble strewn path, I stopped at the base of a rocky outcrop. An odd plant was growing on the steeply inclined face, and I climbed up to take a closer look.

The plant looked as if it belonged in the Triassic. Long tentacle-like stalks radiated menacingly from a central spiral of pointed, wedge shaped leaves. The outer leaves of the rosette were wilted and rusty, and the entire plant had the chalky appearance of something that was part alive, and part dead.

I couldn't quite see the structure of the flowers and leaned closer to take a photo. Suddenly...

This is the point in the story where the plant should grab me, or release a puff of toxic dust from its flowers, or do something equally malevolent. Not this time. But I can't think of a more bizarre looking plant than a chalk liveforever on a rocky outcrop in full bloom.

From Sunday's Clouds & Crags trail run.

Some related posts: Chalk Liveforever, Canyon Liveforever

Like scarlet monkeyflower, yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus) loves springs and seeps. These are at a spring at Sheep Camp, between Mt. Pinos and Mt. Abel.

From Sunday's run on the Vincent Tumamait and North Fork trails in the Chumash Wilderness.

Scarlet Monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis) at Little Jimmy Spring, in the San Gabriel Mountains.

From Sunday's run on the PCT.

Speckled Clarkia (Clarkia cylindrica ssp. cylindrica) along the Garapito Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains, near Los Angeles.

Because they tend to bloom in late Spring and early Summer, this species of Clarkia and several others are sometimes referred to as Farewell to Spring.

From last Sunday's out and back run to Saddle Peak.

Related post: Elegant Clarkia

Leaves of climbing penstemon (Keckiella cordifolia) on the Hondo Canyon Trail. Its seems to have especially benefited from our Winter rain, and its orange flowers are widespread in the chaparral this year.

From Sunday's out and back run to Saddle Peak.

From Sunday's run from Three Points to Waterman Mountain.

Notice anything peculiar about the Mountain Phlox (Phlox austromontana) in this photo?

Usually 5-lobed, several of the blossoms here have six lobes.

These are along the Cougar Crest Trail, near Big Bear Lake. The photo is from a couple of weeks ago, the day before doing the Holcomb Valley 33 mile Trail Run.

The Havasupai reportedly use a preparation made from the plant (externally) for body aches.

From a recent run on the Farmer Ridge trail, which works up onto the ridgeline above Mulholland, about a quarter mile west of its junction with Sullivan Ridge Fire Road. The single track trail bypasses a 1.1 mile stretch of Mulholland fire road, and is also about 1.1 miles long.

From a mid May run in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, formerly Ahmanson Ranch.

Davidson's Phacelia (Phacelia davidsonii) near Cooper Canyon trail camp, in the San Gabriel Mountains. From last Sunday's run.

Washoe phacelia (Phacelia curvipesa) is similar, but it's blossom is not as large.

Snow plant emerging from pine needles and other detritus on the forest floor.

From Sunday's run through Cooper Canyon.

Related post: Snow Plant

From today's trail run to Castle Peak in the western San Fernando Valley.

Davidson's Blue-Eyed Mary (Collinsia bartsiifolia var. davidsonii) along the Secret Trail in Calabasas, California.

From a trail run on March 30.

From a run this week on the Secret Trail in Calabasas, California.

Fiesta flower (Pholistoma auritum) near Big Cone Camp in Santa Paula Canyon.

This time of year if you're running in Southern California's canyons and notice a subtle, pleasantly pungent, and slightly sweet fragrance wafting about the area, look around, poison oak is probably near.

The small, greenish, five-petaled blossoms generally hide under the "leaves of three" and are easy to miss.

From today's run in the Simi Hills.

Related post: Poison Oak

From today's run in the Malibu Hills.

Winter into Spring the purple flowers of wishbone bush (Mirabilis californica) are found along sun-warmed sections of low elevation trails in much of Southern California.

The plant's common name refers to the stems of the plant, which are repeatedly forked.

From today's run in the Simi Hills.

California peony is fairly common in the Santa Monica Mountains and other lower elevation, open space areas of Southern California. It can be found in a variety of habitats, including Coastal Sage Scrub and Chaparral.

It is a perennial, and has adapted to our demanding climate by dieing back when conditions become hot and dry. Its leaf growth tends to parallel that of annual grasses, and as these grasses become long, lush and green following early Winter rains, you'll usually find flowering peonies somewhere in the area.

From Saturday's trail run in Malibu Creek State Park.

In the lower elevations of Southern California, miner's lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) usually sprouts in mid Winter. It is typically found in shady areas of the chaparral understory. It grows in nearly every county of California, and probably occurs in all but the most arid parts of the western U.S.

Miner's Lettuce was reportedly eaten by Gold Rush miners to help prevent scurvy.

From today's run on the Garapito Trail, in the Santa Monica Mountains, near Los Angeles.

If there has been adequate rainfall, shooting stars (prob. Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. patulum) can germinate and bloom in early January at some lower elevation areas of Southern California.

From a run earlier this week in the Simi Hills.

Related post: Shooting Stars

Following the little bit of wet weather we had at the end of the year, Southern California has been enjoying idyllic weather with highs in the 70's and 80's. Southland cities recorded the highest temperature in the continental U.S. several days this week. Tuesday San Diego recorded a high of 84 degrees, tying Kalaeloa, Hawaii for the warmest temperature in the nation.

The weather's been great for trail running -- and for the chaparral plants. Alternating periods of wet weather and warm weather have encouraged growth and flowering, and I've been seeing a number of rainy season wildflowers. In addition to the milkmaids in the photograph above, some of the early bloomers include nightshade, peony, shooting star, woolly blue curls, prickly phlox, chaparral mallow, rattlesnake weed, and several others.

Rainfall totals in Southern California this rain season to date have generally ranged from an inch or so above normal to an inch or so below (WRCC). As of yesterday, Downtown Los Angeles (USC) precipitation was 0.56 inch above the norm for the water year to date. Although January has been dry so far, it looks like we may see a shift to more seasonable -- and wetter -- weather around midweek next week.

The precipitation pattern we've seen on the West Coast so far this rain season has a bit of an El Nino flavor to it, and that pattern may become better defined in the coming weeks. Today's 6-10 day and 8-14 day precipitation outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center indicate above average rainfall for Southern California. We'll see!

From a run at Sage Ranch earlier this Summer.

Kotolo milkweed (Asclepias eriocarpa) on Lasky Mesa.

From a run last week in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch).

Some related posts: Bumblebee, Milkweed Bug Nymphs, Blue Milkweed Beetle, Tarantula Hawk

Like many runners, I like to do a recovery run the day after a race, or strenuous run. Combined with some stretching before and after, an easy-paced run helps to work the bugs and stiffness out of the body and mind.

It may have been only 14 miles long on the map, but from my legs point of view, yesterday's hike/run up and down Mt. Baldy's South Ridge felt more like about twenty normally hilly miles.

The photo above is California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum), at Sage Ranch Park.

Pleasant run on the Chumash Trail this afternoon.

Despite its small size, the scarlet flower of Indian pink (Silene laciniata) is easy to spot along the trail. Indian pink is a member of the carnation family, and although not as ornate as its cultivated relatives, there is a clear family resemblance.

Click image above to start slide show.

Update May 30, 2009. In a Draconian measure that could close over 200 of California's State Parks, Gov. Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting the State Parks core funding in half begining July 1, and then would eliminate ALL core funding in a year. Here is a list of the California State Parks at risk (PDF). Click here to take action and send a letter to your legislators and Governor Schwarzenegger! For more information see the California State Parks Foundation web site.

Update May 18, 2008. Gov. Schwarzenegger's revised state budget, released May 14, rescinded the funding cuts that would have resulted in the closing of 48 California state parks. For now it appears these state parks will remain open. For more information see the Save Our State Parks and Campaign To Save Topanga State Park web sites.

Following is the original post from February 2, 2008:

What a fantastic morning! Taking advantage of a break in a series of Southern California rain storms, I was running on Fire Road #30 near the entrance of Topanga State Park. The sun had found its way through a broken layer of clouds, and bright patches of sunlight highlighted the rugged terrain. Down in a steep canyon on my left, wisps of steam wafted from the chaparral.

Following an "On your left!" a group of mountain bikers swept past. Working up the hill toward the Hub, good morning's were exchanged with other runners, hikers and cyclists.

Many of us live and work in California because of its diverse open spaces, parks and wilderness areas. Incredibly, this popular urban park, along with Will Rogers State Historic Park, Santa Susana SHP, Los Encinos SHP, Mt. San Jacinto SP, and forty-four other California State Parks have been slated for closure in the fiscal year 2008-09 California state budget.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the selection was made according to the dour formula of those parks "that had the fewest visitors, produced the least revenue and would be the easiest to close off to visitors."

This formula necessarily targets less developed parks, such as Topanga State Park, ignoring those intrinsic values that make a park a park. The formula targets walk-in parks, and the hikers, cyclists, riders, and runners that simply enjoy the outdoor experience. The formula targets day use parks in urban areas that don't need campgrounds or additional services. And, the formula targets those with less to spend on recreation.

So is this how we are to appraise the value of our public lands? Closing our state parks would be astonishingly short-sighted. Their varied trails, terrain, and habitats are accessible to millions, providing a therapeutic escape from the rigors of city life, and experiences and insights that can only be gained from the out of doors.

Today I was doing one of my favorite runs in Topanga State Park. It links several trails and visits several popular destinations in the park -- the Hub, Parker Mesa Overlook, Trippet Ranch, Eagle Rock, and the Musch, Garapito and Bent Arrow Trails.

This two minute slide show is a compilation from a few such runs. It is a small selection of photographs from one set of trails, in just one state park.

For more information regarding Topanga State Park, see the Campaign To Save Topanga State Park, Topanga Canyon Docents and California State Parks web sites.

Technorati Tags: slide show, California state budget, California State Parks, Topanga State Park

Purple sage covered with tiny droplets of dew. From Sunday's run to Calabasas Peak on the Secret Trail.

Saturday, I'd run in the Malibu Creek Challenge 22K. Today I Wanted to do something low key. Not too long, not too steep, but still a run that would work out the kinks that follow a race. I finally settled on the Secret Trail to Calabasas Peak, a 4.25 mile course with an elevation gain/loss of around 750 ft.

The low clouds and fog that surged into the Santa Monica Mountains on Saturday had returned during the night. The mustard and monkeyflower along the trail were soaked with dew, and now, so was I. Running felt good, and the two or so miles to the peak passed quickly.

The sun had nearly burned through the morning overcast, and just below the summit of Calabasas Peak, the bright yellow flowers of a Spanish broom seemed to capture and concentrate the subdued sunlight.

Spanish broom (Spartium junceum) is a twiggy, green shrub that originated in the Mediterranean. It is common at lower elevations of our local mountains. According to the California Invasive Plant Council it was introduced as an ornamental in San Francisco in 1848, and planted along highways in Southern California in the 1930s. Its color and fragrance are distinctive.

Prior to running the Inca Trail we did an acclimatization run at 11,000 ft on the altiplano near Chinchero. The very first flower I saw on the run was a Spanish broom! This suggests that Spanish broom could spread to higher elevations of the San Gabriel Mountains, particularly if climate change results in more arid conditions.

Some related posts: Peru Running, Secret Trail to Calabasas Peak, Tapia Bound

Closer view of Filaree (Erodium botrys). Filaree's blossoms are about the size of a pencil eraser. They are common underfoot, Spring into Summer, in dry, weedy areas of Southern California.

From this morning's bouldering session at Stoney Point.

From this morning's bouldering session at Stoney Point.

From Sunday's Long Canyon to Simi Peak trail run. California primrose (Camissonia californica) is also known as False Mustard because of its superficial similarity to common mustard and other mustard species.

Macro still life of Douglas' nightshade at Stoney Point, a bouldering and top-rope climbing area in Chatsworth, California, northwest of Los Angeles.

Lupine is blooming yards from the parking area at the Victory Trailhead of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch), and the Valley Oaks are now nearly fully leaved. Annual grasses have gone to seed, and the hills are just starting to turn from green to gold.

Wildflowers at the Slippery Rock put-in on the Lower Kern River.

Encelia Along the Bent Arrow Trail

I usually do the 21 mile Will Rogers - Temescal loop once or twice a year, and that's just long enough to forget the difficulty of the strenuous climbs, and remember the outstanding downhill on the Backbone trail, great views of the city, and lush growth in Temescal Canyon.

If the day is warm the return from the coast can be particularly brutal. Today it was cloudy and cool for much of the run, and it wasn't until the final mile on the Bent Arrow Trail that the sun broke through.

Study of ground pink (Linanthus dianthiflorus).

From a run at Sage Ranch Park.

As we've seen this Winter, it is the norm for Southern California's weather to be abnormal. Cool, wet weather in December was followed by weeks of warm, dry weather in January. It is hard to predict when it will be wet and when it will be dry. Especially if you are a plant.

This photograph of a shooting star (Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. patulum) is from early February, when the weather was dry. Droplets of moisture can be seen clinging to the interior walls of the seed capsules. These climate moderated capsules helps ensure that the plant will produce viable seeds, even if an extended period of dry weather should occur after the plant blooms.

Deep in shade on a north-facing chaparral slope, this California fuchsia (Epilobium canum ssp. canum) has not savored direct sunshine for weeks. Overnight temperatures in the Santa Monica Mountains have dropped to freezing several times this Winter, and frosts have been common. But this hardy plant continues to bloom.

According to the Jepson Manual this subspecies ranges up to about 5000 ft. in elevation, and the parent species up to about 10,000 ft. As a genus, Epilobium is well represented by species that grow at higher latitudes and elevations, and must have developed adaptations that help it flourish in cooler climes.

From a run on the Old Boney Trail on December 27, 2008.

Growing in clusters at the top of a bristly, 1-2m, gray-green stem, the flowers of telegraphweed (Heterotheca grandiflora) are a striking yellow.

The plant is native to California. From a Fall run at Sage Ranch.

Rabbitfoot grass (Polypogon monspeliensis) along a vernal stream course in East Las Virgenes Canyon in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahamanson Ranch).

This grass is not native to California. From a run in October.

Tree poppy (Dendromecon rigida) on Temescal Ridge Fire Road, on the way to the Hub in Topanga State Park.

From a run in March of the Will Rogers - Temescal Loop in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Fall color is not as widespread in chaparral as in some other plant communities. This vividly colored poison oak is along the Garapito Trail in Topanga State Park.

From a run of the Trippet Ranch Loop from Marvin Braude Mulholland Gateway Park at the southern end of Reseda Blvd., in the San Fernando Valley.

Related post: Poison Oak, Ferns Along the Garapito Trail

Sometimes growing as large as a supermarket cherry, the sweetish, thin-pulped fruit of hollyleaf cherry (Prunus ilicifolia) is a favorite snack of coyotes.

These are on the Chumash Trail in Rocky Peak Park. This is the first year since the 2003 Simi Fire that there has been a sizable hollyleaf cherry crop along the trail.

It is commonly reported that an "acid treatment" in the digestive tract of a coyote or bird is required for germination. However, according to the University of Texas Native Plant Information Network Native Plant Database, fresh seeds require no treatment.

Related post: Holly-leaved Cherry

There are some imperfections, but generally the unopened disk florets comprising the head of this immature sneezeweed blossom are arranged so that each floret is surrounded by six other florets. This is an example of hexagonal close packing, and is probably the most dense arrangement of florets that can be achieved in this spherical flower head.

The photograph of the Bigelow's sneezeweed (Helenium bigelovii) was taken on an out and back run on the Pacific Crest Trail from Vincent Gap to Little Jimmy Spring during July 2007.

Related post: Bigelow's Sneezeweed & Bee

Plumed achenes of curl-leaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius) on the Chumash Trail. From Tuesday's run.

Prickly poppy (Argemone munita) in upper Cheeseboro Canyon.

From today's run of the Cheeseboro Canyon keyhole loop, starting from the Victory trailhead of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch).

Here's a Google Earth image of a GPS trace of the loop, and links to trail maps for Upper Las Virgenes Open Space Preserve and Cheeseboro/Palo Comado Canyons.

There is yellow, and then there is the YELLOW of the mariposa lily, Calochortus clavatus. Remarkable in its brightness and purity, its yellow is one of the most intense and vibrant concentrations of color I have seen in the chaparral.

It is relatively uncommon, and this is one of a few seen along trails in Rocky Peak Park, and the Simi Hills. Of the varieties listed in the Jepson Manual, this appears most similar to the slender mariposa lily (Calochortus clavatus var. gracilis).

The insect emerging from the flower is a small bee -- probably a sweat bee (Halictidae). These bees were found on several of the mariposa blossoms along the trail. They were usually busy slurping nectar from the gland near the base of each petal, and partially hidden by the club-like hairs that gives the species its name.

From a run earlier this week in Rocky Peak Park.

Related posts: Mountain Mariposa, Plummer's Mariposa Lily

Technorati Tags: mariposa lily

Goldenstar (Bloomeria crocea) -- from a run at Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, formerly Ahmanson Ranch.