Sierra Club Table Mountain Hike
On March 26, 2006, I went on a hike led by Frank Oyung of the Mother Lode Chapter of the Sierra Club. Table Mountain is a volcanic butte that has been exposed due to erosion of the softer surrounding material. There are several long stretches of this columnar basalt formation along CA Highway 108/120 between Oakdale and Jamestown. The portion we visited lies just south of the Stanislaus River, overlooking Goodwin Reservoir and Tulloch Road. We had a nice sunny day with just enough breeze to keep us comfortable as we labored up the hill through wet, soggy pasture. I was surprised to find the wet conditions persisted even on the top of the table land. One would imagine the water would flow down into the cracks between the basalt columns, but this is not the case. There must be a clay pan that prevents drainage and allows for the formation of many lovely vernal pools. We saw tadpoles in one, but none of us knew enough about amphibians to identify them. We also saw a couple of adult frogs- perhaps tree frogs? Native bees were also a source of excitement. I should have taken more photos, but was too busy enjoying the flowers, the view, and the company of Frank, Chris, Lisa, Laura, Ron and John. Finished a little sore, but energized and happy. Here are a few of the photos.
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| yellow goldfields all over | running water | a look at fallen columns | Tulloch Reservoir in the distance |
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| Meadowfoam (Limnanthes) | Frank and Laura by a vernal pool | Surrounded by flowers | Picture perfect stone wall |