This hike was on a section of the Backbone Trail through Upper Solstice Canyon, from the parking area at the top of Corral Canyon Road to the road below Castro Crest. I had planned to return via Castro Motorway, but I was chagrined to discover that the road has been closed, so it is not currently possible to do it as a loop hike. I was told by another hiker that the person who bought the antenna property on Castro Crest several years ago has a narrow slice of land that crosses Newton Motorway below the crest and refuses to allow people to cross his land without payments from the state. He has erected a massive gate with concertina wire and numerous warning signs about 24-hour video surveillance and criminal prosecution. Nevertheless, and despite the fact that there is hardly any water in Solstice Creek, there were many things blooming along the Back- bone Trail, and it was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the mid-60's and a lovely breeze. I went back the following day to cover that section of the Castro Motor- way which I had missed the day before and those pictures will be displayed on the next photo gallery. An asterisk next to the common name indicates a non-native species.

Globe gilia Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia Polemoniaceae		Blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium bellum Iridaceae		Scarlet bugler Penstemon centranthifolius Scrophulariaceae

Large-flowered phacelia Phacelia grandiflora Hydrophyllaceae

Common deerweed Lotus scoparius var. scoparius Fabaceae
		Coast morning glory Calystegia macrostegia Convolvulaceae

			Windmill pink * Silene gallica Caryophyllaceae
	Bush mallow Malacothamnus fasciculatus Malvaceae

		Chamise Adenostoma fasciculatum Rosaceae		Long-beaked storksbill * Erodium botrys Geraniaceae Purple nightshade Solanum xanti Solanaceae
Caterpillar phacelia Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida Hydrophyllaceae
Redstem filaree * Erodium cicutarium Geraniaceae

Common eucrypta Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia Hydrophyllaceae

Smooth cat's ear * Hypochaeris glabra Asteraceae

Golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum Asteraceae

Crimson spot rock-rose * Cistus ladanifer var. maculatus Cistaceae		San Diego County viguiera Bahiopsis laciniata (= Viguiera laciniata) Asteraceae (Not native to this area, probably planted)

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