Adventures

Hike: Skyline to the Sea trail in Castle Rock

3/20/21

Jason and I had a day! The first since the pandemic started more than a year ago. My folks are vaccinated, so they were able to take the kids for the weekend. We drove over 92 into Half Moon Bay, takeout lunch from the Three Amigos, and then on to Waddell Creek.

The beach was busy - and windy, but the Waddell Creek trail was closed. We took a quick, cold walk on the beach and then continued south. We turned in on Bonny Doon Road for a ride through the forest. It was unexpectedly grim at first, as drove through the burn area from the Bear Creek fire last year. We ended up on highway 9, and out of the burn.

We finally stopped for a lovely quick hike in Castle Rock at a roadside trail access. We found out later that the trail was the same one we'd planned to hike from Waddell Creek. It was the Skyline to the Sea trail. The trail comes down from the Santa Cruz Mountains and finishes at the trailhead on Highway 1. A lovely day!

I found lots of cool plants, and was able to identify: Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) (in the field), Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) (in the field), White Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii var. atomaria), Golden Ear (Naematelia aurantia), Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum), Dendroalsia Moss (Dendroalsia abietina), Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum), Coastal Woodfern (Dryopteris arguta), Goldback Fern (Pentagramma triangularis), Seaside Bone Lichen (Hypogymnia heterophylla), and Springtime Amanita (Amanita velosa).

I originally thought the last was A. ocreata (Western Destroying Angel) but posted it to a mushroom forum I belong to and was set on a more delicious and less deadly path. To be clear, there's no chance I'm actually eating these mushrooms. They are far outside the realm of a novice.

Possibly Delphinium?

Saw a cool new leaf - Inaturalist suggested Delphinium (common name larkspur) - without flowers, I don’t know.

Mushrooms!

Stereum hirsutum: Hairy Curtain Crust and

Tremella aurantia: Golden Ear

I was guessing (in a vague I’m just learning sort of way) that I'd found turkey tail or something similar. INaturalist suggested Turkey Tail and something called Hairy Curtain Crust. Come on, that name’s kind of awesome. What surprised me was that they’re not in the same family - not even the same order! I have much to learn about fungi.

I was leaning toward the Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum) - it’s in the order Russulales, family Stereaceae. Next time, photos of the underside. This one would be smooth, Turkey Tail has round pores.

Then, after further investigation on the next fungus I photographed, I was able to confirm. S. hirsutum is commonly parisitized by T. aurantia. Since I found them both on the same log, I’m calling both of them.

Polystichum munitum: Western Sword Fern

Leaf details: single alternate pinnate, and the little lobe at the base (like a scabbard), serrated margins.

Sori details: round, in rows on either side of midrib, covered by a fringed indusium

Size: leaflet is 1 to 15 cm, frond is 50 to 180 cm (1.6 to 5.9 ft)

Status: Native

Nemophila menziesii var atomaria:

White Baby Blue Eyes

Flower details: 5 petals, notched tips, white with blue spots and stripes, tips slightly hairy at the margin, lavender anthers on white filaments, small green sepals up to 40 mm (1.6 in)

Stalks: hairy, up to 60 mm (2.4 in)

Leaves: leaves are oddly round lobes, opposite, hairy, lower leaves stalked, upper may be sessile and less lobed.

Status: native

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