Enormous, Very, Very Old Umbellularia californica (California Bay Laurel) in Marin Headlands

I've passed this very large, very old U. californica along the eastern branch of the Bobcat Trail many times and have stopped to wonder at its enormous size. Today I decided to descend down the steep slope to visit this ancient being and made an observation for it: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62689984

Not only did I see this great tree, but there are Prosartes living underneath it, the only ones I've ever seen in the Marin Headlands, cf. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62689476.

Oddly, while I was climbing down around the base of the tree, I saw old junk there - some wire mesh and a chunk of some mechanical object which might have been part of a machine or something. No idea how such stuff could have gotten there or what the history of that particular location is.

This tree must not be recognized nor appreciated very much because it's not easily accessible from the trail. You have to descend down a fairly steep slope to get to the trunk. It would be nice if the park would build actual steps that go down there and maybe a nice bench near the base. As it is, I had to crawl on my hands and legs like a monkey to actually get down there and then back up again. I still have pieces of twigs in my hair LOL.

Here is the full route of the ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/57719040

Publicado el octubre 16, 2020 04:46 MAÑANA por xpacifica