232-acre Jones Property ProtectedRiggs Canyon Complete !!!If you had driven to the end of Finley Road in 1986, east ofBlackhawk, you would have encountered nothing but locked gates.From Camino Tassajara Rd headed north, Finley follows Tassajaracreek past stables, a one room school, and residences to the mouthof a large canyon, with chaparral ridges descending to a white gate.Finley was once a County through road, but beyond the white gate itbecame a dirt road, rising into the canyon.

Few people knewthat the canyon is3300 acre RiggsCanyon, rimmed byequally unknownHighland Ridge,over which Finleydrops to MorganTerritory Rd.

Riggs is one of themountain's mostrugged, isolatedareas, made up offour smaller sidecanyons droppingfrom Oyster, Caveand Windy Points.Riggs has amazing views, huge cliffs and supports tremendouswildlife diversity. There were two small uninhabited structures andevidence of ranching and Native American history. Its fire roadswould eventually allow diverse trail loops.

Jackass Canyon is westernmost of Rigg’s four branches whileTassajara Creek drops down the main branch from Windy Point.Two eastern canyons join inside the mouth of Riggs-at a 252 acreparcel now known as "Jones", and formerly known as the MarianiProperty.

As of July, seventeenyears after preserva-tion began in RiggsCanyon, and with thehelp of landownersMark and ShannonJones, the last of sevenparcels making up thecanyon-its very mouth-has been protected.

continued on page 12

A New Urban Limit Line Is In The Works!Measure J, The Transportation Sales TaxBy Millie Greenberg, Dist. 3 CC County Supervisor

Important decisions will be made in the next few weeks. What willthey mean to you? How well will a new Urban Limit Line protectEast County, the Tassajara Valley and other important open spacefrom sprawl development? Who's making the decisions, and whatdo you have to say about it?

On November 2ndContra Costa voterswill have an opportuni-ty to vote on "MeasureJ," a proposal to con-tinue the Countywidehalf-cent sales tax thathelps fund transporta-tion improvements andmaintenance.

The Measure includes arequirement that theCounty and each of itsnineteen cities have avoter-approved UrbanLimit Line (ULL) inplace in order to

receive any part of the Measure's $460 million for local projects.The new ULL is supposed to be defined by the end of this year. IfMeasure J passes, the proposed new ULL will go through an envi-ronmental impact report, and then it will have to be approved byvoters in November 2006.

The current ULL, which is just a County law, has been a reasonablyeffective barrier to leapfrog development and urban sprawl inCounty territory, but it has no control over sprawl developmentinside cities. Also, it does not prevent a city from annexing landoutside its border and outside the ULL and then approving urban-ized development on that land. The proposed new ULL called forby Measure J could be far more effective because it would bind thecities as well as the County and there would be strong economicincentives to comply.

Editor's Note: Measure J includes funding vital for transportationprojects. Although decisions on the Urban Limit Line have not beenmade, SMD's Board has endorsed Measure“J”, with reservations.We'll keep you posted as the process to create a new ULL movesforward.

Save Mount Diablo Protecting the Mountain Since 1971 Fall 2004 No. 38

w a t c hD I A B L O

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Riggs Canyon from the Jones Property’s highest point, now protected by a conservation easement. Theview stretches from the Blackhills past Windy Point to Diablo, east to Highland Ridge (Scott Hein)

Shannon & Mark Jones, July 2004 (Scott Hein)

s a v e MOUNT DIABLO

Board of DirectorsMalcolm SproulPresident

Arthur BonwellVice-President

Allan PragerVice-President

David TrotterSecretary

Frank VarenchikTreasurerBurt BasslerMary L. BowermanDonald de FremeryScott HeinSteven MehlmanJohn MercurioDavid OgdenDave SargentSharon Walters

StaffRonald BrownExecutive Director

Seth AdamsDirector of Land Programs

Talia SmithDevelopment Associate

Jennifer HouseOffice Administrator

PublisherSave Mount Diablo1196 Boulevard Way #10Walnut Creek, CA 94595-1167925-947-3535, Fax 925-947-3603www.savemountdiablo.orgsmdinfo@savemountdiablo.org

Founded in 1971, Save MountDiablo has been instrumental inincreasing open space on andaround the mountain from 6,788acres to more than 86,000 acres.

Masthead Panoramaby Stephen Joseph

DiabloWatch is printed on recycledpaper with a soy base ink and can berecycled.

CONTAINSSOYOIL

From The Executive DirectorThe Contra Costa Parks & Open Space Measure…Our Mission Continues

This summer, open space preservation in Contra Costa County received a temporary setback with the defeat of the County's Parks & Open Space Measure. If it had passed,the Measure would have raised $175 million over a 30-year period for the preservationand maintenance of the County's last remaining natural areas. Projects slated for fund-

ing included expansions of Mt. Diablo State Park, acquisitions in the Muir Heritage Corridor and along theRichmond Shoreline, and the preservation of significant hillsides, ridgelines, creeks, shorelines and wildlifehabitat throughout the County. The Measure also would have provided funds for the maintenance of existingparks throughout the County. Save Mount Diablo was a strong supporter of the Measure and helped lead thecampaign. I was proud to co-chair the effort.

The vote was conducted through a mail ballot to property owners throughout the County. Most single-familyhomeowners were asked to pay $25 a year. Higher assessments were proposed for businesses, apartmentcomplexes, and other large properties; in turn, these property owners received a greater number of (weight-ed) votes. It was the weighted votes that tipped the scales against the Measure. Of the 98,098 ballots thatwere mailed back to the County by the July 27 deadline, 50.12% voted "yes" in favor of the Measure.However, the total number of weighted "yes" votes was only 46.2%.

The Coalition for Open Space, a broad group of environmental, business, labor and community leaders thatbrought the Measure forward, will be analyzing the results through additional polling. We view this disap-pointing outcome as a temporary setback. This was the first time that a mail ballot approach was used onsuch a broad scale. Over the past four years, we garnered unprecedented support for open space preservation,and I am convinced that we still have that support. Save Mount Diablo will continue to take the lead inbringing forward a plan for countywide open space protection.

In fact, citing the broad support for the open space measure, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisorshas indicated that it would consider bringing an open space funding measure back to voters in the future.

I’d like to express special thanks to the many SMD volunteers and supporters who played such a vital role inassisting with the Parks & Open Space Measure, and we look forward to your continued support. We alsoexpress our gratitude to the County Board of Supervisors and the East Bay Regional Park District for theirongoing support of open space preservation in our County. For more information on the Coalition for OpenSpace, visit www.contracostaopenspace.org

Moonlight on the Mountain, Volunteers & FundraisingAnother SMD Anniversary has come and gone; Moonlight was a great success. We exceeded our fundraisinggoal and it couldn’t have happened without the support of our sponsors, participants, auction item donors,and volunteers. Please patronize the businesses that support SMD and thank them for their generosity.

SMD is successful because we include fundraising in nearly everything we do. We have just 3.5 staff posi-tions so volunteers are responsible for much of our work, as well. Consider how you can help.

John Mercurio, for example, an SMD Director, held a fundraising hike April 23rd, where donors pledgedsupport as John and his friends hiked from ConcordBART to Diablo’s summit. Rancher John Ginochioallowed the group to cross his land and more than$300 was raised. SMD also received many new con-tacts as potential members. The annual Healthwise-Dornsife hike raises funds as well. Do you havefriends we should contact or an idea to raise funds?

Our End of Year Appeal is just around the corner.Please give generously. Another Board member,Scott Hein, has again donated his time and beautifulphotographs to make the second annual SMD calen-dar. Appeal donors who contribute $250 or morewill receive a copy of this special, limited edition,full color calendar.

We appreciate your support.

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“Dad’s property was the west face and onthe top… It was 10,000 acres—twice aslarge as Del Mar, which was 5,000. A lotof it wasn’t usable land, steep hillside andscrub. One year we went around with ashotgun shooting squirrels that were caus-ing erosion. That was a full time summerjob, either killing squirrels or hacking atRussian thistles that were taking over theland. We did all kinds of things.”

Mt. Diablo’s preservation rests on severalfailed fortunes and one broken heart. Inthe Spring 2004 Diablo Watch, I wroteabout Robert Noble Burgess’s Mt. DiabloPark Company and his proposed develop-ment, and introduced San Francisco mil-lionaire Walter P. Frick. Frick had made aspecialty of assembling large tracts of landand then reselling them at a profit. He suc-ceeded Burgess, his business partner inSonoma County’s Del Mar Ranch, asowner of the Diablo Ranch. He reassem-bled many of its pieces in 1919 in his simi-larly named Mt. Diablo Company—just aspublic calls were being made for creationof a state park.

Frick’s 87-year old son, Robert,and his wife Ada live in Tiburon.Robert Frick grew up on NobHill but he and his brotherworked at both the Del Mar andDiablo Ranches. When his par-ents separated in 1932, Robertmoved with his father to theirhouse in Diablo. Except whereattributed, the italicized quotesare his.

Mt. Diablo State ParkW.P. Frick owned many of thebest known parts of the moun-tain, stretching from the commu-nity of Diablo south to today’sSycamore Valley RegionalPreserve and east to theBlackhawk Ranch, much ofCurry Canyon, all the way to thepeak and down upper Pine Ridgeand Pine Canyon to include partof Walnut Creek’s Northgatearea.

Bear in mind that public openspaces, state and national parksfor example, were a uniquelynew American idea. In 1864President Lincoln signed theYosemite Grant ceding YosemiteValley to the State of California.The grant is considered the foun-dation for national and stateparks established later. In 1872President Grant signed a bill

establishing Yellowstone as the world’s firstnational park. Joseph Hall’s wagon roads tohis Mountain House Hotel had made Diabloa tourist attraction in the 1870s, albeit a pri-vately owned one, while Martinez residentJohn Muir and his Sierra Club provided alocal catalyst for preservation as did the aca-demics of nearby U.C. Berkeley. As earlyas 1904, Club members were organizing“Local Walks” in the Bay Area and soonbegan publishing a hike schedule.

In 1902 Big Basin State Park was created, in1905 the Forest Service was established, andin 1916 the National Park Service. TheCalifornia State Park system didn’t exist butincreasing population was leading to callsfor many different municipal works—suchas public water systems, and includingparks. From the turn of the century through1920, the county’s population tripled to54,000. In 1920 Muir’s friend HaroldFrench founded the Contra Costa Hills Club.

Frick’s businesses were flourishing. TheRoaring Twenties were on and, despite

Prohibition, Diablo and its Country Clubbecame a focal point for wealth and recre-ation in Contra Costa County. Picnics andriding on Mt. Diablo were a favoriteactivity, and there were summer eveninghay rides to Blackhawk.

Mt. Diablo Scenic Boulevard Co.Like Burgess before him, Frick owned thetwo roads to the peak and kept the moun-tain open to visitors. “He charged fiftycents a car to go to the top. There was atollgate on each side. He advertised it asthe mountain with the greatest visibility inthe world. Not many people went up. Itnever did do well. The Garden of theJungle Gods; he named some of thoserocks—Elephant Rock, the Rock ofGibraltar, Seal Rocks. The top was kindof barren; there was a concrete structurethat seemed like it was always there.”

Diablo doesn’t have the largest view, butBurgess had advertised the same claim;both men may have named some of therocks mentioned. The concrete structurewas the Ransome survey marker whichpreceded construction of a view platformand then the Summit Museum during theCivilian Conservation Corps (CCC) era.

1921 DedicationWalter Frick knew that a State Park wasbeing considered at Diablo, and some ofR.N. Burgess’ original investors, includ-ing Senator Breed, were still holdingDiablo lands. State Senator Will R.Sharkey authored legislation to make Mt.Diablo a State Park and Game Refuge,and it was officially dedicated on Sunday,June 19, 1921. The dedication was han-dled by a committee from the MountDiablo Parlor of Native Sons of theGolden West and members of the DiabloCountry Club. Martinez attorney James F.Hoey presided at morning exercises at themountain’s base and after lunch at thesummit, which included addresses by Lt.

Walter P. Frick and sheep, probably at Diablo(courtesy Robert Frick)

Oakland Tribune Editorial cartoon, supporting land acquisition at Mt. Diablo State Park, 1923

Who Was Walter P. Frick? (Part 2)The Creation of Mt. Diablo State Park By Seth Adams, Dir. of Land Programs

continued on page 8

At SMD's Moonlight on the Mountain eventlast year, a woman approached DalePeterson, the Assistant Business Manager forthe International Brotherhood of ElectricalWorkers, Local 302, the event's named spon-sor in 2003 and 2004. 'I'm so thrilled IBEWis supporting Save Mount Diablo. How did ithappen? My dad was an IBEW member andI never would have imagined you guys here.'

Other contributors might seem equallyunlikely. Our Mountain Star Awards aresponsored by developers Blackhawk-Nunn,although SMD initially opposed Blackhawk.Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 159 aresponsors, although the Plumbers opposed aBlackhawk-Nunn project in Brentwood twoyears ago. Braddock & Logan are a sponsor,yet SMD stopped their Crystyl Ranch projectin 1989. Their partner in that project was theSeeno Company; Albert Seeno III'sDiscovery Homes became a Moonlight spon-sor this year, although SMD has opposedother projects of theirs as well. Richlandand Signature Homes are sponsors but we'vebeen at odds over several East County proj-ects. Others event supporters are less sur-prising, like ChevronTexaco, MechanicsBank, Pacific Coast Carpets, Concord Feedand Diablo Lincoln Mercury.

Building trade unions and developers mightseem to be natural allies for each other, butwhy would they support an environmentalorganization? Equally curious might seemSMD's involvement not just with organiza-tions like the Bay Area Open Space Council,Sierra Club and Greenbelt Alliance, but withbusiness groups like the Contra CostaCouncil and the Walnut Creek Chamber ofCommerce. Yet there we were on moonlitnights, breaking bread together.

BalanceThe key is "balance." Unionsseek to provide quality jobs,healthcare and a living wagefor their members.Responsible developers wantto build projects to providehousing and infrastructureand improve our communitieswhile making a profit. SaveMount Diablo seeks to pro-tect Mt. Diablo and naturalresources while providingpublic open space and recre-ational opportunities. We allshare a goal of improving thearea in which we work evenas we each attempt to meetour specific goals.

"Unions have an investment in our commu-nites," said IBEW's Peterson, "We needjobs in order to pay our mortgages and feedour families but we also need recreationand places where our children can play andlearn. The environmental community andunions are natural allies. Our immediategoals include the creation of good jobs thatprovide health coverage and ensure ade-quate infrastructure including schools,roads and hospitals but our members arealso interested in protecting open space,clean air, and clean water. IBEW supportsSave Mount Diablo because its work isabout balancing development with environ-mental protection to maintain our quality oflife.

"In an effort to achieve our goals, we workwith everyone in the community," said RonBrown, SMD's Executive Director,"Through these relationships we canincrease our influence, or help to raisefunding to protect land."

"When a developer consults with us beforethey submit their project application it ben-efits us as much as them," said Seth Adams,SMD's Director of Land Programs, "Weboth may give some ground but, if we'reable to reach agreement, we all save timeand money. Frankly, elected officialswould prefer that we work out differencesso that they can support projects on whichthere's broad agreement."

Simple? Not at all. "There was a timewhen building trades people automaticallysupported development and saw environ-mentalists as obstacles to prosperity," saysAram Hodess, Business Manager for thePlumbers. "Now we're recognizing that weare most effective when we work withenvironmental and community organiza-tions for responsible growth. On top of

that, a whole lot of union members hunt,fish and appreciate a pristine natural envi-ronment for recreational purposes."

The beauty of our community and the pro-tection of its natural features is only mean-ingful if it is accompanied by a vibrantlocal economy that offers its citizens quali-ty jobs and education, affordable housingchoices, health care and transportationalternatives. That’s why SMD has becomean active member of the Walnut CreekChamber of Commerce and the ContraCosta Council. Through our involvementin these organizations we help to keep ourCounty one of the great places in the world.As a result of the relationships we build, weare better able to accomplish our specificgoals on land conservation.

The Union-Environmental AllianceIn the early 1990s, as environmental regu-lations became more stringent, unionsbegan utilizing these tools to strengthentheir hand with proposed projects. "Ofcourse we're interested in jobs, but we alsolive here and want good projects thatstrengthen our communities," said Hodess.In 1992 Adams, and the Plumbers collabo-rated on their first project together, a suc-cessful referendum overturning an environ-mentally insensitive project in Hercules(Adams was personally involved, SMDdoesn't work in Hercules).

Afterwards we began meeting regularly todiscuss more of the projects on which wewere working. The collaboration waswidened to include the IBEW, the Building& Construction Trades Council and theCentral Labor Council (umbrella groupsrepresenting dozens of unions) andGreenbelt Alliance and the Sierra Club.Over the years other environmental organi-zations and unions have joined.

This "Union-Enviro" alliance isn't a formalorganization. It meets regularly to discussprojects and exchange information.Sometimes two or more of the organiza-tions join in responding to developments or

policy measures.In ‘96, for exam-ple, the BuildingTrades Counciland SMD stoppedPittsburg's pro-posed SoutheastHills annexation,which was bothenvironmentallyinsensitive andfailed to providequality jobs.

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CC Open Space Funding Measure Campaign Kickoff Feb. 27, 2004; John Gioia, CCC Supervisor; Ron Brown, SMD Executive Director;

Millie Greenberg & Mark De Saulnier, CCC Supervisors; Peter Oswald, Senior V.P. Sunset Development Co. (Scott Hein)

Aram Hodess, BusinessManager of UA Local159, Plumbers &Steamfitters (Seth Adams)

Building Bridges:Unusual Allies

Continued on pg 16

mile loop trail starting atCurry Point & descendinginto Sycamore Canyonwith a 580-ft. climb onreturn loop. Call to car-pool.

Oct. 30, Sat.Volunteer Trail Work(East Bay Trail Dogs)Leader: Harry Silcocks-443-3925-td_harry@earthlink.netTrail work & erosion con-trol on Save MountDiablo’s Galvin Ranchnorthern fire rd. Callleader for time, meetingplace & more info.

Oct. 30, Sat., 2:00 – 5:30pmLoop Hike – RoundValley Regional Preserve(Sierra Club, Delta Group)Leader: Jean Ward 925-634-7467Meet at MP-50. Leisurely6-7 mile walk “on thewild side,” to see

panoramic views &autumn vistas in Mt.Diablo’s eastern foothills.After hike, optional stop inBrentwood for supper &sociability. Rain or recentrain may cancel.

Oct. 31, Sun.10:00 amSMD’s Wright Canyon(Save Mount Diablo)Leader: Warren Tighe 925256-4117;warrentighe@hotmail.comMeet at MP-16Join Warren, a member ofSMD’s StewardshipCommittee, for interestinghistory & spectacular

Diablo peak views on thismoderate two mile walkup a riparian canyon to“the Gathering Place” aWright family monument.SMD preserved WrightCanyon with the help ofthe Wright family in 2001.Rain or shine.

Oct. 31, Sun., 9:00 amSMD’s Silva Ranch &Morgan Red Corral(Save Mount Diablo)New Acquisitions inMorgan Territory &Riggs CanyonLeaders: Scott & ClaudiaHein, 925 671-0401;scott@heinphoto.comMeet at MP-14 to carpoolSince 1986 Save MountDiablo, the State & theEast Bay Regional ParkDistrict have preservedtwelve parcels & 5,000acres between MorganTerritory RegionalPreserve & Mt. Diablo

State Park, including3300-acre Riggs Canyon.Join Scott & Claudia tohike SMD’s Silva Ranch& new Morgan “red cor-ral” property, along withthe group’s 1989 MorganRanch acquisition, &learn about the “Revengeof the Jumping Frog.”

Oct. 20, Wed., 10 amRock City – MountDiablo (Mt. Diablo Group,Bay Chapter, Sierra Club)Leader: Carol Larson 925-691-6303 c_lamar@pac-bell.netMeet at Lower Rock Cityparking area approx. onemile above South Gateentrance on Mt. DiabloScenic Blvd. ($6 entrancefee/$5 seniors). Leisurelyaerobic, sometimes rockyhike with fall colors &crunch of leaves. Bringlunch, water, & wear sturdyshoes. Rain cancels.

Oct. 23, Sat., 9:30 am – 12noonOld Homestead Loop –Black Diamond Mines(Sierra Club, Mt DiabloGroup)Leader: Don de Fremery925-837-5646Meet at MP-43. Carpoolfrom Walnut Creek BART(near taxi stand), 8:45 am.Leisurely paced short hike.Explore the Garaventaacquisition, a recent parkaddition just opened to pub-lic access. Suitable forbeginners. Hike up a cen-tral canyon (500 ft climb),then down a secondarycanyon. Rain cancels.

Oct. 23, Sat., 9 am – noon. Mount Diablo – SycamoreCanyon Loop. (SaveMount Diablo / SierraClub, Mount Diablo Group) Leader: Sharon Walters,925-820-3102,swalters@stmarys-ca.eduMeet at MP-3. $6.00 parkfee.Enjoy the beautiful fall col-ors of the Big Leaf Maples& Sycamores along this 4-

We’ll climb HighlandRidge into Riggs Canyon,up the new Tassajara CreekTrail to Bob’s Pond & back.Roundtrip of about 6 miles.Heavy rain cancels.

Nov. 6, Sat., 10 am – 3:15pmRound Valley (Sierra Club,Mount Diablo Group)Leader: Don de Fremery925-837-5646Meet at MP-50. Carpoolfrom Walnut Creek BART(near taxi stand), 9:15 am.Leisurely paced moderatehike. Loop around thislovely oak-studded valleyjust east of MorganTerritory Preserve, then up& over a ridge on theHardy Canyon Trail. One700-ft climb after lunch.Rain cancels.

Nov. 6, Sat., 9am – noon. Dan Cook Canyon to LiveOak Campground. (SaveMount Diablo) Leader: Sharon Walters925-820-3102,swalters@stmarys-ca.edu. Meet at trailhead on Mt.Diablo Scenic Blvd, or atGreen Valley School at 8:30to carpool. Enjoy this beau-tiful hike through a shadycanyon of maples,sycamores, alders, & baytrees to our destination ofLive Oak Campground. 4miles round trip, 730-ft.climb.

Nov. 6, Sat., 9:30 amChaparral Spring hike,Family Buckeye Throw &Heritage Trees (Save Mt.Diablo)Leader: Burt Bassler 925820-5816;

The “Autumn on Diablo” events schedule is generously underwritten by

Autumn on DiabloOctober 2004 - January 2005 Events Schedule Published By Save Mount Diablo

Earthteam members--students from ecology clubs at local high schools, overlook Round Valley& visit Los Vaqueros’ Adobe Valley on a hike led by Seth Adams, SMD’s Director of Land

October

November

Meeting Place (MP) and Location ListGreen Valley Rd., Alamo.

12 Mitchell Canyon Staging Area, south end ofMitchell Canyon Rd., Clayton.

14 Three Springs Entry, Marsh Creek Rd. 2.2miles east of Regency Dr.

16 Morgan Ranch/Red Corral, south of whereMorgan Territory Rd. narrows.

3 Curry Point, below junction of North and SouthGate Roads.

5 Juniper Campground 8 Emmons Canyon, follow Stone Valley east of

Green Valley Rd, turn right on Emmons CanyonRoad, follow to end, limited parking.

9 Macedo Ranch Staging Area, north end of

Events are sponsored by identified groups.Save Mount Diablo merely coordinates pub-lication of this schedule and is not responsi-ble for events that it does not sponsor.Participants must take individual responsibil-ity for their own level of fitness.Please be aware that hikes and walks oftentake place on difficult mountain trails.Individuals with special needs should call theevent leader. • Call the leader if you have any questionsor concerns. Participation is at the leader’sdiscretion.• Hikers and walkers should dress in layers(it can be cold on the mountain even when

hot in the valley) and wear sturdy walkingshoes or boots. Hats and binoculars are agood idea.• Carry a liter of water on short hikes andtwo liters on longer hikes - you will need it!• Take a snack or lunch.• Unless noted, hikes are subject to rain can-cellation or modification. Leader should becontacted if rain threatens - calling for con-firmation is a good idea.• Many of the parks have entry and/or park-ing fees.• Dogs are not allowed on State Park trails.• Hikes with a Meeting Point (MP) numberbegin at one of the points on the list above.

43 Contra Loma Regional Park - FredericksonLane, off Lone Tree Way/Golf Course Rd., justbefore the turn to Contra Loma.

50 Round Valley/Marsh Creek Road 1.6 miles eastof Deer Valley Rd.

73 Morgan Territory Regional Preserve - MainParking Lot, on Morgan Territory Rd.

Special Events for Special DonorsDonors to SMD above the $250 levelreceive invitations to special events—expert guided tours of unique areas such asthe Hazel Atlas Mine & Rose Hill ceme-tery, Black Diamond Mines RegionalPreserve, Brushy Peak and Vasco Caves.Wouldn’t you like to visit these specialplaces and help preserve more of yourmountain?

Call 925 947-3535 for membership infor-mation or see www.savemountdiablo.org

lebassler@yahoo.comMeet at MP-14 ThreeSpringsJoin Burt for this 3-4 hourloop through SMD’sChaparral Spring property,especially if you’re inter-ested in adopting or visit-ing a heritage tree orgrove. Bring your kids;we’ll collect buckeye nutsalong the way to helprevegetate an eroded gully.The property is not yetopen to the public so thisis a special opportunity.Moderate hike, approxi-mately 3-4 hours, heavyrain cancels.

Nov. 13, Sat., 9:30 amSMD’s Joseph GalvinRanch (Save MountDiablo)Leader: Dave Sargent, 925933-9402;

davidsargent@ft.newyork-life.comMeet at Clayton Library(look for truck & cowboyhat)In 2003 SMD acquired the62 acre Joseph GalvinRanch on MorganTerritory rd. A beautifulcanyon rising from Marshcreek between two ridges,the property backs up onthe recently protectedSeeno Morgan TerritoryRanch & has incredibleviews of Diablo’s peaks.Hike the property withDave, a member SMD’sboard, & hear aboutSMD’s recent acquisitionefforts. Roundtrip ofabout 2 miles roundtrip,heavy rain cancels.

Nov. 17, Wed., 10 amMorgan Territory Ridge,Canyon, & Grassland(Mt. Diablo Group, BayChapter, Sierra Club)Leader: Carol Larson 925-691-6303 c_lamar@pac-bell.netMeet at MP-73. Leisurelyaerobic 1B hike. Bringwater, lunch, & wear stur-dy shoes. It could bemuddy. Rain cancels.

Nov. 20, Sat.Volunteer Trail Work(East Bay Trail Dogs)Leader: Harry Silcocks-443-3925-td_harry@earthlink.netTrail work & erosion con-trol on Save MountDiablo’s Wright PropertyLittle Suicide fire rd. Callleader for time, meetingplace & more info.

Nov. 21, Sun., 10:15 amMt. Diablo & North Peak(Double Diablo) (HikingSection, Bay Area, ChapterClub)Leader: Bob Solotar 510-525-2110Bob_Solotar@hotmail.com

Leader at Walnut CreekBART station 9 am byentry gates. Meet at MP-5($6 entrance fee). Ascendboth peaks - moderatelypaced but hearty 2C out-ing. Rain cancels.

Dec. 4, Sat., 9am – noon. Emmons Canyon /WallPoint /BBQ Terrace Loop(Save Mount Diablo) Leader: Sharon Walters925-820-3102,swalters@stmarys-ca.eduMeet at MP-8. A 6-mileloop with spectacularviews along Wall Point &BBQ Terrace trails. Mostlyon fire trails with one nar-row, shaded woodland con-nector. No facilities. Heavyrain cancels.Dec. 8, Wed., 10 amMt. Diablo – MitchellCanyon (Mt. DiabloGroup, Bay Chapter, SierraClub)Carol Larson 925-691-6303 c_lamar@pacbell.netMeet at MP-12 ($3 parkingfee). Leisurely 1B hike ledby Carol Larson. Somesteep trails to enjoy views.Bring lunch & water. Raincancels.Dec. 18, Sat. Volunteer Trail Work(East Bay Trail Dogs)Leader: Harry Silcocks-443-3925-td_harry@earthlink.netTrail design on SaveMount Diablo’s ChaparralSpring Property. Callleader for time, meetingplace & more info.

Dec. 25, Sat., 8:30 amMt. Diablo Summit (Mt.Diablo Group, BayChapter, Sierra Club)Leader: Diane Smith 925-

December

Nov. 7, Sun., registrationat 7:30 am - race at 9amSave Mount Diablo’sTrail Adventure (SaveMount Diablo)HALF-MARATHON,10K RUN OR HIKEA celebration of recre-ational opportunities onthe mountain!Contact SMD at 925-947-3535 for informa-tion & registration.Starting from CastleRock Recreational Areain Walnut Creek, the hike& run courses will travelthrough Diablo FoothillsRegional Park, up theslopes of Mt. DiabloState Park’s Pine Ridge& back to the startingpoint through PineCanyon. Pre & Postevent family activitieswill include refresh-ments, vendor displays,games & activities.(Proceeds benefit SMD’sprograms)

April 27-30, 2005Wed - SatFour DaysDiablo (SaveMount Diablo)Leader: SethAdamsWildlife, spring wild-flowers & incrediblediversity: SMD’sannual 4-day, 30 miletrip on the DiabloTrail from WalnutCreek to Brentwood,crossing 6 parks &50,000 acres of openspace. Carry day-packs while equip-ment is shuttled, &stroll into campwhere wine, gourmetmeals & evening lec-tures await you. Youwon’t believe thebeauty to be found, orhow much you’lllearn, in your ownbackyard. $750 perperson.Call 925 947-3535for info & forms, orsee www.savemount-diablo.org

803-1478 mountainma-ma@gmail.comPark & Ride lot on Eastside of 680 freeway atSycamore Valley Rd Off-ramp in Danville for car-pool to trailhead. Let’senjoy the holiday on thismoderately fast-paced,strenuous hike (12 miles,3200 foot elevation gain) tothe top of Mt. Diablo viathe Summit Trail.Experienced hikers only.Rain cancels. Post-hikedinner at local restaurant.

Jan.1, 2005. Sat., 8-9 –noonNew Year’s Day Ride UpDiablo (all affiliated clubsof the East Bay BicycleCoalition)Leader: Robert Raburn(EBBC) 510-530-3444robertraburn, Rob Hawks(Grizzly Peak Cyclists),rhawks@lmi.netMeet at Walnut CreekBART. Celebrate the NewYear with a healthy ride. Agroup ride leaves WCBART & begins the ascenton South Gate Rd (MP-1).

Jan.1, 2005. Sat., 8:30 amMt. Diablo Summit (Mt.Diablo Group, BayChapter, Sierra Club)Leader: Diane Smith 925-803-1478 mountainma-ma@gmail.comMeet at MP-12 ($4 parkingfee). Let’s celebrate theNew Year by hiking to theSummit via the BackCanyon & Bald RidgeTrails, with return via DeerFlat & Mitchell canyon.This is a strenuous hike (14miles, 3500 foot elevationgain). Call leader re shorterself-guided alternative.Bring food to share at post-hike potluck. Rain cancels.

Jan. 15, Sat. Volunteer Trail Work(East Bay Trail Dogs)Leader: Harry Silcocks-443-3925- td_harry@earth-link.netTrail maintenance on SaveMount Diablo’s Chaparral

January

Spring Property. Callleader for time, meetingplace & more info

Jan. 22, Sat. Volunteer Trail Work(East Bay Trail Dogs)Leader: Harry Silcocks-443-3925-td_harry@earthlink.netTrail maintenance onSave Mount Diablo’sChaparral SpringProperty. Call leader fortime, meeting place &more info

8

Governor C.C. Young and Sharkey. The State Park legislation failed to includefunds to acquire land but a Mt. Diablo StatePark Commission was formed, and a citi-zen organized Mount Diablo State ParkCouncil began pushing for implementationof Sharkey's bill. In August 1922, Frickhired Wells Drury as a publicist for themountain and the need for creation of astate park there. Drury was a pioneernewspaperman, a friend of Mark Twain andBret Harte, and a former member of theNevada House of Representatives. Hereturned to California for a variety of news-paper jobs then founded an advertisingagency, the Drury Company.

The Dec. 3, 1922 SF Examiner reported ona Council meeting he attended: “ParkFavored Atop Mount” “Charles J. Wood ofDanville… declared that the people ofContra Costa County are in favor of com-pleting a great outdoor playground onMount Diablo… ‘A number of ContraCostans held a conference the other day’,Wood said, ‘and agreed that ample plansfor the park ought to be kept constantly inview…it is believed that 10,000 acreswould not be too large an area to includein the park, and that the present toll roadshould be acquired, so that under Stateownership there would be no charge forgoing up the grade.’”

Negotiations began with Frick and lastedinto the 1930s with both sides lobbying theState to acquire at least part of his land.

For the next several years Frickand Drury began intensive work topublicize the mountain. At somepoint a Marvelous Mount Diablobrochure was issued.Organizations were encouraged tovisit and well publicized eventswere held. Drury’s Mt. Diabloscrapbook includes a landslide ofnews stories in dozens of newspa-pers, including issues ranging fromthe naming of the Diablo Valley, toauto races to the peak, to themountain’s visibility. A push forstate funding was attempted in1924.

Frick drove a hard bargain. JamesHoey said as much in a Nov. 6,1923 letter to Drury, “…I don’tknow just what Mr. Frick’s attitudeis regarding the sale of this moun-tain. I have always contended thatI thought the price placed uponthis property by Mr. Frick was toohigh, and I fully realize that as a

member of the commission I will be subjectto much criticism when the sale is consum-mated, but I am willing to endure that forthe good of the cause. I am greatly inter-ested in the creation of state parks through-out the State, but if we can’t get more coop-eration from the people who are reallyinterested in the future than we have had inthe past, I am quite willing to resign fromthe Commission... .”

A testimonial penned by Drury about Frickfor anonymous publication held the otherside of the coin, “Those who are familiarwith the inmost aspirations of your heartknow that you prize these possessions andthese advantages chiefly because you feelthat you hold them in trust; that you hopeto pass them on to our beloved common-wealth; and that your cherished ambition isto have established here a great mountainpark, which shall forever be a health-givingplayground and pleasure resort for all thepeople.” Frick was as inter-ested in the creation of theState Park as local residents.

Regardless of his motiva-tions, the joint efforts wereunsuccessful until May 1927,when the State legislator andGovernor Clement C. Youngapproved three bills by StateSenator Breed andAssemblyman Feigenbaum.Senate Bill (SB) 439 createda single State ParkCommission. SB 440 pro-

1924 auto race to Diablo’s summit, organized to popularize the mountain for tourism (Richmond Independant 1-9-1924)

Frick Continued from page 3

Walter Frick (r) at the Bohemian Grove July 1923 (Gabriel Moulin)

vided for a survey of potential park sitesthroughout the state. The California ParkSurvey, or “Olmstead Plan”, was complet-ed by famed park planner Frederick LawOlmstead. Among its recommendationswas acquisition of 5-6000 acres to “ampli-fy” Mt. Diablo State Park. SB 441 author-ized a bond issue of $6 million, to be usedfor expansion of the park system, to besubmitted to the voters in November 1928.Frick continued to drive a hard bargain butas success appeared certain, time was run-ning out.

The “Eye of Diablo”“Back when air transport was just start-

ing, Dad was at the installation of the bea-con. He loved to speak up on a soapbox;he was quite an orator.” Frick’s publicityefforts continued, and in 1927 he allowedStandard Oil to place its Standard Diablo(SD) tower at the peak; the beacon becameknown as the “Eye of Diablo.” It wasmeant to encourage commercial aviationand to capture the public’s imagination.

Luckily for everyone the voters didapprove Proposition 4, the State’s firstpark bond, on November 6, 1928. Itincluded $6 million statewide. In October1929 the Stock Market crashed. Frick wasbadly damaged with repeated calls on hisassets even as land became more availableall around the State—and the state moneyrequired a 50% private match. The Statenow had the stronger negotiating positionbut the onset of the Depression also elevat-ed other priorities.

1931 Re-Dedication“He sold to the State for the StatePark…During the Depression he had toraise some money.” Frick was on personalterms with Governor James “Sunny Jim”Rolph, a long time mayor of San Franciscowho succeeded Clement on Jan. 6, 1931,and carried out Clement’s recommenda-tions in expanding the State Park System.

continued on page 9

On April 3, 1931 the first two acquisitionsfrom Frick’s Mount Diablo Company werecompleted, totaling 348.5 acres for$168,000. They included the right of wayfor Southgate Road from the edge of thecommunity of Diablo to a point south ofArtist Point, across other Frick lands whichwere subsequently added to the BlackhawkRanch. The other area included FossilRidge and Rock City from Live Oak Campto Curry Point. A $70,000 match wasreportedly raised by County residents, withthe remainder as land gifts from theMission Beach Company and Frick.

On April 26, 1931 Mt. Diablo State Parkwas dedicated for a second time. The nextday, the Contra Costa Gazette, SanFrancisco Chronicle, and Examiner report-ed the disarray of 600-1000 cars and 2000participants who were stuck on the moun-tain. The Gazette reported: “Even Diablo’sthunder served its unwilling purpose inyesterday’s ceremony. Governor Rolph,heading the caravan enroute, heard therumbling and crashed {sic} of etherealartillery. Is that my salute?” The gover-nor made it only as far as a banquet at theMt. Diablo Country Club, where a briefceremony was improvised before his depar-ture. The drenched crowd at Rock Citywas deprived of both the Governor and ofthe ceremonies.

Frick sold the third and fourth additions tothe park in Aug. 1931 and Aug. 1932, 557and 597 acres respectively. One stretchednorth from the community of Diablo innarrow rectangles, including Dan CookCanyon, Live Oak campground, SouthgateRoad up to the junction, and part way upthe Summit Road. The other continuednorth up the Summit Road almost to

Juniper Campand includedChase Pond, thePioneer HorseCamp site, andstretched westdown NorthgateRoad to theBoundaryGroup Campsite and the oldtollgate loca-tion.

In 1932 Frick’sfinancial diffi-culties becameacute and in1933 Helen FayFrick filed fordivorce—he

remained in love with her until his death—and he and his two sons moved to Diablofull time. “In later years he bought thecheapest suits, he became a penny pincher.Must have been a terrible struggle after somuch wealth to find yourself in financialstraits. With the divorce, it must havehelped along an early death. He didn’tmarry again.” The fifth addition tookplace in June 1936, 303 acres whichextended north up the Summit Road andincluded the SW, SE and NE corners of theDiablo summit itself, along with Devil’sElbow and Devil’s Pulpit, almost toProspectors Gap.

Finally on February 10, 1937, a sixth andfinal sale from the Mount Diablo Companywas completed. Its 198 acres included agap in the Summit Road from JuniperCamp to the lower Summit parking lot.Walter P. Frick had negotiated the sale butdidn’t live to see it—he began havingmotor difficulties in November 1936 anddied on January 15, 1937.

Given his real estate skills, had he lived,W.P. Frick may well have repaired his for-tunes. Instead his assets were thrown intodisarray during an estate probate periodlasting through 1948. The beneficiaries ofthe estate, his four children, relied on hisexecutor. His first daughter pushed for set-tlement, necessitating sale of most ofFrick’s real estate; some was sold in taxsales.

Mt. Diablo is part of Walter Frick’s legacy.He put the mountain on the map for manypeople and a state park was created in arural area with a small population. As withBurgess, Frick’s ownership of the DiabloRanch delayed fragmentation of the moun-tain. His high profile contacts provided

legislative support and funding for thematching component of the park’s creation.

Six acquisitions were completed fromFrick’s Mount Diablo Company, totaling2003.5 acres and stretching up Mt. DiabloScenic Boulevard from Danville throughRock City to include the peak. They areamong the most rugged and importantparts of the park, historically and in termsof resources. Several generations ofDiablo visitors have come to know theseparts of the park best. They were the siteof numerous Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC) projects, including the SummitMuseum, campgrounds, trails, picnic areas,the park’s corporation yard and first head-quarters. Other areas were held in limboduring estate proceedings and then byother owners until they could also be pro-tected in subsequent years, often with thehelp of Save Mount Diablo.

By contrast, the East Bay Regional ParkDistrict was formed in 1934 but ContraCosta County elected officials chose nothave our County participate in the District.Until 1965 only 146 acres were added tothe 2003.5 acres Frick sold to create Mt.Diablo State Park, and the State Park wasContra Costa’s only significant protectedopen space.

Walter P. Frick is buried simply atMountain View Cemetery in Oakland.

Info for this article was gathered frommany places. Special thanks to BettyMaffei and the Contra Costa HistoryCenter, Sea Ranch historian Susan Clark,Patricia Davis, Roger Epperson, Robertand Ada Frick, and Suzanne Lamble.

Frick continued from page 8

9

Walter P. Frick, c. 1936 (c. Robert Frick)

Mt. Diablo’s peak was acquired from Walter Frick and the Summit Museum there (in snow) planned during his lifetime (DPR - W.Rowe).jpg

10

D i a b l o C e l e b r a t e d

440 guests attended this year’s Moonlight event, honored Mountain Star award win-ners Bob Duchi and Stephen Joseph, and participated in live and silent auctions. Theanniversary and fundraiser is held at Mt. Diablo State Park’s China Wall aboveAlamo’s Macedo Ranch. The Event’s named sponsor was International Brotherhoodof Electrical Workers Local 302; the Mountain Star Awards’ sponsor wasBlackhawk-Nunn, and SMD exceeded its goal of $100,000 in net proceeds.

Moonlight on the MountainAugust 28, 2004

Photos by Scott Hein, David Ogden, LiedeMarie Haitsma, David Dolder, Paul Chinn

Save the Date“Moonlight on the Mountain”Saturday evening, September 17, 2005

An elegant evening under the light of the full moon, at the China Wall on Mt Diablo.Celebrate SMD’s 34th anniversary and acknowledge recipients of Mountain Star Awards.

• Be a table host • Donate silent or

live auction items• Call 925-947-3535

Catered reception withhosted bar, sumptuousdinner, jazz quartet,silent & live auctions.

• Sign up as anevent sponsor

• Join the planningcommittee.

(down and left-right) Dave & Helen Sargent’s Table 30 and Mt. Diablo; Mary Mills of Diablo and her guests at Table 37; the full moon, a special guest, arrives abovelights donated by Dana & Dave Dornsife; Seth Adams, SMD’s Director of Land Programs & Dale Peterson of IBEW Local 302, the named Event Sponsor; Willie Rose& George Ann Garms; SMD Director Dave Trotter, Cindy Chase & Marcus Hernandez; Debbie Trotter & Tina Akins of Concord Feed; Sharon Walters, Event Chairand SMD Director with some of the art which was auctioned; Kim Fisher & EBRPD’s Dave Collins; Ron Nunn of Blackhawk-Nunn, Mountain Star Awards sponsor, &Charla Gabert, auction co-chair; Yoshimi and Edward Downer of Mechanics Bank; Michael Harris, vice-mayor of Pleasant Hill & Millie Greenberg, Contra CostaCounty Supervisor. (below right) unnamed amidst the Silent Auction. (Photos by Scott Hein, David Ogden, Liede Marie Haitsma)

Each year Greg Francisco of Healthwise Fitness and Dana & Dave Dornsife (below) lead clients and friends ona hike with Seth Adams, SMD’s Director of Land Programs, generating new financial support for SMD.

On May 15, Save Mount Diablo held a family evening of observing the night-time sky, searching for planets, stars and galaxies, at this opportunity to visitthis sensually beautiful property east of Clayton. At our special 'amphitheatre'astrophysicist Dr. Ron Olowin from Saint Mary's College explained details ofthe heavens and the legend and lore of the sky, allowing participants to redis-cover that rare human trait, wonder. (photos: Scott Hein)

Photos by Paul Chinn, San Francisco Chronicle: A trail-building team hikes through a grassy meadow in the shad-ow of Mount Diablo; Frank Stockton (right) points out the best route for a new hiking trail to volunteers SteveChapman, Sheri Paauw, John Anderson and Don Cowell; State Parks Trail expert Karl Knapp holds out a topo-graphic map to help the group get oriented; Roy Canright of Fremont calibrates a clinometer - to measure incline.

11

D i a b l o C e l e b r a t e dFamily Stargazing and Barbecue

at Chaparral Spring, May 15, 2004

Trail Workshop at ChaparralSpring with the East Bay Trail Dogs April 15, 2004

Photos by Scott Hein, David Ogden, Liede Marie Haitsma, David Dolder, Paul Chinn

Healthwise-DornsifeHike at Clayton

Ranch, April 25, 2004Photos by David Dolder

12

several others got permission from privatelandowners and hiked from Walnut Creekto Brentwood. They crossed Riggs on the"Diablo Trail" (proposed in 1994) on theway to what would become another pre-serve, Round Valley.

Prop. 70 passed in June 1988 and the ParkDistrict followed it in November 1988 withits own local bond, Measure AA, whichwas also approved. In 1988 the Districtpurchased Perry, and in 1989 SMD boughtthe Morgan Ranch, passing it to the Stateand stopping a seven unit subdivision pro-posal. The canyon had been crossed but tolegally visit you'd have to twice jump fromone property's corner to the next. Therewas so little access that SMD's 1989evening dedication of Morgan took placeon Diablo's summit. Searchlights markedDiablo's peak, Morgan Territory and theconnecting Morgan Ranch.

Filling in the PiecesMariani's (now Jones) property already hada house and barns. He soon built a secondhouse above a side canyon-the only inhab-ited structure in Riggs-driving the value ofthe property out of public reach. SMDbegan negotiating for the 560 acre Muscoproperty between his land and the MorganRanch but Mariani and two neighborsacquired it, too, threatening to block accessinto Riggs. Another property owner pro-posed lots on Highland Ridge, at the cornerof the Morgan and Perry acquisitions.

SMD, Senator Dan Boatwright and GayleBishop, a Finley Road neighbor soon to beelected County Supervisor, slowedMariani. Walker and SMD modifed theHighland Ridge development, pushing itoff the ridge, out of the Canyon.

In 1989 the Park District bought the 560acre Cardoza property south of Marshall(outside the canyon but connecting Perry tothe Preserve), and in 1991 purchased theten acre ridgeline between Morgan andPerry that had been proposed for houses.Much of Riggs' surrounding ridgelines hadbeen preserved, but the center and mouthremained in private hands.

Louisa Riggs Morgan (1829-1917)"Riggs Canyon" first showed up on aUSGS map in 1898, named for Kentuckynative, Louisa Riggs Morgan and herKentucky ancestors, who owned propertyand raised livestock there in the mid-1800s.Louisa was the second wife, for 37 yearsbeginning in 1869, of Jeremiah Morgan forwhom Morgan Territory was named. Shedied in Modesto at the age of 88. TheMorgans and their descendants owned landin Riggs Canyon until 1989. Finley Roadis named for Harrison Finley and his fami-ly, who arrived in California by wagontrain in 1860. Finley was a leaseholder (c.1863), then landowner in the TassajaraValley from October 1875 to 1882.

A hundred years later, in 1987, publicacquisition began in the canyon. That yearSMD aided the State in acquisition of the853 acre Jones Development Co. property(no relation to Mark and Shannon Jones),which drops from Oyster Point into Riggs'Jackass Canyon and rises to Cave Point.The company acquired the property inhopes of creating a rock quarry--Bob Doyleand SMD convinced them otherwise.

Bob Doyle & Bob WalkerWhen Bob Walker drove over AltamontPass for the first time in 1974, he immedi-ately fell in love with the beautiful greenhills. He began exploring and discoveredthe East Bay Regional Parks. He wasalready a photographer but his chief loveaffair was with Morgan Territory where in1982's wet green winter he first "saw" animage before clouds parted and sunlightdescended to the sensual grasslands below.

One day Walker saw a "For Sale" sign onthe square mile Marshall property at thecenter of that image and began an incredi-bly productive period of intense environ-

mental activism.

By contrast, Bob Doylegrew up in Concord.He cut school to hikeon Mt. Diablo andbecame a foundingboard member of SMDas a teenager. Startingas a laborer at EastBay Reg. Park District,by 1985 he was Chiefof Land Acquisition.Walker cornered Doylein a bathroom to lobbyfor Marshall's purchaseand was told: "there'sno money and nobodygoes to MorganTerritory. If you want

the District to acquire land, you need toshow public support."

Using his photographs and leading innu-merable hikes, Walker generated hundredsof postcards asking the District board toexpand Morgan Territory. He became theearly warning alarm for any threat ofdevelopment. He joined SMD's Board andeventually served with a half dozen organi-zations, including as President of the SFBay Chapter of the Sierra Club.

"In most of these battles, the issuesbecome the adding of acres to a particulararea on a map," said Doyle, "it can getpretty abstract. Bob Walker's photos madethe argument about preservation of reallandscape…Bob knew how to make peopleunderstand its beauty in one image."

In 1986 the Park District purchasedMarshall for addition to Morgan TerritoryRegional Preserve, outside of Riggs butextending the Preserve a mile west.

Making the ConnectionThe following year the District optionedthe 643 acre Perry property, hop-scotchingfrom the corner of Marshall acrossHighland Ridge into Riggs. In 1988, inhopes of passage of the Prop. 70 State Parkbond, SMD made an offer on the 252 acreparcel at the mouth of the canyon, but wasoutbid by Mark Mariani, whose family wasfamous for dried fruit and wealthy fromthe development of their Santa Claraorchards into Silicon Valley office space.

After losing the property purchased byMariani, SMD optioned the MorganRanch, a mile north, adjacent to JonesDevelopment's former quarry proposal andconnected at a corner with Perry.

Before the 1988 election Walker, SMD’snewly hired staff person Seth Adams, and

Bob Doyle & Bob Walker (photos: SethAdams, Phil Schermeister)

continued on page 13

Riggs Canyon from the air c. 1989; Finley Road enters the canyon at bot-tom left; the Jones Property starts outside of the canyon and extends half

way up the large grassy hill. (Bob Walker/Oakland Museum)

Jones Continued from pg 1

13

Walker and SMD continued to fight devel-opment proposals and in 1993 the RegionalPark District acquired 560 acre Musco (siteof the historic little yellow house) andgained access across Mariani's parcel.

Bob Walker didn't live to see Musco'spreservation; in September 1992, at ageforty, he died of complications related toAIDS.

Access, at lastAt various times Mariani proposed subdivi-sion of his remaining 252-acre property, ora conservation easement over part. Noagreement was reached and subdivisionwas blocked. Supervisor Donna Gerberoversaw some of the proposals after shewas elected in 1996.

By 1998 the Park District began allowingpublic access from Finley Road, thoughthere was no staging area. Visitors park ahalf mile south of Mariani and travelalmost a mile before reaching park bound-aries. Cyclists and equestrians are moresuited for these distances but SMD andother groups began leading hikes as well.

In August 1998 SMD signed a deal on the427-acre Silva Ranch, the headwaters ofTassajara Creek rising to Windy Point.With a loan from the Packard Foundation,red-legged frog mitigation funding fromShapell, and a grant from the CoastalConservancy, escrow closed in 1999.

All of Riggs had been protected except forthe mouth of the canyon-and it was a goodthing, too. On October 26, 1999 Marianiput his property up for auction. Given itslocation and resources, like Silva, theMariani property was ideal for endangeredspecies mitigation. The chaparral of theBlackhills stretches east and west, support-ing Alameda whipsnake, and the branchesof Tassajara creek are refuge for red-leggedfrog above and below the property. SMDworked with Shapell, Bob Duchi of DKAssociates (one of this year's Mountain Star

Jones Property continued from page 12 award winners) and Malcolm Sproul, bioticconsultant and SMD president, to seewhether preservation could be achieved.

Because Mariani's property included twohouses and a variety of other structures, the252 acres sold for $3.2 million, comparedto Silva's vacant 427 acres for $750,000.As we had feared, the improvementspushed the property's value out of reach.

The buyers were Mark Jones, a packagingbroker with Stephen Gould Corp., and sev-eral friends. A native of Cleveland, Ohio,Jones moved to the Bay Area in 1986,eventually settling in Diablo in 1990.

The Jones PropertyAccording to Jones, "a good friend saw theauction flyer and we went to it on a lark.We really weren't expecting to buy. Therewere maybe twenty-five people who'd pro-vided checks to qualify to attend the auc-tion. The guy went on about the beauty ofthe property and when he asked for anopening bid of $4 million, no one budged.”

“Eventually a few players got involved,three or four bid, and it came down to twoof us. The other woman reached herthreshold and we got the property. We did-n't really know all that we were getting, butwe bought it as an investment."

"I was building my dream house in Diabloand was torn about where to live. Once Igot here it was a no brainer. It was an easydecision to buy out the partners…no placeI could build in Diablo will ever match thebeauty and privacy of this property."

Jones, eventually proposed a three-unitsubdivision on the property. SMD,Supervisor Gerber and her successor,Supervisor Millie Greenberg, monitored theproposal and, with the Regional ParkDistrict, reached out to Jones. He attendedSMD's Silva Ranch dedication last year.

His proposal was to create three parcels ofapproximately 80 acres each, one aroundthe two existing houses, and a third with anew house site along Finley Road. SMD,

Gerber and then Greenberg were adamantthat the property's resources be protected,and a staging area was necessary, if anyapplication was to move forward.

Jones was agreeable to all of our concernsbut the steep property is rugged, the obvi-ous site for a staging area was also thelikely site for the third house, and hewished to be compensated. Endangeredspecies became the vehicle. "A friend ofmine had given Braddock & Logan myname; he knew our property could be usedfor mitigation," said Jones, "Jeff Lawrencefrom Braddock & Logan called me. Iwasn't familiar with conservation ease-ments but my goal was to maximizepreservation while getting economic bene-fit. I'm anti-development--so it seemedlike a great opportunity to permanentlyprotect the property yet be compensated."

Two years of discussion and work began,much of it by EBRPD's Land Manager,Nancy Wenninger, Lawrence, and MaryleeGuinon of Sycamore Assoc. (B&L's bioticconsulting firm), along with SMD,Supervisors Gerber and Greenberg.

Two building areas were defined, ten acresaround the small house on Finley Rd. anda new house pad, another ten acres aroundthe Jones' house. Braddock & Logan isbuying a conservation easement over 180acres. Jones retains the right to sell anoth-er easement on the remaining 52 acres. Ifeither sale fails to take place within tenyears, an easement over all but the twobuilding areas transfers to EBRPD. Jonesalso donated $75,000 for purchase of astaging area. SMD and EBRPD agreed tobe neutral on the 3-unit subdivision, whichcreates one additional house site. Theagreement runs with the land.

"When SMD got involved, our deal withBraddock & Logan over part of the prop-erty was nearly done," said Jones, "SMDmade sure our agreement was facilitatedyet was smart enough to guarantee that thewhole property would be protected."

"At the end of the day, I was glad to beworking with the Park District and SMD.

Millie Greenberg & Donna Gerber, current andformer Contra Costa Supervisors, District 3

continued on page 15

Riggs Canyon parcels (at left), including the Jones property. At right, the 232-acre Jones Property conservation easement, with two reserved 10-acre developed areas. (Maps: Seth Adams, EBRPD)

Cindy Gershen &Sunrise Café, Bistro & Catering

Cindy Gershen, the owner of Sunrise Cafe,Bistro and Catering, provides Save MountDiablo with significant, ongoing support. Aprior recipient of a Walnut Creek Chamberof Commerce Businessperson of the Yearaward, she and Sunrise have supportednumerous other community causes, includ-ing public schools, muscular dystrophy, theJewish Community Center, and the DiabeticYouth Foundation. Those last two organiza-tions share something with Save MountDiablo; Ron Brown, our Executive Director,was formerly the director of each of them.He was key to Cindy’s support of SMD.

"People ask for help all the time, but RonBrown and SMD are special to me.Everyone at SMD is completely commitedto protecting the mountain-it's pure and it'srare that you find that. I have an incrediblefaith and belief in Ron, he wouldn't beinvolved in anything unless it was a goodstrong organization and when he said SMDwas doing great work, I was committed,"said Gershen. "In the restaurant business

ed Suzanne Bitz as SMD's OfficeAdministrator. Jennifer grew up in NewJersey, outside of Philadelphia, graduatedsumma cum laude with a degree inFinance from St. Joseph's University, andthen went on to Rutgers Law School,where she received her J.D. She practicedlaw in New Jersey and Pennsylvaniabefore the birth of her children.

Jennifer is a hiker and came across the jobnotice while surfing the web looking forMt. Diablo art. "My kids are older nowand I was ready to go back to work. SaveMount Diablo looked like fun and I want-

ed to contribute tosomething mean-ingful. I'm a hikerand I especiallylove MorganTerritory. I reallylike SMD becauseit covers a lot ofareas and issues inwhich I'm interest-ed-hiking, landpreservation and

government policy, non profit administra-tion and politics. I survived my firstMoonlight on the Mountain in August-itwas a huge effort, but fun. I'm excited bythe work we're doing and the propertiesthat are being protected."

Jennifer and her husband Larry, a HumanResources consultant, moved to Californiain 1997 and live in Danville withMeredith (15) and Tyler (13).

Welcome to Jennifer and farewell toSuzanne Bitz, who moved on to an oppor-tunity with her brother-in-law at KohzuAmerica, an equipment distributor inPleasanton. We appreciate her effortsthese past three years and wish her well.

14

S p o t l i g h t o n S p o n s o r s & S t a f fthere are a lot of demands. You have totrust others and your intuition. HelpingSMD makes a difference because Ronalways makes a difference, he's won meover. I'm honored to help."

Cindy has supported SMD by donatingrefreshments for many events. During ourFour Days Diablo event on the Diablo Trail,she donates the lunches and caters a gour-met dinner, providing an on-site chef as wellas all the food. She’s catered our anniver-sary events for four years, includingMoonlight On The Mountain, at dramatical-ly reduced cost. She lends us linens andequipment for events such as Ron's SummitMuseum auction dinners.

"Mt. Diablo is wonderful but it's the peoplewho make the difference. I live right at thebase of Shell Ridge and I hike three days aweek out there. When I walk in the openspace it makes what I work hard for allworth it. I'm able to leave all my every daythings behind . . . you're away from cars,traffic and civilization . . . you're able to getrid of your cares. If it goes away we're leftwith just concrete and steel. Saving MountDiablo is about saving our souls-our mentalhealth, the part of us that connects withnature, where we come from-people enjoy-ing the environment, reminding us we're apart of the world and need to help save it."SMD appreciates Cindy's support.

Sunrise Bistro, 1559 Botelho Dr., SunriseCafe & Bakery, 1355 S. California Blvd.,Walnut Creek, Catering, 925 930-6323

Jennifer House, SMD's NewOffice AdministratorFarewell to Suzanne Bitz

If you call the SMD office, you'll hear a newvoice. On June 1st Jennifer House succeed-

Four Days Diablo ‘04This year’s event included seventeen partic-ipants, who enjoyed four days of spectacu-lar weather, landscapes and views, and

gourmet meals provided by PrimaRistorante, Sunrise Bistro, and Chez Brown.

The 2005 event will be held April 27-30, is$750 per person and limited to 20.

Call 925 947-3535 for info or checkwww.savemountdiablo.org

Below: at the start, Indian Valley; DinnerNight 3; Prima’s Peter Chastain; a new

approach to sunscreen. (Scott Hein)

Scot

t Hei

n

They were compassionate and understand-ing about our needs and it all worked out.Nancy Wenninger was a pleasure; she wasable to negotiate between SMD's needs andours, and to satisfy the County."

"Every day, driving up and down the drive-way," said Jones, "I think what a uniqueand special place this is--our house is in apark. The only thing we hear that isn't nat-ural are airplanes. The beauty of it is thatwe feel like we're living in the country butwe're only ten minutes from Blackhawk."

"This is our 6th year. The wildlife isincredible. We've seen one mountain lion.

At any given time we've got wild turkeys,wild pigs, bobcats, deer, fox, raccoons,beautiful falcons and owls. They're anevery day occurrence."

The deal was signed by Jones, approved bythe County on July 11, and by EBRPD onAug. 3. "The process took time but every-body wins. We agreed with SMD's agen-da," said Jones, "we all wanted the samething. SMD's position and passion for get-ting the end result of more preserved prop-erty can be a challenge, but in the end theywere reasonable and we were able to meetcommon goals. I couldn't be happier."

The upshot is that sixteen years after SMD

made its first offer on the parcel, Markand Shannon Jones' property's resourcesand 232 acres are assured protection at nocost to the public. The property remainsprivately owned, protected by the conser-vation easement. The public has accessacross the property (Finley Road trail).

Mark and Shannon Jones also agreed tosponsor a party announcing the dedication:The Jones Property dedication will takeplace Sunday morning, October 24, 2004.A short ceremony will be followed by a 1.5mile, short but with steep sections hike,including 360 degress of incredible views.The event is limited to 200. RSVP anddirections by calling SMD at 947-3535.

his clients. Working with SMD, he hasbeen responsible for significant restorationof endangered species habitat and forpreservation of land in Riggs Canyon, onHighland Ridge and at Brushy Peak.

Stephen Joseph Interpretive Award for public education

Photographs are one of the most effectivemeans by which conservation organizationscommunicate the importance of their work.Over the years, SMD has had the good for-tune to work with very talented photogra-phers. Stephen Joseph has made among themost significant contributions to the organi-zation through his spectacular work.

Robert DuchiLeadership Award for difficult and vision-ary contributions

As a principal with DK Associates, BobDuchi's clients are a who's who of develop-ers and builders not necessarily associatedwith preservation. Duchi, however, lovesMt. Diablo and lives and owns an equestri-an business in the mountain's foothills. Hehas been a strong supporter of SMD andhas hosted our events at his Summit Ranch.As state and federal regulation beganrequiring developers to compensate forimpacts on open space and wildlife, Duchitook a leadership role in presenting dramat-ic open space preservation opportunities to

Stephen became involved with SMD in1992 and joined the Board in 1993, serv-ing for the next 10 years. During thattime, he provided prints of amazingpanoramas, photographed important proj-ect areas, acquisitions, and events, andpresented many slide shows, including the"3D" slide shows featured at our 25th and30th anniversary celebrations. Stephen'slong dedication to Mt Diablo as a photo-graphic subject has produced a body ofwork that will continue to benefit SMDfor many years to come. His photographsand slide shows have helped to educate awide variety of citizens, legislators, andfunding agencies about the beauty of MtDiablo and the ongoing threats it faces.

15

Jones Property continued from page 13

SMD President Malcolm Sproul, Stephen Joseph,Bob Duchi (photo by Scott Hein)

Mountain Star Awards, presented at SMD’s anniversary event,Moonlight on the Mountain, recognize individuals and organi-zations whose contributions have been significant in helpingSMD to achieve its mission. The 2004 “Mountain Star”Awards were generously sponsored by Blackhawk-Nunn, devel-opers of the Summerset adult community and the Vineyards atMarsh Creek. Our thanks to the Nunns and Steve Beinke fortheir generous support of Save Mount Diablo.

Mt. Diablo Trail AdventureNovember 7

Half-Marathon, 10K Run & HikeA Celebration of RecreationalOpportunities on Mt. Diablo

* Community Expo * Blue grass band * * Community organization booths * Food *

* Children’s Activities * * Canned food drive for Food Bank *

Call 925-947-3535for registration information

SMD’s Blackhawk-Nunn Mountain Star Awards

16

In 2000 a wide array of groups supportedtightening of the County's Urban LimitLine. At present, some groups have sup-ported Measure J, the reauthorization of theCounty's Transportation sales tax, includingstrengthening of the Urban Limit Line.

TrustThe other key is "trust." SMD's relation-ships have taken years to build. In the caseof the Blackhawk proposal in the mid-'70s,ultimately a compromise was reached, pre-serving half the ranch. As land was donat-ed to Mt. Diablo over 25 years, members ofboth organizations got to know each other.Meanwhile, Bob Nunn, a partner inBlackhawk-Nunn, made a land preservationdeal with SMD in 1992, protecting most ofthe Three Springs parcel where he lives.He later became a member of SMD's Boardof Directors, serving until 2002.

"I'm a fifth generation county resident and Ilove the mountain and our open spaces, butthis is also a time of unusual allies. Youhave to make a lot of different kinds ofpartners to accomplish things these days.Entrenchment doesn't serve anyone-youhave to reach for what's in common. Myfamily has had a development partnershipwith Blackhawk for fifteen years, and sepa-rately both companies have had a long run-ning relationship with Save Mount Diablothat we've nurtured over the years," saidNunn, "SMD is approachable, and they rec-ognize that funding is a key ingredient inestablishing and maintaining open space."

"We may not always agree on every issue,but because we've built a relationship andtrust, we're able to discuss our commongoals. SMD really makes the extra effort tofind ways to bridge gaps yet not give up ontheir deep-seated responsibility to protectwhat's important. It's that level of partner-ship that makes things happen."

The Contra Costa Open SpaceFunding measure is a recent exampleof the benefits of these relationships,even though the measure just barelyfailed. Nearly $250,000 was raised forthe campaign in favor of the measure,from organizations and businessesacross the spectrum. All of them-fromconservationists to unions to responsi-ble developers to banks and refineries-agreed that preserving open spacewould benefit the entire community.

Another recent example involvesAlbert Seeno III's Discovery Homes.SMD has opposed Seeno projectsnumerous times, turning down pro-posed donations in several instances.

After a heritage tree violation in Pittsburg,we worked together to decide how a$75,000 penalty would be used. Two-thirds will support tree-planting at BlackDiamond Mines' Sydney Flats headquar-ters. The remainder will be used for treeplanting at a Pittsburg school. Agreementon the issue may mark the beginning of anew relationship.

EthicsWhen you compromise with interestswhose goals are different than your own,and when money is involved, it's easy towonder whether an entity is simply being

"bought off." At the same time, withEndangered Species and other regulationsrequiring "mitigation," (positive benefits tobalance negative impacts) developers arebecoming extremely significant funders ofopen space protection. Shapell Industries,for example, helped fund SMD's SilvaRanch acquisition, as threatened red-leggedfrog mitigation for its Wendt Ranch proj-ect, at the same time that SMD was oppos-ing Shapell's Alamo Creek project. Theyalso preserved the crest of Highland Ridgeas mitigation for Dougherty Valley devel-opment. (SMD wasn't involved inDougherty Valley).

"Our Board of Directors has developed anEthics Policy over the years-generally

Building Bridges Cont. from page 4

we're the last step in mitigation funding,which is decided by regulatory agencies,"said Ron Brown, SMD's ExecutiveDirector, "and we don't get involved infunding questions until local approvalshave been decided."

Mitigations and penalty fees are typicallydecided by wildlife and other regulatoryagencies. SMD's involvement with themhas paid off. In the past four years SMDhas received more than a million dollars insuch funding, almost all of it restricted toland preservation or restoration. Anothermillion dollars is in the works.

Adams, SMD Director of Land Programs,added, "We've built relationships withunions, developers, and other members ofthe business community and they sponsorevents and help fund our programs. Bearin mind that our individual members arefar greater supporters; it would be naive tothink their contributions are affecting ourdecision making. We have plenty ofexamples where we've opposed projects,or proposed significant changes, by devel-opers who have donated to us."

"We also have dozens of examples wherewe've spent thousands of dollars and manyyears of effort to protect small and largepieces of land worth anywhere from aquarter million to many millions of dol-lars. A five or ten thousand dollar contri-bution, while significant, doesn't comparewith the value of the land we preserve.Whether it's a neighborhood group we'reworking with, or a developer we're oppos-ing, we're always straight forward aboutwhat our goals are and once we've madean agreement, we stick to it."

"SMD is pragmatic and we walk a fineline sometimes, but the key to our deci-sions is to stay focused on our goals,regardless of who's involved," said Brown."We build broad relationships, we seekcompromise and balance, and we neverforget our principles."

Seth Adams, SMD’s Director of Land Programs; Fish &Game’s Nicole Kozicki & Discovery Homes’ Albert SeenoIII at Moonlight on the Mountain, Aug. 2004 (Scott Hein)

Traditional allies: the EB Reg. Park District’sBeverly Lane & Ted Radke, former County Sup.Donna Gerber, & EBRPD’s Jean Siri, celebrat-ing tightening of the County Urban Limit Line

Bob Nunn of Blackhawk-Nunn, sponsors of theMountain Star Awards, & Ron Brown, SMD’s

Exec. Dir. at Moonlight 2004 (Scott Hein)

17

In Memory ofFrancesca Bogardus

Frank & Edith Valle-Riestra

David BortinBeverly Bortin

Anne BrinckerhoffAlan & Nancy WyosnickBob & Patty FlynnDirck & Phyllis Brinckerhoff

John BrudieThomas & Bev Gorman

Albert BuntBill & Barbara Sickenberger

Warren CabralNorma Cabral

Bill CollinsRuth Collins

Jon EricssonAn Mari Ericsson

Anna FerriLarry Ferri

Brother Fox Gloria McLaughlin

Betty GoldsteinMarie Guelld

Steve HarwoodRosemary & Eldon Harwood

June HicksJune Wall

Thorne Holmes Virginia Holmes

Walter Jennings

Seth Adams, 4 Days DiabloBruce & Sandra Beyaert

Lesley BlethMildred Partansky

Ron BrownSaint Mary’s College

Sharon & Becca Brown’s Graduations

Mark & Linda ClarBrad Davis

Lamorinda Rotary ClubEsperance

Jack AndersonJohn Finger

Dorothy FingerGaia

Tiffany KaplanPaul Grunland

Winnie SmithCarl Ivey

Karoline DoberenzVera Lausten

Angela T. BroadheadJane Manning

Sara J. ManningGeorge Romine

Robert B. MyersNaomi Giddings and ShirleyMcPheeters

The Wednesday WalkersBobbee Campbell, JimTysell, Ken and DeeKerkhoff, Bill and HollyWalker

Dana Slauson

Barth FoundationRuth Sherer Charitable Fund

AIGBank of AmericaBank of the WestCloroxDel Monte FoodsIBM CorporationLevi Strauss FoundationMicrosoftNikeWellPoint

All contributionswere made from

February 1,throughJuly 31,

2004

In-Kind Gifts

Heritage Trees

Karl D. Bartle1992 GMC Jimmy

Michael Casey, Fast Frame,customized matting for25 photographs

Molly Crawley, OutsourceMarcom

Membership card designScott & Claudia Hein

clipboards for “Moonlight on the Mountain”

Leonidas Chocolateschocolates for our Moonlight guests

Harry & Beth ByrneDiscovery Builders Inc.Tom M. Wagner in honor of

Tom, Jodi, Kate& Melissa Wagner

Bruce & Mary Louise Wilson

Monkey flower

In Honor of

24 Hour Fitness ExpressA-1 Shoe Repair & Luggage

RepairSeth AdamsSteve AinsworthyAlamo CleanersAlamo Hay & GrainWilliam AndersonAppleby Cleaning &

RestorationAuto AffairAzzulina LLCBagel Street CaféSandy Biagi & Sharon

JuhnkeBlackhawk Country ClubBodega Bay Lodge & SpaThe Body AdventureBollinger Bar & GrillBonanza St. BooksBowles & Verna LLPBridges RestaurantRon BrownLouis BryanMichelle BudziakButterfly LifeC & C Innovations, LLC

Cafe EsinCaffe Delle StelleCalifornia PedalerCalifornia Pizza KitchenCalochortus BooksCleet CarltonCentral Garden & PetCeramics by Rachel DeistChanges Salon & Day SpaRobert ChaplaMary Lou CorreiaCostco WarehouseLloyd CunninghamDaniel GreenDanville Cigar & Fine GiftsDeliciouzPam Della S.W.A.DisneylandDon Jose's RestaurantKen DyleskiEast Bay Flower CompanyEden Jewelry Mart of

HaywardEmerson Sport Training &

Bodylines Day SpaEverything But FlowersFather Nature'sJohn FingerJade Fon A.W.S.Gift Baskets by DesignKathy Gleason & Kathy

Barnett

Gourmet au Bay Wines &Gifts

Julie GrishamJoAnn HannaHavana- Cuban CuisineHealthwise FitnessScott & Claudia HeinHenry Alexander SalonHidden TreasuresRobert HoustonIKEAJory's FlowersStephen JosephGeri KearyJohn Koeberer & Pam

Koeberer PittsEunice KritscherLawrence's Walnut Creek

Meat Co.Little Home Thai CuisineLos Angeles DodgersJudy Malestino- The

Organized WomanMangia ItaliaRennie Marsico- PMC

Jewelry Designs in Goldand Silver

Mendocino WinegrowersAlliance

Mike MoranMisto LinoNatalie's Creations

Natural TemptationsNew Looks Beauty CenterShirley NootbaarCasey OgdenOrchard's NurseryChuck OvertonP.F. Chang's China BistroPapa Murphy's AlamoPasta Pomodoro- Bishop

RanchPeet's Coffee and TeaPleasant ThoughtsPostinoAnna Marie PowellMike PowellRobin PurcellRenaissance Club SportRichards- The Creative

MarketplaceRichard RollinsRound Hill Country ClubKatrina RozelleAlan Stacy & Deborah

RussellRuth's Chris Steak HouseSan Ramon MarriottThe Sandpiper Dockside Cafe

& RestaurantSusana ScarboroughScott Valley BankScott's SeafoodMichael & Denise Sewell

Sheraton Concord HotelSilk Road CaféSix Flags Magic MountainSloat GardensTerry Walton SmithThe Spanish TableMalcolm SproulSunflowerSycamore Associates LLCThe TerraceThis n' ThatJeanne ThomasTiffany & CompanyTomatina'sTrader JoesDavid TrotterViking Home ChefWalnut Creek Baking CoWente VineyardsWhole FoodsWomen's Health Center, John

Muir/Mt Diablo HealthSystem

Please patronizethe businesses

that support SaveMount Diablo. Thank them fortheir support.

Moonl ight On The Mountain Auct ion Donors

Foundat ions

CorporateMatch

Barbara JenningsPatsy Kinney

Carole C. AllenDorothea Knowlton

Jacqueline WardenPam Lewis

Charles & Marjorie EvansAlan Liu

Norma AlexanderMartha Miller

Linda MillerMarie Morgan

Mary Ann McGillMr Oliver P. Pearson

Frank & Barbara Varenchik

Edward Prewett Jean SaylorLeslie & Gayle Servin

Marilyn Rodgers Anne Leslie

Michael RudineDon & Gladys Laston

William SattlerDorothy Sattler

Laura SchraersNorma Alexander

Bruce SmithKay Smith

Justine TailorRose Marie TantilloRose West

Roy WagnorEleanor Wagnor

Scott Neal WalkerBrooks RogersChris & Dave Updyke

David & Kathi SantisDiana AltreeDiana MurphyFelix & Divina DiwaFrank & Sarah Gotch Fresenius USAGibson, Dunn & Crutcher Irving &Elaine AzarenJeffrey & Lynn SandsJose Diaz-BuxoJudy WhelanKaren & Rich Van ZandtLou & Mary Jo LewisMarcella & Jeff MaxwellMichael MohrNancy MorrisPenny HarringtonThomas & Wanda NevinToni & Bob Hassard

18

Summit Club($1,000 or more)Braddock & Logan GroupDave & Rena Brantley*David DevineDave & Dana Dornsife*Elizabeth GirgichTiffany & Scott KaplanPaul LiuDavid Ogden & Sandy BiagiDonald & George PalmerCathy RoseRichard & Sandra SmithMildred SnelsonGeorge & Helene StraussJeanne ThomasGregory & Cathy TibblesEarl & Marlys Worden

(* Donors who made a 10year annual donationpledge to Save MountDiablo of at least $1,000,qualifying as Founder’sCircle members)

Peak Guardian($500 or more)Malcolm & Sylvia BoyceSally Dalton & Peter GochisKaye DeckerLee GlasgowDoug LaceyShirley NootbaarMarjorie & Ted PlantStewart & Bette SchusterMonica SheridanLinda J Young & W Dirk

SikkemaDavid Smith & Theresa BlairMaryellen Tyler

Mountain Saver($250 or more)Alan & Helen ApplefordMary I. BaldwinRobert & Lisa BlumPolly BrownePhillip & Jean DavidDavid Frane & Charla GabertPaul & Marilyn GardnerLiana Genovesi & Scott

AhrendtLiede Marie HaitsmaRoz Hirsch

Barbara JenningsJohn & Linda JuddDave & Lois KailPaul & Yen Yee LocklinMike MagnaniErin O’BrienStephen & Susan OhanianTom & Nancy PattenDon & Sharon RitcheyAl & Mary Anne SanbornDaniel & Janet SchalkKevin & Rhonda SlaterDana SlausonJesse SmithFrank & Barbara VarenchikSharon & Bill WaltersMilton WatchersMilo Zarakov & Deborah

Long

Diablo Donor($100 or more)Tim AaronsonNorma AlexanderH. Ward AlterBozena AdamAlice AnthonyDavid BaerChristina BattPhil Bellman

Lesley BennEdward & Mildred BennettWilliam BernellDick & Alice BiagiWendell & Barbara BigelowKate BoyleButch & Lynn BrearDiane C. BrownDennis ButkowskiJohn & Jane CambusTim CleereCharles ClemJennifer CookKenneth Cribley

Save Mount Diablo’s annual operating expenses are underwritten by the financial support we receivefrom member contributions. In addition to providing financial support, the number of members we haveis a statement to legislators and others about the level of community support for our projects.

We would like to thank the following individuals who have have made contributions since February 1 of2004. We invite you to join them in supporting Save Mount Diablo’s efforts to preserve open space.

Graham & Mary DavisJames DayDon de FremeryAlma DeBisschopJohn S. DeemingFred & Sue DoneckerBarbara DrewPeter & Judith DuncanKen & Lynn DyleskiJohn EdwardsKaren EricksonBill & Margaret EspeyCarol EvansCharles & Marjorie EvansWilliam & Evelyn FarryKent Fickett & Rebecca

BeemerMoraga Garden ClubPaul & Kathy FitzpatrickJim & Debbie FlemingW. J. FrankMorris FraserSusan FreemanRobert P. & Maria FrickJohn & Rosemarie FrostJames & Joan GalletlyAl & Pat GavelloDanville Alamo Garden Club

Garrett & Cathy GirvanLarry & Cynthia GrabelHarvey & Linda GreenMona HansenKatherine HartMark HillVirginia HolmesBrian HowardMargaret & William HughesCarolyn HuntBarbara JenningsJordana KatcherDenis Kenneally & Kim

LippiSelma KingElizabeth King-SloanPatricia KlahnDavid KwinterLynn & Gordon LaksoDon & Gladys LastonPhilip & Betty LathrapCharles & Lynn LeavittCecil & Mary Louise LeithDavid LoebPaul & Julie Lundstedt

Jane MailanderBill & Georgia MarshallCarolyn MatthewsSteve & Marcia MatthiesenRobert McClainJim & Joan McCrackenMartin & Helen McLarenMark McLaren & Nancy

NorlandJohn & Jill MercurioAnn MoldenschardtTom & Maria MonicaBarbara MonslerJoyce H. MunsonRolf & Elise NeuweilerMarilyn WojcikGenevieve NygaardOrinda Hiking ClubOrinda Garden ClubJohn & Constance OrmondVerna OsbornStephanie & Alan OswaldPacific Coast Trail Runs

Jag & Judy PatelAnita & Oliver PearsonPaul PopenoeConstance RegaliaJean ReynoldsClara RichertLeslie RosenfeldTod Rubin & Catherine

CoreyPeter & Maureen SanseveroEarl & Kathy SawyerFrederic SawyerDorothy SattlerJean SaylorRoberta SchaneAlex Schmid & Tina HoganMandy Schubarth & John

AmundsonRich & Ann SextonCharles ShawKathy SimonsElizabeth SlateSierra Club - Mt. Diablo

GroupKay SmithAlan & Mary Louise SmithMatt & Mary SmithRon & Judy SmithJohn & Elaine SpieckerJohn Sproul

Membership Matters

California poppy

Wild Rose

Indian paintbrush

United Way Donor OptionYou can designate Save Mount Diablo as the recipi-ent of your United Way Pledge. When you areasked to make your annual workplace donation,please consider designating it to us. Our tax IDnumber is 94-2681735.

Business ContributionsMany companies will match your charitable contri-butions to Save Mount Diablo. Ask your employerif they have a matching gift program. Also let usknow if your employer has a foundation or corpo-rate donation program to which we can apply.

Dean & Samantha StokerNancy StorchJo & Jack SudallDan SuzioPatricia ThunenTom & Jill ToffoliThomas & Lynn TrowbridgeJacob Van Akkeren & Leslie

BartholicJohn & Linda VanHeertumNestor VaschettoDavid & Laura WaalJohn WaggonerMichael & Joyce WahligWednesday WalkersBarbara WaltersDavid & Elaine WegenkaTom & Carolyn WesthoffRobert & Karen WetherellPeter & Amelia WilsonTerry & Leslie WyattKurt Zimmerman

Trail Blazer($50 or more) James & Mary BallardBoyd & Jean BallengerThomas & Ester BargarSam & Barbara BeelerEdward & Mildred BennettBob BensonDon BergerBruce & Sandra BeyaertLewis BielanowskiJeff BoersBeverly BortinMarcheta BowdleSefton & Claudia BoyarsMadaline BoyesRoland BrandelCarroll & Robert BrentanoAnita BronsteinL. Mary BrownJames & Barbara BrunellLouis BryanRobert & Gail BurnettDiane W. BurtonRobert J. & Betty J. BusseyBruce & Mary BysonNorma CabralReno & Shea CervelliPatricia E. CoffeyFlorence ColeGeorge Constas

19

Ronald & Rose LernbergManny & Bernice LindnerJohn & Elizabeth LoweJames & Shirley LynchRennett MacIntyreBob & Diane MalucelliPamela McCoyJohn MichelsTom & Maria MonicaSylvia NachlingerKen & Jen NoonanJohn NygardRoberta O'GradyDale & Jean OldsTim Ory & Diana MinnickChristopher & Margaret

PantonEgon & Inger PedersenDale PerkinsClint & Sue PhalenAllen & Susan PirkleBeatrice PixaSylvan & Rosemary RaphaelConstance RegaliaWalter & Hertha

ReifschneiderWolf & Hadassa ReinerSteve RossTony & Theresa RuscittiRobert RyonMartin SargentHarold SaurHazel SawyerHelen SeaborgWilliam SharpStacey ShewryJean B. SiriKathryn SmithRoger & Helen SmithAndrew & Karen SteinJoan StewartFrank & Barbara StrehlitzJoel SummerhillStephen TaylorBeverly & Gloria TiernanYulan Chang TongRonald & Donna Topping

Devereux CorlettKimball CranneyDavid L. CumminsCarl Dinerman & Mariann

WhiteJack & Anne DiniJack & Ami DitzelEast Bay Bicycle CoalitionJo Ann Rodgers EffronAnthony & Marie EmersonLarry FerriLee & Teresa FieldDorothy FingerHarold & Donna FogelVictoria & Damon GenettiLinda GhyselsRaymond & Christina GillieJim & Ruth GravanisBulls Eye EnterprisesThomas GrimmPaul GrunlandJean HalfordBob & Betsy HansenMichael & Jo-Ann HansenRichard HartmannAlison HillTom & Sandra HillLeo & Eva HollenbergHulet HornbeckArmand & Marylye JohnsonBarry KaminskyDana & Mary KilgoreBonnie KnowltonGeorge KohutBradley Krebs

Douglas TraceyMary UlrichR.F & M.K Van CantfortCraig VasselNiels & Elizabeth WaidtlowSusan WatsonThe Wednesday WalkersDave & Cindy WeinerMartha WhittakerAlice Bernice WoodheadJohn & Betty WoodwardMary WoollettFrances Zurilgen

Friends ($35 or more)Sharon AdamsNorma AlexanderCarole C. AllenEarle & Marjorie AtkinsonPatricia BaranWilliam & Diane BarleyFred & Flora BaumannDouglas & Betty BevansIone BockJohn BowersDavid BrennerRobert & Cynthia BrittainReno & Shea CervelliTim Clare & William

WashingtonCarolyn CoganConcord Garden ClubBruce CruikshankDavid & Leslie DawsonMichael DiBenedettoRaymond & Katharine DunnLaurie Edwards & Philip

ReaganRoy & Isako EgawaW. J. & Constance EinstadterRobert FalconeAnn Mari FautPatricia FinlaysonVicki FlickingerCharlie & Arleen FraserAaron GeorgeMelvin & Sylvia GertonJoseph Goldstein

Walter & Barbara GrantPatricia J. HagueDavid HalliganHank & Carol HanigSteven & Terri HaslamKarl & Billi HaugMike & Marsha HavertyNancy HillyardDon & Sandy HoffmanJessica Hoffman & Ernesto

RodriguezDavid & Elisabeth HolmgrenDon & Jane HouserCarl HughesDon & Ann HughesAnn HustonCarol JenningsElizabeth JewellKen & Tina KnoxWerner KoellnerJan KunzHilary Lerner MD & Yuriria

Lobato MDWilliam & Dorothy LlewelynKenneth & Janet LongRichard & Anne LongAlice Lynn-WilkersonDerek MackaySara ManningSusan McCannRobert McLaughlin &

Theresa RumjahnDiana MeadowJohn & Betty MeersScott MooreJulianna & Richard OlateRonald & Prentice OsbornMary ParentiDavid & Patricia PavaSusan PetersAda Lou PetersonHerbert PlochJoyce PollackTed & Kathy RadkeElsie RicheyMelitta RortyWilliam & Beverly Rose

Kay & James RunquistJennifer RussellRoxanne RyanHazel SawyerAlice SchofieldUwe SchorkopfMary & Paul ScipiL.H. ShrewsburyRobert SiebenNancy SiegelIgor & Shirley SkaredoffRose SparacinoAnne StackhouseRobert StoneJurgen & Madeline StrasserBarbara SullivanDoris SunayamaGreg & Maria ThurmanPaul & Susan TurneyFrederick & Margaret WarnkeGeorge WeberlingNeil & Madeline WeinsteinSteve WeirBill & Mary WellLaura WilkeDorothy WilsonMarge WoodMichael WoodDoreen YatesPeter & Midge Zischke

103 Donors made contri-butions of less than themembership level of $35

Valley Oak by Scott Hein

Membership Matters

Continued from Page 18Trail Blazer ($50 or more)

SMD is in the process ofredefining its member-

ship program.Look for details infuture publications.

Names reflected here arefor supporting contribu-tions made to SMD since

February 1.

The Heritage TreeProgram was establishedafter SMD acquired 333-acre Chaparral Spring in1994, preserving the firstlink in the Mount Diabloto Black Diamond MinesCorridor.

Tree adoptions range from$250 to $1,000 whilecommemorative grovesrange from $2,500 for aone-acre grove to $20,000for a 10-acre grove. Theprocess of choosing a treeor grove is very personal

and varies by the group orindividual. Some choose atree where their familywill be able to gather andpicnic. Other supportershave chosen groves thatremind them of a lovedone's favorite view orfavorite type of habitat.

Searching for the perfectspot on the ChaparralSpring property givesSave Mount Diablo achance to get to know oursupporters and givesdonors an opportunity to

learn more about the intri-cacies of preservation.The journey to find theperfect tree or grove isjust as enjoyable as themoment when it is found.For many, the tree orgrove becomes a livingmemory of loved onespassed away or joyoustimes shared with friendsand family.

Because of liability,Chaparral Spring will notbe open for use until it istransferred to the public.

In the meantime, SaveMount Diablo schedulesseveral visitor days peryear when those whohave adopted can visit

their tree or grove. If youare interested in partici-pating in the program callthe SMD office at 925-947-3535 for more info.

Heritage Trees & Groves at Chaparral Spring

Scott Hein

s a v e M O U N T D I A B L O

s a v e M O U N T D I A B L O

1196 Boulevard Way, Suite 10Walnut Creek, CA 94595-1167

Address Service Requested

Non-Profit

Organization

U.S. Postage Paid

Concord, CA

Permit No. 525

20Save Mount Diablo's Mission . . To preserve Mount Diablo's peaks and surroundingfoothills through land acquisition and preservationstrategies to: protect the mountain's natural beauty,integrity, and biological diversity; enhance ourarea's quality of life; and provide recreationalopportunities consistent with protection of naturalresources.

In support of our mission, we:· Protect open space through purchases, gifts and

cooperative efforts with public and private entities· Educate the public regarding threats to the moun-

tain's flora, fauna and rugged beauty, as well as

the history and heritage of the mountain and itssurrounding foothills

· Work with landowners to preserve their prop-erty and to ensure that they receive fair valuein any transaction aimed at preserving openspace

· Work in partnership with Mt. Diablo StatePark, East Bay Regional Park District, andother public and private entities to increaseand manage open space and to identify mitiga-tion opportunities

· Participate in the land use planning process forprojects that could impact Mount Diablo andits surrounding foothills

· Aid in the restoration of habitat and the protec-tion of rare species

· Offer technical advice to community andneighborhood groups regarding preservation ofopen space

· Raise funds and sponsor events to build publicawareness and to carry out our programs

· Temporarily own and responsibly managelands prior to their transfer to a public agencyfor permanent preservation.

· Encourage recreation and public enjoyment ofMount Diablo's parklands consistent with theprotection of their natural resources

Event Sponsor: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - Local 302Mountain Star Award Sponsor: Blackhawk - Nunn

Gold Sponsors: Braddock & Logan Services, ChevronTexaco, Discovery Homes, The Mechanics Bank, Plumbers and Steamfitters UA Local 159, Richland Development

Media Sponsors: Contra Costa TimesSilver Sponsors: Concord Feed & Pet Supply, East Bay Regional Park District,

Jeanne Thomas, Signature Properties Bronze Sponsors: Diablo Lincoln Mercury Audi Kia, ENGEO, LSA Associates, Leonidas

Chocolates, Morrison & Foerster, Pacific Coast CarpetContributing Sponsors: Bank of the West, Diablo Analytical, Healthwise Fitness

Special Thanks: Dana & Dave Dornsife for underwriting sound, power & lighting

Additional Donors: William Bernell, Beverly Bridges, Louis Bryan, Roger & DonnaBuessing-Johnson, Jack & Ami Ditzel, John & Robbin Eudy, Rudy & Stephanie Hoffman,

Kimberley & Ted Holeman, Scott & Tiffany Kaplan, Dione & Brad Mustard, DiabloOptometry, Peter & Margaret Raisbeck, Jean Saylor, C.O. & Gloria Scilacci

Table Sponsors:Penny & Jim Adams, Mark & Silvia Belotz,DK Associates, Dave & Dana Dornsife,Sam & Mary Mills, David Ogden & SandyBiagi, Jan Richardson, Shapell Industries,Summit Ranch, Dave Trotter

Special ThanksCindy Gershen, Sunrise Bistro, Cafe &Bakery, Sunrise Catering 925 930-6323;Rob Rutan, Watermark Graphics, 415 282-5100; Michael Casey, Owner Fast Frame925 935-3305; Joyce Pieri, NationalCharity League; Fire Chief Craig Bowen,and his dedicated staff, San Ramon ValleyFire Protection District; Bob Duchi and thestaff of Summit Ranch, 925 945-0267;Superintendent Brian Hickey & his greatstaff, Mt. Diablo State Park; Valerie &Chris Schmidt, Plant Decor, 925 933-2862;Tassajara Nursery 925 736-7600; MichelleLatimer & her jazz ensemblemichelle@michellelatimer.com

Event Committee & Volunteers Sharon Walter, Event Chair; Charla Gabert &David Ogden, Auction Chairs; Elizabeth Adam, Natalie Avery, Burt Bassler,Bennet Berke, Art Bonwell, Sharon Brown,Becca Clayton, Dan Corvello, Greg Francisco,David Frane, Marilyn Gardner, Julie Grisham,Chris Grossgart, Mary Haake, Claudia & ScottHein, Dick Heron, Roz Hirsch, HolmgramFamily; Larry, Meredith & Tyler House, KarenHunt, Nancy Myrick, Judy Nelson, MikeO’Donahue, Werner Pels, Allan & Kit Prager,Tom Rieger, Chiori Santiago, Dave & HelenSargent, Summit Ranch, Stevan Thomas, DaveTrotter & Family, Barbara Varenchik, FrankVarenchik, Lorna Wallace, Phil Winslow

Scot

t Hei

n