Join Chuck Heimstadt and Loretta Brooks on this joint chapter (Yerba Buena and Santa Clara Valley) field trip to explore the less visited south slopes of San Bruno Mountain. With its bright landscapes of large grasslands areas critical to our resident endangered butterflies and some locally rare plants on the CNPS Rare Plant Ranks, such as coast iris (Iris longipetala) CRPR 4.2, coast rock cress (Arabis blepharophylla) CRPR 4.3 and San Francisco wallflower (Erysimum franciscanum) CRPR 4.2. 

We may also see the coast onion, Allium dichlamydeum, mission bells / checker lily, Fritillaria affinis; and the Mission blue and Callippe Silverspot butterflies of which its larvae need host plants such as silver bush lupine, Lupinus albifrons var collinus, and California golden violet, Viola pedunculata to thrive. In addition, Niebla lichen abundantly occurs only in the fog belt of the California coast from Mendocino to Baja.

Since there are only fire roads and weeding trails on this side of SBM, the trail is steep, slippery, and rocky slopes and can be difficult to maneuver on. So please be sure to wear sturdy footwear and bring hiking poles as this area is only for the really adventuresome.  

We should have time to stop at the top, so bring a snack or lunch.  Restrooms are only available in the parking area.

Limited space. To sign up, please directly contact Loretta or Chuck at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..