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New Year’s Day Field Trip, 2022

New Year’s Day Field Trip, 2022

View of Mt Shasta from Westdise trail; toyon in foreground. J. Hernández.
Looking north from Westside Trail, west Redding, toward Mt. Shasta on the horizon. Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, with its bright red berries in the foreground. January 1, 2022. Photo by José Hernández.

Shasta Environmental Alliance (SEA) held its first field trip of the year on New Year’s Day. Fifteen hikers showed up at 9 AM in 39 ºF weather to take this four-mile round-trip hike up Westside Trail to the “Top of the World” in west Redding. On the way, walk leader David Ledger identified many of the trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants along the trail, all of which are nicely recovering from the Carr Fire.

David Ledger and hikers on Westside Trail. J. Hernández.
Hike leader David Ledger calling attention to a botanical point of interest on the Westside Trail, west Redding. January 1, 2022. Photo by José Hernández.

Only the coyote-brush (Baccharis pilularis), white-leaved manzanita (Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida), and scattered fragrant cudweed (Pseudognaphalium beneolens) were in bloom, but many plants were identified by their leaves, last year’s seeds, and growth form, such as buckbrush (Ceanothus cuneatus var. cuneatus), Pacific hound’s-tongue (Cynoglossum grande), and gold-backed fern (Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis). Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) was prolific on the trail, its bright red berries providing food for robins, bluebirds, and bears.

Pacific hound's-tongue. D. Mandel.
Proof that we actually saw some herbaceous native plants: first leaves of Pacific hound’s-tongue, Cynoglossum grande, a hopeful harbinger for 2022. January 1, 2022. Photo by Doug Mandel.
Carr Fire-burned lanscape on Westside Trail; view of Mt. Shasta. J. Hernández.
The Westside Trail, west Redding, was burned in the Carr Fire. Many species are regrowing; toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, is particularly happy with greater sun exposure. Hikers on the trail to the left; Mt. Shasta on the horizon. January 1, 2022.
Photo by José Hernández.

On this cold but clear New Year’s Day, we had amazing views of Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, the Trinity Alps, the Yolla Bolly Mountains, the northern Sierras, and about 100 miles down the Sacramento Valley. Lisa Ross brought homemade cookies, Doug Mandel and José Hernández took some great photos, and Yo Sadohara brought wine for a toast to ring in 2022. ~David Ledger

Top of the World New Year's Day toast. D. Mandel.
Hikers toast the new year at the “Top of the World,” Westside Trail, west Redding. Lisa Ross, far left, brought cookies. Next to Lisa is SEA president David Ledger, who led the field trip. Yo Sadohara, center in red, provided wine, and José Hernández, far right, took many photos. Mt. Shasta on the horizon. Photo by Doug Mandel.

Editor’s note: Hiking the Westside Trail on New Year’s Day had been a Shasta Chapter CNPS tradition for over 10 years until the pandemic hit. Because of Shasta Chapter’s current “no in-person events” policy, it has continued under the name of Shasta Environmental Alliance, led by its president, David Ledger (who also happens to be Shasta Chapter’s Conservation Chair!).