a Rainy March on Table Mountain

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In spite of a very wet and windy week, I ventured up to Table Mountain outside of Oroville, California for a first viewing of this year's wildflower show.  I encountered a few sprinkles on my drive up, however once there, the rains held off long enough for me to hike down to Hollow Falls (Phantom Falls)and back under the cloudy skies.

Table Mountain is comprised of a lava cap that is several hundred feet thick and several miles wide.  The shallow, and sometimes non-existent soil base is host to numerous wild flowers with peak bloom usually occuring about mid April.  The outcroppings of lava rock help produce a maze of patterned color that delights the eye when viewed across the open landscape. 

During this third week of March, the primary wildflower show was Yellow Carpet (Blennosperma nanum),California Goldfields (Lasthenia californica) and Sky Lupine (Lupinus nanus).  There were numerous Fryingpans, a small orange poppy which is a relative of the California Poppy, however the cloudy weather had their buds closed tight.  The California Poppy, interestingly enough, does not grow naturally on Table Mountain.



Sky Lupine~click to view large



California Goldfields~click to view large



Frying Pans~click to view large







On the rocky slopes at the start of my hike I came across Volcanic Onion, also known as Wild Garlic (Allium cratericola).  While rare in Butte County, it is very common on Table Mountain during the early to mid-spring. 

Volcanic Onion-click to view large

With the abundance of rain over the month of March, there were streams of water cascading down the mountainsides with numerous smaller waterfalls as I made my way down.

Within ear shot of the plummet of water from the top of Hollow Falls, several other varieties of wildflowers started to appear.  The yellow heads of Biscuitroot or Hog Fennel (Lomatium utriculartum) dotted the tops of the rock outcrops.  I also spotted the first of the the Kellogg's Monkey-flower (Mimulus kelloggii) and a scattering of Seep Monkey-flower (Mimulus guttatus).  The wind made it very difficult to capture close ups of the flowers on the rock outcrops so several of these are from previous visits.



Biscuitroot~click to view large



Kelloggs Monkey-flower~click to view large



Seep Mokey-flower ~click to view large

At the crest of one of the hillsides in this area I  encountered the first Bluedicks (Dichelostemma capitatum).

From the top of Hollow Falls, I opted for the less perilous path down to the bottom through Beatson Hollow.  The protected dampness of the hollow presented quite a stark contrast of growth.  The trees were covered in moss and colorful lichen.  The stream at that point was quite swollen and it took me a bit of time to find a crossing point. 

 

Once across the creek I was able to find the official marker designating the area of Beatson Hollow.  A short walk east and I reached the bottom of Hollow Falls where I paused to rest and reflect on the natural beauty of a place so close to home. 

After making my way back out of Beatson Hollow, I retraced my steps alongside the creek thinking of the colorful show still left in the weeks ahead.

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