We had yet another great turnout for our annual Shasta Chapter CNPS/Shasta Environmental Alliance field trip up Redding’s Westside Trail to the “Top of the World,” the highest hill in the trail complex. With 31 people, we had a wide range of physical abilities, so after the first mile the group began to spread out over the trail. Eventually most of the group made it to the top where we shared some wine and a toast to the New Year.
We only found one plant in bloom—coyote brush, both the male and female plants. Prior to the Carr Fire, manzanita was almost always in bloom, but the resprouting manzanitas haven’t yet grown large enough to produce flowers. We did see the common goldback fern just beginning to grow back on a bank that used to be thick with them. Toyon has recovered nicely and provides a winter food source to help birds and other animals survive through the winter.
Photo © Doug Mandel, taken January 1, 2025.
Thanks to Lisa Ross for bringing fresh baked cookies and Yo Sadohara from bringing wine and small paper cups for our annual New Year’s toast. This is always an enjoyable hike with new friends made and old friends reunited, and it makes most of us make sure we stay in shape so we can easily hike to the top next year! ~David Ledger