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An Island in Suburbia by Naturalist Michael Marchiano 1998-04-01 Mount Diablo is an island in the middle of suburbia. It is a diverse habitat of cool wooded canyons with flowing creeks and cataracts in winter, spring, and early summer. It is a wooded oak forest, a grassy savannah, and a wonderment of rocky slopes covered in fascinating chaparral growth of ceanothus, chemise, manzanita, sages, toyon, currants, and silk tassels. It is a treasure of wildflowers in springtime and summer, a paradise for bird watchers, a challenge to hikers, and until recently, a mystery to geologists. I was fortunate to be born and raised in the East Bay, living at the base of the Mountain since my early childhood. My first experience of snow as an eight-year-old was when my mother drove me, my brother, and our neighborhood friends up to Mount Diablo after one of those low elevation snow storms. I experienced cold snow and the worst case of poison oak I have ever had. Yes, you can catch poison oak in freezing weather from the leafless twigs of a poison oak plant. As a Naturalist, I fell in love with Mount Diablo years ago. The various intriguing habitats offer a richness and fantastic diversity of plant and animal life. I am constantly learning new things every time I explore an area of the mountain. I first hiked it as a child and then as a teenager. I lived on the mountain for one year in my early twenties, fulfilling a childhood fantasy of working for Diablo Ranch as a cowboy. As a young adult, I led outings for the Lindsey Museum, 4H groups, schools, and scouts. As a teacher, I had my 8th grade science class do a full semester ecology study of the mountain, including several camping and field trips. Students that I have run into years after I had them in class have told me their greatest memories of junior high were the explorations and camping trips on Mount Diablo. Many can still recount to me the specific animal or plants that they wrote about for their project. When a child or an adult mentions his or her fear of snakes or spiders and then at the end of a presentation or hike volunteers to touch or hold one of these creatures, it validates all of the effort to do these programs. By volunteering with the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA), I have been afforded the unbelievable opportunity to share this wonderland with school groups, organizations, and visitors from near and far. In all of these endeavors I have had the opportunity to impart some of my love for the mountain to others. I have been given the chance to show people the wonders and mysteries of the marvelous plant and animal life on Mount Diablo and in the surrounding foothills. Seeing the amazement and wonder in people’s eyes as they learn about the relationship between a local and harmless tarantula and its foe, the tarantula "Hawk", or see a coyote in the wild for the first time, or watch a peregrine falcon flying overhead, is a great reward for me. Saving and protecting Mount Diablo for all the flora and fauna is of paramount importance, but educating the public, especially upcoming generations as to the significance of biodiversity, whether the smallest microbe or an apex predator like a mountain lion, is also crucial. MDIA has become a crucial link between the park and the public. For example, seeing the evidence of badgers on the north/west side of the Mountain for the first time in 40 years is extremely rewarding. It means that efforts to ban poisoning of ground squirrels and other rodents may be having some positive effect. Mount Diablo is home to many rare and endemic plants, as well as several protected and threatened animals. In spring, people can easily see over 75 different wildflowers, 40 different species of birds, and 15 different species of butterflies all within a two-mile walk. Add to that the beautiful oaks, maples, buckeyes, pines, and other lush shrubbery, and you may feel like you are in the Garden of Eden. Because of the enlightened thinking of prior generations and the continued effort of this generation. I am able to walk out of my home in Martinez, enter a public access path maintained by the Contra Costa Water District and East Bay Regional Parks, walk along this trail to Shell Ridge in Walnut Creek or Lime Ridge in Concord, into Foothills Park, following Pine Canyon into Mount Diablo State Park, hike over Curry Point, down the back side of the Mountain into Morgan Territory Park, into Round Valley Park through Los Vaqueros Reservoir property, and over to Brushy Peak on the Alameda County border. Many of the missing pieces of property that have made that trip possible were put in place by Save Mount Diablo. With the continued support of this and our next generations, that quilt of open and protected space will continue to grow for all generations to enjoy. BACK TO LIST

Most Excellent Spring Hike by Steve Smith Camels, Sunsets, and Buckeyes 2025-03-28 Steve Smith It is wildflower season on Mount Diablo and the hike of the month will explore some of our best single-track trails with some explosions of color. This hike can be modified to begin from just about any trail entrance, this version begins from North Gate Road where Burma Road crosses over, there are a dozen or so parking spaces in this area. You can just as easily begin from Castle Rock Park in Walnut Creek or Macedo Ranch in Alamo. The hike here is 5.7 miles and 1,000 feet of climbing...but you should allow lots of time to enjoy the beauty along these trails. Of course a nice sunny day is best for maximum color impact. Don't wait too long though, as the non-native grasses grow taller and taller, the poppies and other low-growing flowers tend to get swallowed up. North Gate Road is well-known for Mount Diablo's version of a superbloom, and right now the Poppies and Lupine are abundant and spectacular. Park where Burma Road crosses North Gate and head uphill on Burma, making your first left on Camel Rock Trail. You are going to explore this trail for 1.6 miles and will find many lovely flowers as well as several mini-waterfalls and fabulous rock outcrops along the way. Arroyo Lupines line the hillsides but you'll also find Fremont Star Lily, Blue Dicks, Blue Witch, and of course fields of Poppies. At trail's end you will cross back over North Gate and down Little Pine Creek trail. Make your first right and begin your climb up Falcon Road. This area is beginning to pop with color, take note of the varying colors of green as the Oak trees and Buckeyes continue to leaf out. You may be greeted with some pops of yellow Mule Ears along the way. Keep your eye out as you get closer to the top for the Wood Spirit guarding the trail. Turn right on Sunset Trail ensuring you learn a little about our Peregrine Falcons at the interpretive panel...Castle Rock is off limits this time of year for nesting. Sunset Trail is a lovely winding path down the hillside with lots of "smalls", flowers less than the size of a dime. However, keep an eye out for our iconic and endemic Mount Diablo Globe Lily...they are just starting to pop up throughout the park and along here in early April. Once you reach trail's end, hang a left on Stage Road. This is the original stagecoach route which once brought visitors from the train station in Martinez up to the Mountain House Hotel in the late 19th century. Beware this time of year as you will be crossing Pine Creek half a dozen times or more as you soak up the sounds (and perhaps the water) of a babbling brook and the lush riparian corridor. You will be traveling this relatively flat trail for about a mile before you veer to the left as Stage Road begins to climb back up the hill. Look out for carpets of Fiddlenecks and Blue Dicks before making a left on Buckeye Trail. Here you are treated to lush grasses and some small waterfalls...keep your eye out on the right for our showiest of flowers, Mule Ears. As you begin to glimpse the hills beyond you should start seeing hillsides of Poppies, particularly the area above and below the North Gate Road washout. Arroyo Lupine are abundant as well in addition to Mustard and Wild Radish. Continue on this lovely trail for a total of 1.2 miles until you reach Burma Road again, a quick right will bring you back to your car. C heck out our Wildflower Bloom Report and take it along with you to see how many you can find along the way! Wood Spirit Fiddleneck Mule Ears Arroyo Lupine Camels-Buckeyes BACK TO LIST

Mount Diablo Western Toad by Joyce Gross A Preliminary Survey 1998-04-01 By Chris Brown, US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center - San Diego Field Station [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons In April 1998 I photographed Bufo boreas (western toads) breeding and laying eggs in Little Pine Creek. Of the approximately 20 toads present, females predominated. My previous experience observing amphibian breeding congregations indicated that this was unusual--normally there are more males than females--but I didn't realize how unusual until Bruce Waldman, a herpetologist at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, saw my photos. Bruce also pointed out that many of the eggs I had photographed were irregularly shaped and not viable, probably "old" eggs, ovulated a week or more prior to actual oviposition. Bruce and I monitored Little Pine Creek in the spring of 1999. Toads always return to the same locations to breed. However, we saw no evidence of reproductive behavior. We found no toads, no eggs, and no tadpoles. Amphibian population declines have been occurring with alarming frequency all over the world during the past few years. There are many possible causes, including pathogenic organisms (e.g. chytrid fungi), high UV-B radiation, exotic predators, and habitat destruction. One of the least understood possible causes is pollution by pesticides, herbicides, and residues of commercial plastics. These compounds are similar in chemical structure to estrogen and other reproductive hormones. Thus it is feared that even at very low concentrations, which may pose no toxicological risk to organisms, these chemicals may mimic female hormones and disrupt normal endocrinological processes. The result might be altered reproductive timing that could contribute to reproductive failure. Of course in this case the reasons for our observations may be completely unrelated to the causes about which we are speculating. In 2000, we received a permit from the park to study the toads and test a few if we found evidence of reproductive abnormalities. I visited the park twice a week from February through June. I found normal breeding activity, resulting in small toadlets by June, in two locations in the park: two miles away at the pond off the Bruce Lee trail in Mitchell Canyon, and two miles in the other direction in a cattle pond near China Wall. At Little Pine Creek there was once again no evidence of reproductive behavior. I found two juvenile toads, but no adult toads in or near the creek, and no eggs and no tadpoles. What happened to the adult toads in the vicinity of Little Pine Creek in Mt Diablo State Park remains a mystery. http://amphibiaweb.org BACK TO LIST

Knobcone to Oyster Point Hike By Steve Smith Reprinted from MDIA Newsletter November 2023 2023-11-01 Scott Hein Oyster Point is a special treat as it is a remote destination packed full of adventure and scenic beauty. With the opening of Knobcone Point Road (through Save Mount Diablo’s Curry Canyon Ranch property) the opportunity for a proper loop hike abounds, yet this is not for the faint of heart. This hike is about 11 miles with 2,200 feet of elevation gain and Fall is a good time to do it while the weather is cool and before heavy rains (and mud) come. Starting from Curry Point we meander along Knobcone Point Road eventually making our way to Balancing Rock, a seemingly gravity-defying bit of Domengine sandstone. Just beyond you will pass through the gate and onto SMD property. (Please use the boot cleaning station before continuing.) The next 1.25 miles takes you through a lovely knobcone pine forest, through deep-shaded, rock-lined canyons, and across open grasslands. Views of the Summit and North Peak abound. Find another park gate which deposits you at the top of Riggs Canyon Road. This is a very steep descent into Riggs Canyon with expansive views of the southeastern side of the park including neighboring Morgan Territory Regional Preserve. At the end of Riggs Canyon, you’ll head right along Old Finley Road until you find the single-track Oyster Point Trail on the right. Winding ups and downs take you through Jackass Canyon on a pleasantly shady 2-mile journey to the Oyster Point turnoff. A signpost marks a trail up the hillside to the actual point, however, once you enter the chapparal up top the path is less obvious and you must hunt for the signpost. It is hidden off to the right, tucked in an alcove of chamise and black sage . Be sure to investigate the rocks around it, you will see the fossilized oysters for which it gets its name. Retrace your steps back down to the main trail and continue, admiring the views of Cave Rocks and Cave Point in the foreground. After another 1.3 miles you will find Blackhawk Ridge Road heading to the right and then steeply down. Continue along the road until you pop back up onto Knobcone Point Road and on back to Curry Point. Knobcone to Oyster hike map.jpg balancing rock by Steve Smith.jpg Cave rocks by Steve Smith.jpg Oyster post by Steve Smith.png BACK TO LIST

Mary Bowerman Trail by J. Frank Valle-Riestra Reproduced from Mountain News Spring/Summer 2014 2014-05-01 Mike Woodring In 2024 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association. One of the first major projects undertaken by the infant association was a survey of the park’s trails network. Small groups of dedicated hiker-environmentalists spread out over the far reaches of the park as it was in the mid-’70s, assessing the existing trails and recommending new trails. One recommendation was construction of what is now known as the Mary Bowerman Trail. The summit of the main peak was a primary destination of the visiting public, but no trails were there for visitors to experience close contact with the mountain’s exceptional natural environment. The first step was to lay out a possible route. Surveys of the topography revealed that a logical circuit of the summit region could be visualized with no anticipated damage to plant life and geological formations. The circuit was to be fairly level, along a contour line, with an overall distance of about a mile. Full of enthusiasm, our little band of interpreters marked the route with wooden stakes with red ribbons. We came back a few days later to find almost all of the stakes gone! So back we went and repeated our layout. A couple of days later, the same thing! And then it dawned on us. This was not the work of vandals, it was the work of animals (raccoons? skunks?) resenting this intrusion into their homeland. This was one of many delays; some, as expected, came as a result of environmental reviews by the Department of Parks and Recreation in Sacramento. Finally, with preliminary approval, Park Ranger Dick VanEtta single-handedly constructed a primitive path along the proposed circuit, in just a few days. But all in vain. For it was August of 1977, and soon after VanEtta’s efforts, lightning struck on Twin Peaks, and the resulting fire roared upward toward the summit. The summit buildings were saved, but the fire destroyed the plants on the north-facing slopes below, as well as vestiges of the new trail. The Bay Area was stunned by the damage to the park, and money poured in to help regeneration, along with suggestions which simply proved that many kind-hearted people did not understand that post-fire regeneration was best left to nature. Proposals such as aerial scattering of grass seeds, planting of redwood groves, even introducing palm trees were mercifully rejected. But the money was put to good use. The decision was made to build the trail as originally envisioned, through the burnt area, and to dedicate the trail to fire interpretation. After almost five years of planning, a spectacular trail, The Fire Interpretive Trail, was completed in 1982 by a wonderful group of young people from the California Conservation Corps, under the direction of Carlos Espinoza, a dynamo in a wheelchair. A grand trail dedication was held at the trailhead, with lots of visiting celebrities, fluttering flags, and politicians. William Penn Mott Jr., then superintendent of California State Parks, spoke, as did Senator John Nejedly and Mary Leo Bowerman, celebrated botanizer of Mount Diablo. Dr. Bowerman was a founding member of MDIA and co-founder of Save Mount Diablo, our sister organization. Dr. Bowerman passed away in 2005 at the age of 97; The Fire Interpretive Trail was renamed in her honor. Following extensive incineration during the recent Morgan Fire, the trail continues to serve as a fire interpretive trail, to allow the public to monitor post-fire recovery of the plant communities over the coming years. Ironically, Dr. Bowerman did not originally favor a trail through the area. She was afraid, with some justification, that the construction effort and large visitor volume would impact the fragile plant life. Fortunately, rare and sensitive plants such as Bitterroot (Lewisia Redidiva) have fared well. The trail has been developed as a nature trail, and numbered posts refer to some highlights listed in a brochure available in a box at the trailhead. The 0.7-mile loop is no great challenge to the dedicated hiker, but with the help of the trail brochure, it offers an unusual range of discoveries. There is actually much more to see than the described features at the numbered posts, and close observation rewards you with some surprises. For instance, upon reaching the wooden platform called “The Bridge”, you might notice in the lower right corner a textbook example of a geological nonconformity. This is a phenomenon of two different rock types (in this case, shale and greenstone) being joined together along a seam. This kind of sudden change implies that the two rock types, formed separately perhaps millions of years apart, were squeezed and rubbed together by displacement forces, such as the upward thrust of the mountain’s piercement structure. On the trail’s southern rocky section, look for evidence of “slickensides”, highly polished surfaces formed by friction between rock masses moving relative to one another. During the spring months, be on the lookout for some unusual wildflowers. Just beyond The Bridge, at the point where the trail turns sharply toward the east, you pass a cherty scree slope on your right. Close inspection of the loose rocks will reveal the presence of small plants struggling to come to the surface, in the shape of small green spiders about the size of a tarantula. These are examples of Bitterroot, and if you are lucky, you will be there to welcome the spectacular white blooms. Other flowers worthy of attention: Brewer’s Rock Cress, seemingly growing out of the rock, in greenstone crevices in the cliff behind The Bridge. Astounding fields of pink Claytonia smothering an expanse of broken chert just before you reach the short side trail to Devil’s Pulpit. The side trail is often graced in June with Mariposa Lilies, and miniature Penstemon fight to survive at the base of the Devil’s Pulpit monolith, a favorite climbing rock. Ah, there are so many wonderful things to see on this trail, which, along with MDIA, has now been with us some fifty years. After parking your car at the lower summit parking lot, walk up a few steps to the trailhead, at the bottom of the steep one-way road leading to the summit. A clockwise circuit is recommended; you will finish your hike just across the road from the trailhead. Enjoy and celebrate! Mary Bowerman Interpretive Trail Guide Check out more Spring Wildflower Hikes: Globe Lily Trail Springtime in North Peak Black Point Trail Mary Bowerman Trail Map by Kevin Hintsa Mary Bowerman Trail Fire Recovery BACK TO LIST

Deer Flat Hike by Steve Smith Reprinted from the MDIA E-Newsletter December 2024 2024-12-01 Steve Smith As wet weather and winter sets in the question arises, where to hike with limited mud? One of the best options is to head up Mitchell Canyon Road to Deer Flat (and beyond). This hike is a 7.3 mile out-and-back with 1550 feet of climbing and features a fabulous surprise along the way. Starting at Mitchell Canyon, head up the canyon for a couple of miles. It is so lovely this time of year to have the constant melody of Mitchell Creek running alongside you. Watch for pops of color from Snowberry and Toyon, or even a myriad of fungi. But the true surprise awaits you 2 miles in as you will start to notice the bare twigs and trunks have taken on a unique coating...ladybugs! In their winter 'hybernation' are millions of convergent lady beetles in huge masses of color. Enjoy them here, and perhaps have a stop at the picnic tables, before you begin your ascent up the many switchbacks. Just before you start climbing you will see a volunteer trail off to your left heading to the creek. Take this lovely spur and have a quiet moment next to the old springbox dam just 50 yards up. This is a great place for a video with full sound of the rushing waters to share later. Now comes the climb! You will start up the crookedest road on Mount Diablo as you navigate 15 or so switchbacks. No matter how many times I hike this trail I'm always convinced that the next corner is the last corner...it never is. Take breaks along the way to gaze over at Eagle Peak looming above. In the latter part of December you should start seeing the urn-like blooms of Big Berry Manzanita. As you continue to climb you will be rewarded by either the views of the valley behind you, or the quiet solitude of a fog bank enveloping you. Once you finally do navigate that last corner, you will be greeted by a rest stop at Deer Flat with several tables to enjoy, and lovely views of Eagle Peak, Black Point and Mitchell Canyon. Take a moment. Your route back from here is simple, retrace your steps back the way you came and take notice of all the things you missed with a different perspective than on the way up. Of course if you want to extend your journey there are a multitude of ways back which incorporate a loop. Buyer beware, those other routes can be a bit tricky in the winter (Eagle Peak, Back Creek, Meridian Ridge). Ladybugs Switchbacks Map of Deer Flat Hike BACK TO LIST

Variable Checkerspot by Dan Sandri 2025-03-24 Dan Sandri Here's a super-common butterfly - the Variable Checkerspot. Also known as the Chalcedon Checkerspot, the Variable Checkerspot is more commonly seen on Mount Diablo right now as a caterpillar. The caterpillars are black, with orange markings, which warn potential predators that they taste bitter due to the iridoid glcosides they accumulate from the plants they eat. Caterpillars can be seen now feeding on the leaves, flowers and bracts of Indian Paintbrush, Monkey Flower, Penstemon , Plectritis , California Figwort (aka California Beeplant, aka Scrophularia californica ) and many other plants. When they reach full size, they drop off into the leaf litter, or under fallen limbs or rocks, and pupate. They will emerge as adults the following Spring. There is one generation of butterflies per year. Why are they called Variable Checkerspots? The adult comes in many shades, with the top of the forewing colored with a mix of black, orange, or brown, with a mix of yellow, red, or white spots, or some combination of some or all those colors (see the difference in the 2 adults shown here). The smaller male butterflies show mostly in April – June and patrol constantly for the larger females. Soon they will be one of the most common butterflies seen on our hikes/rides. But see the caterpillars now! Catepillar form of Variable Checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona) Variable Checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona) Variable Checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona) BACK TO LIST

Globe Lily Trail by J. Frank Valle-Riestra, originally published in Diablo Review 2013 Frank's Favorite Hikes: The Miracle 2013-01-01 The winter and spring months of 2013 were marked by a particularly severe drought. Following some decent fall rains, only a couple of insignificant sprinkles fell upon our parched mountain after the New Year. Such serious lack of moisture promised a poor season for our celebrated wildflowers. Indeed, some species clearly suffered. For instance, Miner's Lettuce—normally a prolific species appearing as early as February—was conspicuous by its scarcity. More serious has been the effect upon Coulter and Foothill Pines, due to side effects such as insect infestation aggravated by drought. You will find withering and dying pines, particularly around the junction of Red Road with Mitchell Canyon Road. And yet other species, unexpectedly and miraculously, have proliferated, still another example of the difficulty of predicting good wildflower years from weather observations alone. In particular, the spring of 2013 was a banner season for the Mount Diablo Globe Tulip (also known as Mount Diablo Globe Lily or Fairy Lantern), a species endemic to the mountain and celebrated for its striking beauty. It is not really rare, but certainly not plentiful, and in normal years its occasional discovery among the golden mature grasses of May and June brings surprised joy to the heart of the observant hiker. Its bright yellow translucent petals, formed into a nodding globe, light up and glow in direct sunlight, indeed giving the appearance of a fairy lantern. But in the spring of 2013, the little beauty was no longer solitary - whole masses of fellow Fairy Lanterns graced the flanks of the Globe Lily Trail and the parallel stretch of Mitchell Canyon Road below, veritable explosions of color. Let us follow the Globe Lily Trail loop, which offers perhaps the best opportunity in the park for identifying a large variety of wildflowers, particularly in the spring. The loop is an easy two-mile walk, fairly level, with only a few minor inclines. Mitchell Canyon Road is a well-graded dirt track, and the Globe Lily Trail is an intimate single-track path. In the springtime the emphasis is upon the flowers, but the loop is an enjoyable walk at any time of the year, with small discoveries and surprises around each bend awaiting you. There are welcome benches at the junction of Mitchell Canyon Road with Black Point Trail and again with Red Road, excellent sites for bird watching in the late afternoon. Start your exploration at the Mitchell Canyon park entrance and visitor center. Be sure to walk through the Native Plant Garden behind the visitor center, the splendid creation of Dave Caniglia, an MDIA docent. This fruit of thousands of hours of devoted work is an excellent introduction to the flora of Mitchell Canyon. Now walk through the gate at the trailhead and follow Mitchell Canyon Road for ½ mile to the first side road, the Black Point Trail. After a few yards thereon, find the start of the Globe Lily Trail on your left. If you are here during the spring, however, continue momentarily upward a couple of switchbacks along Black Point Trail. You just may run across whole miniature carpets of stunted colorful flowerlets in the sandy soil of the road: Baby Blue Eyes, Bird’s Eye Gilias, and many others. If they are not there (nothing is ever guaranteed), the short side trip is still rewarded with fine views of Mitchell Rock across the canyon. Back on the Globe Lily Trail, enjoy the trailside show, and be on the lookout for stands of Yerba Santa along a dry exposed section of the trail. These plants, with their showy white blooms, are hosts to a parasite plant that feeds on their roots, Naked Broomrape. This is a plant justifiably characterized as rare, a leafless individual with clusters of waxy yellow flowers that seem to pop straight out of the ground. Finding one is cause for some excitement, but, again, in the spring of 2013, something happened—and literally dozens of these weird plants punched through the bone-dry soil in this location. Normally you would be lucky to find one. In the same location as the Yerba Santa, you will find a thriving stand of Diablo Mallow, a plant usually seen only after fires, but here still vigorous almost forty years after the last fire in this location in 1977. And now, as you continue along the trail to the point where it turns to your left along a north-facing slope, be on the lookout for Checker Lilies in the lush undergrowth. They are not easy to spot, by virtue of their dark and spotted petals, a decent camouflage. Once you reach the end of the Globe Lily Trail at Red Road, turn left, and then almost immediately left again onto Mitchell Canyon Road to return to the trailhead. It is along the first part of this return stretch where you have the best chance of spotting the elusive Fairy Lantern in late spring, on the left side of the road. A variety of supporting information is available to you to enhance your hiking experience. The Native Plant Garden Guide is available at no cost at the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center, as well as the illustrated booklet Mt. Diablo Wildflowers. Mitchell Canyon Road is posted as a nature trail, and guiding leaflets can be picked up from a box at the trailhead. MDIA has an excellent audio guided tour of Mitchell Canyon on its website, www.mdia.org . During the wildflower season you may wish to explore other trails in the park with exceptional flower displays. In my opinion, some of the best ones include Camel Rock Trail (poppies on Long Ridge), Bald Ridge Trail, North Peak Trail from Devil’s Elbow to Prospectors Gap, Ridge View Trail, Black Point Trail, Twin Peaks Loop, and Falls Trail Loop. Globe Lilies are found at other scattered locations besides the Globe Lily Trail, notably along the Perkins Trail in the Perkins Canyon area. Be advised, however, that the recent Morgan fire on our mountain encompassed the North Peak and Perkins trails. These trails in particular should have splendid displays of post-fire wildflowers in the spring of 2014. Check out more Spring Wildflower Hikes: Springtime in North Peak Black Point Trail Mary Bowerman Hike Globe Lily Trail Map Globe Lily Trail Elevation BACK TO LIST

Poison Oak by Robert Smith Mountain News, January 1999 A Plant to Avoid 1999-01-01 Daniel Fitzgerald This uncherished native plant of California, the botanical name of which is Toxicodendron diversilobum (an older botanical designation being Rhus diversiloba) , is a close relative of poison ivy, which is widespread in the eastern and central United States. The sap oil (urushiol) produces an allergic reaction in most persons who touch it. Regarding Califomia's poison oak, Dr. Glenn Keator writes in his Plants of the East Bay Parks (published by MDIA in cooperation with Roberts Rinehart Publishers, 1994): "Poison Oak has earned for itself an indelible reputation; approach it always with care. Even those who have immunity may later lose it; better to be safe than sorry. Should you touch the twigs (even the bare twigs in winter) or leaves, rinse your hands immediately and wash with mild soap; this should remove oils. Remember to wash your dog if it has accompanied you, and wash your clothes as well." "Despite the consequences of its toxicity, poison oak is an interesting -- even attractive -- deciduous shrub. Thriving on disturbance, it has ventured into a wide range of different plant communities, behaving in each one according to circumstances: near the coast it lies prostrate next to the ground; in bright light it forms a dense shrub; in shade it climbs toward the sun, often ascending thirty to forty feet up a tree." "New growth is signaled in early spring by a flush of glossy reddish new leaves. By mid-spring, dangling chains of whitish-green flowers perfume the air, attracting bees for pollination. This perfume is harmless to humans and actually enhances many a spring outing. By summer, there are whitish berries the birds consume, and in fall the foliage turns brilliant red before falling. When leaves color up in summer, it's a sign that the dry period has stressed the shrubs, telling them it's time to lose leaves before they lose too much water. Out of leaf, poison oak may be identified by the long upright main branches with short, stubby side branches." Since allergic reactions to poison oak are unpredictable, one should avoid contact with the plant, both leaves and branches. Anyone with known sensitivity who is hiking in infested areas may with to apply the preparation Ivy Block (which prevents the oil from being absorbed by the skin) before starting a hike, but usually long-sleeve shirts and trousers-plus due wariness on the trail are sufficient precautions. Urushiol is absorbed into the skin within minutes after contact, hence the recommended washing of affected skin after contact apparently has limited benefit. Redness and blisters appear after about 24 hours, and can linger for two weeks. Calamine lotion applied to itching, inflamed skin can have a soothing effect. For more information, here are books (available in paperback) related to Poison Oak/Ivy: Nature's Revenge: The Secrets of Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac, and Their Remedies , by Susan C. Hauser (Lyons Press, 1996) Gives a very reader-friendly presentation of relevant topics. Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac, and Their Relatives , by Edward Frankel (Boxwood Press, 1991). Frankel discusses where the plant grows, its characteristics, and remedies for persons afflicted by it. The Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac Book: A Short Natural History and Cautionary Account , by Thomas E. Anderson (Acton Circle Publish Co., 1995). Lots of scholarly research with sometimes surprising information about the plants and human allergic reactions. Spring Poison Oak | Mike Woodring Summer Poison Oak | Yulan Tong Fall Poison Oak | Mike Woodring Winter Poison Oak | Mike Woodring BACK TO LIST

Quicksilver at Mount Diablo Mining and Scientific Press, Vol. 10, No. 18, p. 280 (May 6, 1865) 2018-05-06 Smelter at New Almaden 1862 One of the most promising mineral locations in Contra Costa is the quicksilver mine near the eastern base of the main summit of Mount Diablo. This mine has been known to the Tribal Communities from time immemorial. A very aged native, who has given up the roving habits of his race, and "located" in the vicinity of this mine, says that from the time of his boyhood all the natives in that region have been in the habit of resorting to that place for obtaining the red paint (sulphate of mercury) with which they were accustomed to bedaub themselves on all occasions of great festivity or when preparing for battle. The same use, it will be recollected, was made of the same substance at the New Almaden mine. So little attention was paid to mining matters about Mount Diablo, that it is only quite recently that the value of this mine has been brought to the notice of capitalists. It was first located by Mr. Welch, who, in connection with several of his friends, took it up a year or two ago. They ran a short cut into the face of the hill, and sunk a shaft some thirty-five feet in depth on the ledge, at which point they cut through-'the vein, which was thus proven to be continuous and about ten feet in thickness. This shaft was partially filled up at the time of our visit to the mine. The ore is very rich, the quicksilver being brought freely to the surface whenever the ore is exposed for a short time in a fire. Repeated assays of average rock have uniformly yielded most satisfactory results. The vein rock proper is accompanied with a large amount of earthy matter, known by the Mexicans as "tiros," precisely as it is found at the New Almaden mine, near San Jose. A large amount of free quicksilver can be washed from this earth by the ordinary pan process, securing, at the same time, large quantities of pure sulphuret of mercury, in the form of fine crystals, like sand. It is said that a man can make fair wages by merely panning out the native quicksilver. It may not be out of place in this connection to state that the party of Mexicans who were employed to do the work of the New Almaden Company, proposed to take the mine and open it thoroughly by tunnels and shafts for extensive working, and take merely the ore which they might raise for their pay--thus making the mine pay for its own development. The proprietors did not see fit to accept their offer, but preferred to associate themselves with capitalists and develop it on their own account. As a further evidence of the richness of this mine, it may be noticed that a small stream of water, which runs down the mountain, the most of the year, across the vein, has been taken up as a quicksilver placer; the locators intending to sluice out the bed of the stream for the free quicksilver, and the large deposit of rich boulders of ore and finely divided sulphuret sands which abound in the same. A handsome prospect of quicksilver can be obtained from a panfull of earth taken up at random, almost anywhere in this stream, for two or three thousand feet from the mine. The holders think they have got a "good thing" of it, and will commence operations as soon as the next rainy season sets in. The original owners of the mine, which is called after its locator, the "Welch Claim," have made an arrangement with Mr. Ogilsby, a capitalist, well known as the owner of the Ogilsby road over a portion of the Sierra, to put up furnaces and the necessary machinery for working the mine. The work of putting up this machinery has already commenced, and we understand the retorts will be ready for work in about two or three months. Experts and persons who have long been connected with the working of the ores of the New Almaden mine, say that this is quite as promising as that was at the start. The millions of profit which have been derived from the Almaden make the proprietors of the Welch claim almost fancy themselves millionaires also. We trust they may become so in reality. Three extension locations have been made upon the north and one upon the south of the original location, known as the Union Company, which presents quite as well defined a vein as that of the original Welch Company, and much more favorably located for working ; beyond which there is no appearance of the vein, and, indeed, such is the formation of the mountain, that there is scarcely a possibility of its being found any further. Some work has been done on the southern extension--a short cut run, in which the vein is exposed, and a location made for a tunnel, at a point which presents a most favorable opportunity for a thorough opening of the vein at a very moderate cost. The location of this vein is very favorable for profitable and economical working. It is situated within three or four hours' ride from San Francisco, and within eleven miles of good water communication, over nine miles of which there already exists an excellent and almost perfectly level county road. The other two miles are now being constructed by Mr. Ogilsby, who, by the way, is famous for building good roads. We shall not be surprised to see Mount Diablo, before long, presenting a formidable rival to the Old and New Almaden mines, which have for so many years controlled the quicksilver market of the world. This discovery, should it prove as valuable as it now promises to become, will be most opportune for the present increasing demand for this prime necessity for working ores of the precious metals is calling loudly for a new and additional source of supply, without which, the mining public may well fear a monopoly which may, at no distant day, exert a disastrous influence on the world's supply of gold and silver. BACK TO LIST

Mount Diablo Summit Building by Linda Sanford Reprinted from the Mount Diablo Review 1998-04-01 Summit Building | Ruth Ann Kishi The idea of having a museum or visitor center on the summit of Mount Diablo has been around for a very long time. In fact, even before Mount Diablo became one of California’s original State Parks those that visited the mountain top by stage, wagon and horseback commented on how great it would be to have a facility at the top of the mountain to interpret the spectacular view as well as the natural history of the mountain. Mount Diablo became a park in 1921. Administered by its own Mount Diablo State Park Commission, it was one of seven state parks created before the establishment of the California State Park System. The first State Park Bond Act passed in 1928. It was primarily through local interest and extensive lobbying by local groups that 1500 acres came into State ownership as Mount Diablo State Park in 1931. Many of the local interest groups that had been formed to support the acquisition of the park continued to be active supporters of additional expansion of the park and construction of facilities. One common interest shared by all of the groups was the construction of an interpretive facility on the summit of the mountain. Although there was strong support from the Department of Parks and Recreation, the entire country was in the midst of the Great Depression, so little, if any, chance for public funds existed for such a facility. However, while the Great Depression eliminated the possibility that the State would construct a mountain top visitor center, it also offered a unique alternative in the form of the federally funded Work Program Administration (W.P.A.) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.). Both of these programs put people to work and both programs were interested in constructing public projects such as parks, museums, roads, and public buildings. In the mid 1930s the Department of Parks and Recreation entered into an agreement with the W.P.A. to complete sketches, drawings and paintings for pictorial histories of several State Parks for use in visitor centers and museums. Although Mount Diablo State Park did not have a visitor center of a museum at the time, it was included in the project. The plan was to complete the exhibits first and construct the facility to house them at a later date. Exhibits planned for Mount Diablo included the “scientific series” and “historic series”; each exhibit consisted of small panels in watercolor, gouache, pen and ink, or pastels. The artists and support personnel for the project worked in studios at the federal art project in the old Agricultural Department building, a converted school on Potrero Avenue in San Francisco. An advisory committee was set up to assist the artists working on the projects. The committee consisted of a group of seven university professors to provide technical assistance and twelve local citizens from Contra Costa and Alameda Counties whose interest and influence in community affairs provided the necessary community support for the project. Dr. Bruce L. Clark, Professor of Paleontology at the University of California served as chair of the Mount Diablo Museum Project. By 1938 enough displays had been finished to furnish the old single-story stucco building at the summit. The stucco structure was on the summit site at the time the park acquisition took place in 1931. In the meantime, plans for a permanent facility at the mountaintop were being developed. The new building was to be constructed by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) personnel living at the CCC camp on the south side of the mountain. Company 2932-V (World War I veterans) started work on the summit building in 1938. While plans for the new observation building were being finalized, a number of older structures were demolished and the area prepared for the new building that would house not only a viewing deck but also an aircraft beacon, a fire lookout, and the museum exhibits. The new building was constructed from sandstone quarried at Fossil Ridge on the mountain. Standard Oil of California donated money for the mortar, steel, and other materials need to complete the structure. Work on the new summit building came to a halt in 1940. The exterior of the building was completed, however, a serious problem with water leaks during storms developed during the winter months. Water would run through the mortar and sandstone into the interior of the building. Several attempts were made to solve the problem over the next several years. Although each solution helped, none seemed to totally resolve the problem. In the early 1950s, the Department of Parks and Recreation obtained several contracts to seal and complete the exterior of the building. The mortar joints were sealed and pointed, the observation deck roof was resealed, Gunite was applied to the interior of the building and the exterior of the building was sealed. However, even this did not make the building entirely waterproof. The work on the exhibits was completed by the W.P.A. in 1942 and the finished panels and displays were transferred to Contra Costa County’s Hall of Records for safe storage until the summit building was completed. When it became apparent that the leaks in the summit building would not be easily resolved, the displays were transferred to Mount Diablo State Park and stored at the recently abandoned Civilian Conservation Corps camp at Live Oak Campground. In 1951, after completion of additional efforts to seal the summit building, park employees discovered that many of the displays and paintings had been damaged beyond salvage by water, rodents, and dust. Those displays that could be salvaged were shipped to Sacramento where they were repaired and sent to other park units for use. The final blow for the summit museum came in 1956 when the temporary museum caught fire and burned to the ground. The displays were lost as well. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s interest in a summit building visitor center continued to come to the forefront; however, without the necessary leadership nothing happened. Then, in 1974, Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA) formed to promote public awareness of the cultural and natural history of Mount Diablo. The members developed a temporary visitor center in a portion of the old summit building, staffing it with volunteers and docents. As MDIA’s interpretive efforts grew they searched for ways in which the 40-year old dream of a museum and visitor center at the summit could be realized. In 1982, the California State Park Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding California’s parks and recreational opportunities, joined forces with MDIA to help raise the necessary funding for the summit building project. The next year, the Department of Parks and Recreation agreed to correct the water intrusion problem and prepare the structure for exhibits and displays. Daniel Quan Design of San Francisco developed the plans for the museum and visitor center. Installation of the exhibits was completed in 1984. Today, the museum and visitor center house exhibits including a topographic model of the mountain. Rotating displays of art and photography complement the permanent exhibits. In addition to the exhibits, there is a small gift center within the building. Outside the summit building, telescopes are mounted on the Mary Bowerman Interpretive Trail, a short walk away. On a clear day, the Sierra Nevada can be seen with the naked eye. If you look carefully, ancient marine fossils embedded in the sandstone walls can be seen along the stairway walls leading to the observation deck. The rotunda on top of the summit building is a reminder of Mount Diablo’s importance as a survey point. Sitting atop the rotunda is the old navigation beacon, lighted once a year on December 7 in memory of Pearl Harbor. Mount Diablo Summit circa 1930 Summit in Winter | Terese Dixon BACK TO LIST

Gold, Silver, and Copper Mines of Mount Diablo Mining and Scientific Press, Vol. 10, No. 12, p. 182 (March 25, 1865) 2018-03-25 Mount Zion Reflection | Mitchell Canyon Upon the northerly flank of Mount Diablo may be seen a spur of primitive formation, similar to that of which the main body of the mountain is composed, thrown out some two or three miles in a northerly direction from the principal, cone-shaped upheaval of the main summit. The easterly declivity of this slope is deeply indented by two cañons, known as the Mitchell and Bagley* canons. The former almost completely severs the northerly portion of this spur into an isolated summit, which is known as Mount Zion, and which overlooks the town of Clayton. Near the peak of this summit, and on the westerly slope, we have the Summit of Zion mine, and on the easterly slope is located the Mount Zion Copper Company. Of these companies we shall speak more at length next week. In passing through the Mitchell canñon, upon either hand, but chiefly upon its northerly aclivity, may be noticed numerous other companies working for copper. Although very fine specimens and bunches of sulphurets, together with some native copper are found, no very extensive operations have yet been carried on there, for the reason that no well-defined veins have yet been discovered; the bunches of ore having the appearance of being isolated deposits. This cañon and Mount Zion, already described, contain the chief copper deposits yet found in and about Mount Diablo. Following along the spur above indicated, toward the main Mount Diablo summit, and passing the mouth of Mitchell cañon, a short distance, we come to the mouth of another ravine, known as Bagley cañon. This runs nearly parallel with Mitchell cañon, and segregates, but at a higher level, another portion of the spur already mention from the main portion of the mountain. Ascending to the head of this cañon we come to the mining ground of what is known as the Open Sesame Mining Company. This company was incorporated August 5, 1863, and was consolidated from thirteen other companies. The consolidated company now owns what is considered to be nine different ledges, named as follows: Cascade, Black, Henriquita, Carmel, Santa Domingo, Herman, Cortez, San Pedro, La Verdad, La Feliz and White Diamond; they also own the first extensions of the Cascade, Black, Henriquita and Cortez. The three principal mines of the company are the White Diamond, the La Feliz and the San Pedro. These mines are located on the right hand side of Bagley cañon, just before reaching its source. They are located one above the other in the order named, and are each plainly exposed to view by the wearing away by the waters of this cañon. As these were the only mines belonging to the Open Sesame Company which we had time to examine during our visit at Mount Diablo the past week, we shall, of course, be compelled to confine our remarks to them exclusively. With the exception of these three and the Carmel and Santa Domingo ledges, all the other mines of the company are located in Mitchell cañon. The three which we shall particularly describe, together with the Carmel and San Domingo, are worked for gold and silver; the others, in Mitchell cañon, for copper. The chief work done by the company has been expended in opening these three mines, and in constructing a road to them through the cañon. We come first to the WHITE DIAMOND LEDGE. This is the lowest in the series of supposed gold and silver ledges, which in geological position overlie the copper deposits of Mitchell cañon, and, if we are not mistaken in our hasty examination, of Mount Zion, also. The stratification of the summit at this point is unmistakable, and is in perfect conformity to that of Mount Zion, a little further north. The trend or direction is nearly north and south, and the dip is to the westward, at an angle of about forty-five degrees. But little or nothing has yet been done towards developing this vein, which has merely been opened. It is massive, some eight feet thick on the surface, and the croppings stretch away to the right (and northward) as far as the eye can reach, and are as distinctly traced as a stone-wall along a brown side-hill. We were informed that it could be thus traced for more than a mile. The vein-stone of this ledge is of a bluish color and exceedingly hard. According to the superintendent's last report to the company, 113 pounds of this rock was sampled and assayed by Riehn, Hemme & Co., of this city [San Francisco], showing a yield of $119 to the ton, in gold and silver. THE LA FELIZ LEDGE. This ledge, although it does not show as distinctly upon the surface as the White Diamond, is nevertheless quite well defined. It contains 9,800 feet of ground, and is about 150 yards in vertical height above the Black [sic] Diamond, to which it is parallel. The first tunnel commenced upon this ledge has been continued a distance of 140 feet. The walls of the vein were distinctly defined from the mouth of the tunnel some fifteen feet, at which point a fault was encountered, where the vein matter appeared to have been considerably disturbed. From that point onward the vein walls are quite well defined to the extreme end of the tunnel. The ore taken from this mine bears a strong resemblance to much of the Washoe silver ore, with the exception of some slight presence of copper, as carbonates, yellow sulphurets and the vanadate or peacock ores. The ore is highly quartzose in character carrying spar. Numerous assays of rock from this mine have been made, which have generally assayed about $45 to the ton ; some have gone as high as $100, and in one instance an assay, fairly assorted from some sixty pounds of ore taken from a "pocket," went as high as $291 to a ton, (incorrectly printed at the time in the superintendent's report at $201 to the ton.) One lot of two tons, taken as it came from the mine, was brought to this city [San Francisco] and worked, a little over a year ago, which yielded at the rate of $26 to the ton. The brick taken from this rock may still be seen at Martinez. The "tailings" from this working assayed at the rate of $10 per ton. The above reports of assays are taken from the superintendent's report. Below this first tunnel another, intended as the main working tunnel, has been commenced, which will strike the vein eighty feet deeper. A blacksmith forge has been constructed upon the esplanade, or level floor, which has been constructed in front of this tunnel, and upon which the ore is to be placed as it is brought to the surface. THE SAN PEDRO LEDGE. Going still further up the mountain we come to the San Pedro Ledge, upon which the Open Sesame Company hold 9,800 feet. This vein is equally well defined with those already noticed, and exhibits the heaviest outcrop of any yet opened, measuring about thirty feet in width at the surface. The company commenced work by clearing off an esplanade in front of the tunnel. After which a tunnel was run in about fifty feet, keeping the wall rock well defined upon the left. From this point a drift was run to the right, across the vein and thence downwards nearly in a right line twenty-two feet, at which point the vein matter was very much concentrated, exhibiting an almost uniform mass of sulphurets, which entirely covered the bottom of the shaft seven by eight feet. Some thirty tons of first-class ore was taken out in sinking this shaft, besides a large quantity of second and third class, that was thrown into the dump. This shaft was full of water at the time of our visit and of course we could not examine it ; but we have gathered the particulars from conversation with one of the proprietors and the superintendent, Felix A. Mathews, also a large stockholder. We have examined a large quantity of ore from this shaft. It appears to be remarkably uniform in character, and consists of nearly forty per cent. of light gray sulphurets, of a somewhat friable nature, with a quartzose matrix carrying considerable spar. It is said that some very fine specimens of sulphide of silver were found near the surface. There is no free gold visible to the eye ; but from numerous assays made the rock appears to yield from $40 to $45 per ton. A working process yielded, at the North Beach works, in this city [San Francisco], $37 per ton. The ore, for a sulphuret, appears to be one which should be easily worked--there being but little or no indications of antimony or any other particularly stubborn metal present. Of course, the ore will require roasting, but so long as it carries so large a quantity of sulphurets as it now appears to do there will be no necessity for any concentration. The quantity of quartz mixed with the sulphurets will present no material hindrance to a roasting of the entire mass. CONCLUSION. From the description given of these veins--their position, their well-defined character and the favorable appearance of much of the ore, judging from observation and reported analyses, we see no reason for entertaining very serious doubts of an ultimately fair paying vein in either the San Pedro or La Feliz ledges. The White Diamond has not yet been sufficiently opened to form any very definite conclusions as to its value. We have said that no fine gold is to be seen in either of the mines,, but we are told that small prospects may be obtained from the ravine below. The probability, however, is that when worked in depth, copper will be found to gradually come in, and perhaps entirely change the character of the vein rock. The presence of spar in the matrix of the two upper veins is a favorable indication in this direction. The highly metaliferous character of the San Pedro, in particular, would indicate a very valuable deposit of copper ore in depth, and that that mineral will predominate over silver and gold. These mines are admirably located for extensive working. They each present a linear front on the steep ascent of a high mountain, dipping away into the depths of the hill almost at right angles with the approach. But little dead work will be required to be done in thoroughly opening up the veins. Most of this has already been accomplished. A fine roadway, of moderate grade, has been partially constructed along the banks of the cañon, to connect the same with the open valley below. A large amount of money, has been spent upon this road. Many of the stockholders have been of the opinion that the money so expended should have been devoted to a development of the mines, and the roads left until after the company had become fully satisfied that they would have a permanent use for them. Probably those through whose instrumentality this work has been done are fully satisfied on this point. We trust that future developments may prove the correctness of their judgment. It is better, however, in all cases, that general improvements about a mine, not absolutely needed at the outset, should be deferred until the necessity for the accomplishment has actually appeared. The action of the Summit of Zion Company, near by the Open Sesame, is one worthy of much commendation in this particular, and presents a lesson of practical economy which has a wonderful effect in producing a willingness on the part of shareholders to come forward promptly with their assessments. The work upon these mines, as a general thing, appears to have been most judiciously expended, and reflects much credit upon the managers and the Superintendent, Felix A. Mathews, Esq., of Martinez. Since writing the above, O. C. Coffin, President of the Open Sesame Company, has handed us the following report of working and assays, which have been made the past week in this city [San Francisco] and which he has desired us to publish for the benefit and information of the shareholders in the company : Working result by Kimball & Murphy, of the European Metallurgical Works, on Bryant street : A lot of 1,700 pounds of rock from the La Feliz vein yielded at the rate of $2.87 in gold and $2.25 in silver ; total, $5.12 per ton. A lot of 1,900 pounds from the San Pedro vein yielded at the rate of $4.60 in gold and $2.55 in silver ; total, $7.15 per ton. In each of the above cases the entire lot mentioned was worked. Mssrs. Kimball & Murphy append to their certificate an opinion that the rock from the San Pedro yields a percentage of copper sufficiently large to warrant further development of the vein for that mineral, and we understand that the company intend to send down another lot of rock from this mine to be crushed and assayed especially for copper. One hundred pounds of ore from the San Pedro was worked raw, without producing any result. In addition to the above working test, Capt. Coffin also requests us to publish the following assays : By B. E. Moore--the San Pedro rock was returned as yielding, per ton, $2.41 in gold, with a trace only of silver. The same assayer returns for the La Feliz--"Mere traces of gold and silver, of no practical value." Riehn, Hemme & Co. returned as an assay of ore from the San Pedro--$3.15 in silver, with a mere trace of gold. By comparing the "opinion" of Messrs. Kimball & Murphy, appended to their assay, it will be seen that the views we have expressed of the character of the San Pedro mine, written and submitted to Capt. Coffin before receiving the returns of Messrs. Kimball & Murphy, are remarkably confirmed. We are now more fully assured that the mineral obtained near the outcrop of the San Pedro is simply "mundic," overlying a vein of copper. The expense of proving this will not be heavy, as the vein may readily be opened at a great depth in the lower tunnel. We would recommend that this depth should be reached before any further testing. With regard to the difference noticed between the assays given in the former portion of this article and taken from the superintendent's published reports of 1863, and those obtained, in part from the same parties, during the past week, and furnished us by Capt. Coffin, we have merely to say, in lack of positive knowledge, that the former might have been taken from near the croppings of the mines, a short distance below. At all events, this discrepancy goes to show the necessity of moving with the utmost care and circumspection, especially in the beginning of all mining operations. "OPEN SESAME MINING COMPANY."--At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Open Sesame mining company, held on Thursday last, T. L. Bibbing was unanimously chosen Secretary of said company--Office, No. 302, Montgomery street. [Notes] * [Now known as Back Canyon.--ed.] BACK TO LIST