Lower Table Rock 5-8-23

Photos by Bob P., Bob H. and Randy

Winter weather came back to Anderson Ridge with predictions of snow then rain, so we made a hike change to Lower Table Rock and enjoyed a partly cloudy day with mild temps in the 50s.

Seven of us met at the TH parking and headed up the freshly graveled trail. The fresh gravel helped keep mud off our boots from the overnight rain. We turned off to view the Oak Savannah Loop with Blue Camas, pink Rosy Plectritis and yellow Fiddlenecks.

Back on the trail heading up to the top we spotted red oak galls on a white oak shrub; along with Shirts & Skirts, Columbine, Arnica, Bleeding Hearts and Larkspur.

Arriving on top, the meadows showed off a variety of colors from Goldfield and purple Vetch to Owl's Clover and tiny Cow's Udder.

We found a large vernal pool with hundreds of tadpoles stirring up the water and thousands of floating sandworts around the shoreline.

Heading back to meet up with the group, we found the rare Wooly Dwarf Meadowfoam that only grows on the Table Rocks.

We walkrf out on the trail next to the old abandoned WWII landing strip and towards our view of Sam's Valley and the surrounding mountains covered in clouds.

Out there we settled down for lunch as the clouds broke and the sun came out.

For the day, my phone said 5.8 miles or 15000+ steps with 800' of gain.

It was a great day with no rain!

Rich