Audible Mount Diablo

POISON OAK In the 1820s a botanist innocently sent some poison oak seeds back to London to be planted in Victorian gardens. Oops! In this segment, Save Mount Diablo's Seth Adams explains what hikers need to know to avoid—and appreciate—this problematic plant.

Presented by Save Mount Diablo in partnership with Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.

TARANTULAS "We never think of pulling on our boots in the morning without first shaking them, for fear of tarantulas." While exploring Mount Diablo, 19th-century scientist William Brewer picked the one thing to be frightened of that couldn't hurt him. Learn the truth about tarantulas from MDIA naturalist and master storyteller Ken Lavin.

Presented by Save Mount Diablo in partnership with Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.

RATTLESNAKES "People are terrified of rattlesnakes," says wildlife columnist Gary Bogue. "But they can only strike at 3 miles an hour, which is a walk for a human." Learn how to safely observe these fascinating but poisonous reptiles.

Presented by Save Mount Diablo in partnership with Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.

MOUNTAIN LIONS Think you saw a mountain lion? Well, maybe. But most people who report a Bay Area sighting have actually seen a golden retriever or a domestic house cat. Gary Bogue describes how to identify this elusive predator—and what to do in the unlikely event of a too-close-for-comfort encounter.

Presented by Save Mount Diablo in partnership with Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.

WILDLIFE Standing between the foggy Pacific Coast and the Central Valley, Mount Diablo has shady forest habitat and hot, dry chaparral. That makes it ideal habitat for wildlife, including coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, foxes, and skunks, as well as the densest population of golden eagles on the planet. Wildlife columnist Gary Bogue offers a brief introduction to the Mount Diablo menagerie.

Presented by Save Mount Diablo in partnership with Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.

MOUNT DIABLO 101 Take a hike with Seth Adams, who's been roaming Mount Diablo on behalf of the conservation organization Save Mount Diablo since 1988. As Seth explains, the mountain was sacred to Native Americans, they saw it as the place where the world was created. For the Europeans who came later, it was a navigational landmark and place to map the Bay Area. Late in the 19th century, its coal fueled California's industrial development. Today, it's a real wilderness within an hour's drive of millions of people.

Presented by Save Mount Diablo in partnership with Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.

INTRODUCTION Why is this 3,849-foot mountain so central to California's natural and cultural history? In this 15-part series, discover the lore and legends of Mount Diablo State Park and surrounding wildlands.

Presented by Save Mount Diablo in partnership with Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.