Hiking at Gunsight Rock

I started hearing about Gunsight Rock at Hood Mountain on North Bay hiking Meetups last summer. Last week I had time to join one of those groups to climb to the top. While a relatively short hike–only seven miles–it was a 2,000 foot climb to get there. So, it was a great hike for some good exercise in only a few hours. It was a fun second hike with this Meetup group (Sonoma County Wanderers) and I enjoyed talking with others. Often on hikes we discuss books that are relevant to the conversation. I’ve recommended books before, but this time had one recommended to me.

But, a really cool discovery was a kind of wildflower that I’ve never seen before. Common name is Indian Warrior, and it is a beauty! Interestingly, it is a hemiparasite, meaning it can grow on its own but will opportunistically parasatize the roots of some plants. One of those plants is manzanita, which is in abundance at the elevation we were hiking, so I expect these flowers were parasitizing the manzanita. I’ve included a few pictures here of the hike and the flower. I especially like the pictures of manzanita and madrone, because the previous nights’ rain gave their smooth bark a lovely sheen. The recent rains had also rejuvenated the bryophytes, so they were beautiful, too. Views can be spectacular from here on a clear day, I was told. But, this day, they were limited. Although we could see to San Francisco Bay, about 30 miles away, on a clear day you can see San Francisco itself.

I consider myself incredibly blessed to live in the beautiful Bay Area and to have the opportunity to go hiking in such surroundings.