Audible Mount Diablo

Our centennial celebration continues, with the story of one of Mount Diablo's most eminent advocates. After earning a Ph.D. in botany at UC Berkeley in 1936, MARY BOWERMAN wrote the The Plants and Ferns of Mount Diablo, a book that's still the bible for East Bay botanists. Decades later, she co-founded an organization called Save Mount Diablo. The rest is conservation history!

This 8-part series features Ken Lavin, Seth Adams, Robert Doyle, Michael Marchiano, Vincent Medina, and Cameron Morrison. Presented by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association in partnership with Save Mount Diablo and Mount Diablo State Park. Photography and video by Kendall Oei, Scott Hein, and Wally de Young, among others. Music by Phil Heywood. Production by Joan Hamilton.

In the late 1700s, when the Spanish came north along the coast of California, they brought food with them in the shape of CATTLE. That was the beginning of a slow, but revolutionary change in the mountain's ecology. This is EPISODE 2 in an 8-part series featuring Ken Lavin, Seth Adams, Robert Doyle, Michael Marchiano, Vincent Medina, and Cameron Morrison. We'll air one episode each Thursday, leading up to a grand gathering (details to come!) on October 16. Join us on this inspiring journey back in time.

Presented by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association in partnership with Save Mount Diablo and Mount Diablo State Park. Photography and video by Kendall Oei, Scott Hein, and Wally de Young, among others. Music by Phil Heywood. Production by Joan Hamilton.

Hey, it's Mount Diablo State Park's 100th birthday! To celebrate, we've put together a series of eight videos about the mountain's natural heritage and human history, featuring Ken Lavin, Seth Adams, Robert Doyle, Michael Marchiano, Vincent Medina, and Cameron Morrison. We'll air one episode each Thursday, leading up to a grand gathering (details to come!) on October 16. Join us on this inspiring journey through the lands that sustain us close to home.

Presented by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association in partnership with Save Mount Diablo and Mount Diablo State Park. Photography and video by Kendall Oei, Scott Hein, and Wally de Young, among others. Music by Phil Heywood. Production by Joan Hamilton.

Geological puzzlements: If rocks usually pile up, layer by layer, over time, why are MOUNT DIABLO's oldest layers on top?

A geological tour of the Mary Bowerman Loop presented by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association in partnership with Save Mount Diablo. Featuring Ken Lavin. Photos by Scott Hein and others. Music by Phil Heywood. Production by Joan Hamilton.

On a hot summer day, minimize your mileage by hiking this gentle but spectacular loop around Mount Diablo's summit.

A geology tour presented by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association in partnership with Save Mount Diablo. Featuring Ken Lavin. Music by Phil Heywood. Photos by Scott Hein and others. Production by Joan Hamilton.

Hear the story of MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK's devilish dedication ceremony in 1931.

This tour of ROCK CITY is presented by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association. Featuring Ken Lavin. Music: Phil Heywood. Production, Narration: Joan Hamilton; Photos: Seth Adams, Contra Costa Historical Society, Joan Hamilton.

Who was DAN COOK? A successful miner from Bodie who owned a big chunk of Mount Diablo in the late 1870s and early 1880s. His history connects with that of California's Big Four Railroad Barons and Robert Noble Burgess, who, much later, built North and South Gate roads.

This tour of Mount Diablo's ROCK CITY is presented by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association. Featuring Ken Lavin, Rich McDrew, and Mike Woodring; Music: Phil Heywood; Production, Narration: Joan Hamilton. Photos: Contra Costa Historical Society, Joan Hamilton.

Starting at "ELEPHANT ROCK," learn the history of tourism in MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK. In the rock itself, find evidence of a story many millions of years older.

This tour of Mount Diablo's ROCK CITY is presented by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association. Featuring Ken Lavin, Rich McDrew, and Mike Woodring; Music: Phil Heywood; Production, Narration: Joan Hamilton; Photos: Contra Costa Historical Society, Joan Hamilton.

Stoves built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s proved so popular they were used throughout the state and national park system. Today volunteers are restoring them for another century of outdoor grilling.

This episode of Mount Diablo's ROCK CITY tour is presented by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association. Featuring Ken Lavin. Music: Phil Heywood; Production, Narration: Joan Hamilton; Photos: Joan Hamilton, Conrad Lowry, Mark Sinclair; Special thanks to Anastasia Hobbet, Conrad Lowry, Jennifer Roe, Jerry Schweickert, Mark Sinclair, Stephen Smith.

The sandstone In Rock City is made from weathered bits of Sierra Nevada granite. Ken Lavin explains how those mountains moved—and helps us recognize the constituent parts, including quartz, feldspar, biotite and hornblende.

This tour of Mount Diablo's ROCK CITY is presented by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association. Featuring Ken Lavin, Rich McDrew, and Mike Woodring; Music: Phil Heywood; Production, Narration: Joan Hamilton; Photos: Seth Adams, Contra Costa Historical Society, Joan Hamilton, Moose Henderson, Ken Lavin, Conrad Lowry, Mark Sinclair; Special thanks to Anastasia Hobbet, Conrad Lowry, Jennifer Roe, Jerry Schweickert, Mark Sinclair, Stephen Smith.