2016 - Robert's adventures in the Northern Sierra Nevada - California

[Robert]

Lyon's Creek

Part II

As I continued up the trail, small seasonal creeks created by snow melt bisected the trail.



I the rockier terrain their were beautiful shrubs of Ribes roezlii in full bloom. The fruit is bright red and very spiny when ripe. It is also very delicious if one can get past the spines. I have never tried this but most likely if one cooked the whole fruits and then carefully strained the skins and spines away, one would have a tasty treat!



After some distance the trail moves higher into rocky terrain and the meadows are less frequent in their occurrence. Here growing over rocks and small boulders Arnica mollis is found. This is a fantastic alpine plant with attractive silvery woolly foliage and bright yellow rayed flowers.



Also creeping over the rocks is Antennaria. The species is most likely A. rosea, however several somewhat similar species grow in this area so definitive identification has to wait until they bloom.

Much of this rocky terrain is part of ancient glacial moraines and is well fed with moisture from below during our California dry season. Plants such as Juncus mertensianus and J. chlorocephalus can be found in this area.



At 6,881 feet (2,097 meters) I started to run into snow on the trail. Hiking was still very easy and there was still plenty in bloom so I kept hiking higher into the drainage.

[Robert]

Where the side streams flow during the complete growing season Viola glabella can be found growing in shady moist sites. Pectiantia breweri, an interesting member of the Saxifragaceae family, often accompanies Viola glabella, as well as its white flowering cousin Viola macloskeyi.



In sunnier and drier sites Cymopterus terebinthinus var. californicus can be found. The yellow flowers are quite attractive, however it is very necessary to arrive early in the growing season to see them in bloom.



Every once in awhile there is a break in the Lodgepole Pine forest and there is a glimpse of Pyramid Peak looming ever closer at the head of the small valley.



One goal I had this day was to see some of the snow melt species in bloom. Caltha leptosepala is one of those species. Early in the season one can often see them in bloom right next to a snow bank, growing in centimeters of running snow melt water.

I have had fairly good success growing this species in the rock garden at lower elevations. I like the white flowers and lobed foliage.



Sometimes growing with the Caltha are Athyrium ferns. The fronds are very graceful as they unfurl. We have two Athyrium species that grow in the high Sierra Nevada. The species pictured is most likely Athyrium filix-femina, however checking the sori latter in the season is necessary for positive identification.

[Robert]

Eventually the trail begins to climb higher and somewhat steeply as it traverses sunny rocky granite slopes. Here the flora shifts gears to more xeric species.

Arctostaphylos nevadensis is commonly seen in such areas. They can look a little beat-up right after snow melt and before the new foliage emerges.



Pellaea bridgesii, Bridge's Cliff-Brake Fern, is another species that enjoys these open rocky slopes. They are almost always found hiding in somewhat shaded crevices.



I climbed higher and higher into the valley. Sanicula tuberosa is one of the first plants to bloom after snow melt. So far I have not had much success with it in cultivation.    In our xeric environment it seems as if it would be the perfect early season species with other xeric plants. I will keep growing a few from seed to see if I can come up with a method that works for us.



There are still some meadows in the higher reaches of the Lyon's Creek drainage. Here were the snow must have just melted there was not much in bloom yet.  Many meadows, such as this one, can also be flooded with a few centimeters of water early in the season. This, of coarse, effects the species distribution which can be very different from the drier meadows.



Another one of the early season snow melt species is Claytonia lanceolata. Their habitat preference is partial shade in the Lodgepole Pine groves. The photograph is lousy, however it is a very pretty species, especially when found growing in quantity.

Part III will be coming soon....

In addition, I had very interesting outing yesterday in the Van Vleck region at the northern end of the Crystal Range. It was very cold and started to snow cutting my visit short. I still saw some great plants, however the camera does not function well in cold weather. Still, there are some good photographs and I will report on this outing when I finish with part III of Lyon's Creek.

[Robert]

Lyon's Creek

Part III

Continuing on with my journey........



Another common fern found among the rocky, sunny, open slopes is Cryptogramma acrostichoides. This species has two types of fronds, fertile fronds that produce spores and leafy fronds that have a different appearance used chiefly for photosynthesis.



As stated earlier, one goal was to find species that bloom and often disappear quickly after snow melt. Dicentra uniflora is one of those species. As I moved higher up the mountain I finally started to spot some plants. Some, like the one pictured, had already bloomed and were setting seed.



Dicentra uniflora is a tiny species and is very often difficult to spot when in growth.



Its foliage is similar to that of Sanicula tuberosa, another of our early blooming species that grows in this region. Sometimes the two species are seen growing and blooming side-by-side. Once I had climbed into the right zone, I found this tiny Dicentra growing in abundance.



Shortly after finding the Dicentra the upward part of my journey came to an end. At 7,748 feet (2,362 meters) snow covered not only the trail but also the surrounding landscape almost continuously. In addition, the trail would shortly cross Lyon's Creek. Late in the day the creek would be full of additional snow melt run-off and difficult to cross. This would be a good place to turn back toward the trailhead.

[Robert]

In places Lyon's Creek was a raging torrent of water. Too many times in the past I have crossed a creek in the early morning only to find it is dangerous and impassible late in the day from additional snow melt run-off. I had more important things to do than deal with a raging creek to cross.



There were still plenty of plants to see on the return hike. I always miss plants on my hike in and like to take my time on the return trip to see what I might have missed.

Phlox diffusa is difficult to miss when in bloom. I had not missed them on the hike in, however I did have time to photograph some of the nicer specimens.



This Phlox was in excellent form growing in a granite crevice.



Late in the day the trail can also become flooded with snow melt run-off. This is one reason why I almost always hike with water proof boots. Hiking with wet feet is no fun!



From this high point there were some nice views down the mountain, westward, towards the Sacramento Valley far in the distance.

[Robert]

Lewisia triphylla is still another early blooming species that sets seed quickly then quickly goes into summer dormancy. I did not find any plants in bloom, however many were very close.



I was very pleased to see the first Mertensia ciliata var. stomachoides in bloom for this season.



With adequate precipitation, seeds were germinating everywhere. These look to be Veratrum californicum.



Late in the day the shadows provided the opportunity to photograph Valeriana californica. This early blooming species grows abundantly in the Sierra Nevada. It is quite lovely and always very pleasant to see in bloom.

This outing was very productive and enjoyable.

Soon I will report on my outing to the Van Vleck region at the northern end of the Crystal Range.

Until then.....

[Gabriela]

Thanks once again for sharing your adventures Robert. It's always a pleasure to follow you on the trails and discover new plants 

[Maggi Young]

Question about the fourth photo is this post, please, Robert ....  from reply 394 above http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=13952.msg360002#msg360002

 What is this big tree, this one with a lumpy looking bark,  isolated from your picture ?

[Hoy]

.  .  .  .

 What is this big tree, this one with a lumpy looking bark,  isolated from your picture ?

Let me guess: Pinus contorta?


Robert,

A very pleasant tour! And lots of interesting plants!

[Maggi Young]

Let me guess: Pinus contorta?

 Ah yes, more than likely!  Fine big tree.

I do enjoy these hikes with Robert.

[Robert]

Question about the fourth photo is this post, please, Robert ....  from reply 394 above http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=13952.msg360002#msg360002

 What is this big tree, this one with a lumpy looking bark,  isolated from your picture ?

Yes, the tree is Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana, Lodgeple Pine.

As I climbed higher in elevation the tree mixture changed as per elevation, exposure and soil type. At the highest point that day Tsuga mertensiana started to appear. Abies magnifica var. magnifica and Pinus monticola appeared throughout my hike, however always in scattered or isolated stands. The bark of Pinus monticola, Western White Pine, is very block-like and distinct. I enjoy the bark so much that I have tried to grow this species at lower elevations. It grows at a snails pace! It might be confused and thought to be a dwarf, however it will certainly someday become a very large tree. Pinching the candles and keeping it small might work well, however the trunk needs to become large to show its block-like form.

Higher yet on the high slopes of both Mount Price and Pyramid Peak Pinus albicaulis, Whitebark Pine, can be found. The winds at these exposed sites are often of hurricane force every winter. The "trees" become stunted and twisted both from the wind and the heavy snow loads creating of shrubby tree of sculptured form known locally as "krummholz".

Pinus albicaulis is said to dislike heat and long hot summers. Nevertheless, I have seedlings growing. Who knows, maybe I will be able to get some of them to grow well in our garden. When I was a teenager, I remember a man who grew Tsuga mertensiana well in his Sacramento Valley garden.

[ashley]

I do enjoy these hikes with Robert.

Inspiration without perspiration

[Robert]

Thanks once again for sharing your adventures Robert. It's always a pleasure to follow you on the trails and discover new plants 

Gabriela and Trond,

I am glad that you are enjoying my outings. For the next three weeks I will be doing some "creative" botany as I will have a short term change to my work schedule. I know I will be able to continue with my projects but at a slower pace.

Maybe I can try to show other aspects of my botany projects. Simple things can often become something very interesting. Last week I found some unusual forms of Navarretia leptalea spp leptalea. Nothing rare about this species, however the subtle diversity within the various species can be very interesting. Looking at subtle differences under a dissecting microscope is often fun and can be very illuminating. Also, many of the Carex and Juncus species bloom early in the season at the higher elevations. Good photographs of plants that are rarely discussed might be interesting too. The other day I observed five species of Carex in a short 50 meter length of trail. I will see if I can incorporate some of these other aspects into my diary in the coming weeks. I'll do the best I can to do some creative thinking in this regard. 

Thank you so much! 

[Robert]

Inspiration without perspiration

Ashley,

Very pleased to hear from you and I am glad to know you are enjoying my plant diary.

My last outing (the one I have not reported on yet) might be "inspiration without frozen fingers". The wind was bitter cold and it started to snow. I was dressed properly, however I do not handles my hand lens, metric tape, etc. well with gloves, even the thin ones. My finger seemed like they turned to ice. 

Anyway, thank yo so much.

[ashley]

Thank you Robert, and please don't take my comment too seriously. 

Apart from enjoying your outings greatly and meeting many plants new to me, I would love to hike in some of those areas you show.  Cold usually suits me better than humid heat, but obviously makes fine tasks like writing harder.  After a bee-keeping session today I found that another impediment to writing is propolis on the fingers

Keep up the great work.