habitat ~ 01/02/14 ~ Wilder Ranch State Park

Wilder Ranch State Park

January 2, 2014

Like I said in a recent backdated post for Jacks Peak, it feels as if someone pushed the pause button on the seasons.  I can't tell much of difference between the last picture above and the last picture taken July 24, 2013 at Wilder.  Well, okay, some of the foreground green coyote brush now has fluffy seeds, and the drab, dried grass is slightly more trampled.  Under the trees, it's a different story, where everything feels pinched compared to the expansive greenery from the summer (yes, the first photo above and the 3rd photo from July are from almost the exact same spot on the trail). Despite all the hand-wringing going on for our record lack of rain in 2013, we've been making our best efforts to get outside as much as possible to enjoy the pleasant weather.  Both my friend and I were wearing sleeveless shirts, and Andy came across a naked, napping hiker.  Sunny.  Warm.  January.  California.

habitat ~ 09/09/13 ~ Wilder Ranch State Park

 Wilder Ranch State Park

September 9, 2013

Well, I made good on my promise to visit Wilder Ranch sooner rather than later.  I met up with a friend I've known since we were 11 years old.  I love that we've been friends for over 30 years.  She said the bluffs at Wilder have been beautiful lately.  She was right.  The sea breeze was minimal, so it was unusually comfortable hiking along the coastline, something I haven't done since my first visit to Wilder.  The coastal geology reminds me of Montaña De Oro State Park, which is 130 miles southeast as the crow flies.  We were chatting quite a bit (yep, I was one of those I usually despise on the trails), so I wasn't paying too much attention to individual items to ID.  Although, we did see a bobcat on the trail!  This is only my 3rd bobcat sighting (1st at Los Padres Dam, 2nd at Palo Corona Park).  My friend didn't believe me and thought it was a house cat. "No way!  Look how big it is!  Wait until it turns to see if it has a tail."  Sure enough, a bobbed tail.   And, yes, it's pumpkin time. Wilder Ranch is the southern boundary for an area along Hwy 1 up to Half Moon Bay that I like to call "Pumpkinville" for the plethora of pumpkin farms.  I am so looking forward to autumn this year.

habitat ~ 07/24/13 ~ Wilder Ranch State Park

 Wilder Ranch State Park
July 24, 2013

After looking at these pictures and reading past habitat posts (03/07/10 and 09/17/11), I realize that I haven't given Wilder Ranch a fair shake.  For a couple years there, Z kept asking me to go hiking with her here.  I always refused.  From a speeding car along Hwy 1, I totally judged this park by its roadside cover.  It looked like the trails were nothing but hot, sunny, dusty paths through dried grasses (eh).  Plus, it was obviously a crowded place, given the number of cars parked on the side of the road for the common practice of avoiding paying the State Park Day Use Fee. It took Andy's encouragement for me to finally check it out.  While Andy went off to do his typical trail run, I strolled around by myself.  This day's visit was wholly pleasant and meditative with few interruptions by other bikers, horseback riders, or hikers.  Waldeinsamkeit.  The Engelsmans Loop trail currently has a zigzag detour towards Peasley Gulch, which I think improves the interest level of the trail.  The diversity of habitats in such a relatively small area really struck me as being special.  Wilder Ranch has grown on me.  I'll have to visit again, sooner rather than later.

Per our usual when we drive the hour it takes to get to the Santa Cruz area across Monterey Bay, we made plans to eat out for lunch.  This time we went to the Downtown Santa Cruz Farmers' Market, which is my favorite farmers' market for market variety, funky food vendors, and programs, like composting bins just for the weekly event (wish more markets did this!). While we waited for the market opening at 1:30, we discovered a new to us local coffee shop Verve.  Andy liked their short pull, while I enjoyed a refreshing homemade seasonal soda.  For dessert, we also discovered The Penny Ice Creamery, which has a booth at the market despite being located just down the street.  Both are places we will definitely patronize again.  Sometimes I think I could easily live up there, but then the heavier traffic stops me short.

habitat ~ 09/17/11 ~ Wilder Ranch State Park

Wilder Ranch State Park
September 17, 2011

I haven't been taking care of myself this past month like I should, and my hormones kicked in with a vengeance. I fully admit I was the grouchiest, foulest person around. To Andy's relief he quickly left on a trail run for a few hours, while I meandered through the ranch and then up a new trail on my own.

There were more people than we expected, even for a Saturday. It happened to be a special "farm day" at this State Park. Everyone was trying to talk to me about homemade ice cream and hand-churned butter. Leave me alone! I posted a couple of pictures on flickr, if you're into that kind of organized stuff.

So, up a new trail I went hoping to escape the people and spot some herps or even a bobcat. Dang dry grasses! Can't see much. I don't particularly like hiking this time of year because of all the dried plant matter. It's much more pleasant under the redwoods like at Nisene Marks, but there's also the increased possibility of yellowjacket stings there this time of year. Erg!

Then I encountered more people than I wanted to be around. First there was a large group of bikers with little kids. It became a game of walk past them as they rested, have them pass me with some of the little boys nearly knocking me over, even though I stepped off to the side of the trail to let them pass, then me walking pass them again, over and over. When a fork in the trail came, I made sure to take the one they did not. Big mistake! Second came several large groups of horse riders. The lead lady assured me their horses saw me and that all would be okay. The fifth horse decided my hat looked tasty and came right at me. Once they passed I had to watch my step for the prolific trail of horse poop they left behind. Crap! After becoming tired of more dry grasses and not a single tree available for shade, I looked at my map and realized the big group of bikers had taken the trail I had wanted for a decent loop to meet up with Andy in time. Like Andy, I rarely backtrack on the same trail, but this time I turned straight around. Sure enough, just my crabby luck, most of my return path was filled with a strolling lolling social hiking club consisting of at least 70 people, all chattering so loudly I couldn't believe they were even aware they were outside in nature. Blasted people!

Sigh... I did one small final loop to visit my favorite Wilder Ranch stream and encountered a buckeye butterfly. For whatever reason, that was enough to calm me down and feel okay about everything. Our timing was perfect and I met up with Andy on a return path to the farm.

For lunch we went to our favorite new Santa Cruz spot: burger. Their milkshakes with Marianne’s ice cream are super yummy. Given that I'm a cheap bastard, I had the idea to hit several State Parks on the way home, since we had already paid our $10 entry fee to Wilder Ranch. Here in CA, day use paid entry entitles you to visit as many State Parks in the same day as you want. We hit Seacliff State Beach (way too crowded with those picnic-type people who prefer to pack their entire house along for a day at the beach, and the "camping" is limited to a lengthy bare parking lot for RVs only), New Brighton State Beach (I have fond memories camping here as a kid with my uncle and aunt, and Andy and I might try this some time), Manresa State Beach (an unpopular day use only parking lot), and Manresa Upland State Beach (hike-in tent camping only that may be lovely in the spring, and despite what the link says, we are not in SoCal). Finally, we hit the relatively new Farm Fresh Produce in Moss Landing along Highway 1. What a pleasant surprise! They have seriously fresh produce for super cheap, and we ended up with more than we had intended. All in all, a day that started off not so pleasant ended up being a really fun outing.

habitat ~ 03/07/10 ~ Wilder Ranch State Park

Wilder Ranch State Park
March 7, 2010

Thanks to stumbling upon an incredible blog post about fern ID from Town Mouse and Country Mouse, I was determined to see Fern Grotto in person. My pic looks significantly less lush than hers, which were taken only 9 or so days prior to mine. Recent high tides could have killed the ferns.

We had already made plans to hike at Wilder Ranch for my husband's big 40th. Yep, that's my favorite Mr. TrailRunner - instead of a big party, we went for a big hike and a quiet dinner at Asian Rose (a yummy - IF you know which items to order - Sri Lankan vegan restaurant in Santa Cruz that sadly no longer serves budget-conscious lunches... btw, we're not vegan, but we seek tasty food).

I've never been to Wilder Ranch myself; previously, I visited the monarchs at nearby Natural Bridges State Park while he started his runs from NB's Nature Center parking lot. Based on TM&CM's pics, I expected lush fern and redwood trails like those found at another nearby State Park, Nisene Marks... which reminds me I have yet to post any hiking pics from either place. Instead, I found windswept, coastal bluff trails similar to those found at Montaña de Oro State Park, much further south.

Did I mention it was very windy on the bluffs at Wilder Ranch? It's amazing how strong winds can drain you of energy. This was the same trail where we spotted anise swallowtails.

After a light lunch and a nice visit with the farm house's orange cat, we crossed through a tunnel under Highway 1 to checkout the Cowboy Trail. Fortunately, after confirming the bridges were indeed flooded on that small trail, we proceeded up the Engelsmans Trail. Then the clouds started rolling in. This pic was taken looking back towards the ocean and where we had been hiking along the bluffs a couple hours earlier.

At a trail crossing (which always reminds me of Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken"), we took a short side loop on the Wild Boar Trail. This is where I spotted irises, a yet-unID'ed blue flower, warty ceanothus, and more. We greeted several mountain bikers, but no other hikers.

We didn't take the trail in this pic, but I loved the vista and the old stone wall. For some reason, it reminded me of my fantasies of what the UK countryside might superficially look like.

One last addition... The summer of 2008 was the year of massive and prolific fires in the area and across California. Search online for Bonny Doon or Big Sur fires if you're interested in the details. The only evidence of fire that my novice eye noticed was a length of charred fence posts. I was hoping to spot fire poppies, but I think I'm a year too late to see these rare, post-fire flowers.