2017 - Robert's botanical adventures in Northern California

[Robert]

Much of the meadow was filled with Perideridia kelloggii (pictured) in full bloom. Where the soil was still moist Carex praegracilis formed large colonies. Occasionally, the stems of Horkelia californica var. elata poked themselves above the Carex topped with their small white petal flowers.



I enjoy planting many species from the Apiceae family in our garden. Not only are the flowering umbels attractive, but they also attract many Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera order insects. The nectar is a food source for pollinators such as bees, predatory insects such as wasps, and adult butterflies.



I could have easily spent all day in this area, however there were a number of sites I wished to visit near Snow Mountain, so soon I was back in the dry Bear Valley plain traveling northward toward Snow Mountain.



The gravel road eventually reaches a high point between the Bear Creek drainage to the south (pictured) and the Indian Creek drainage to the north.



From this vantage point there was a nice view to the north and Indian Valley off in the distance, the eastern gateway to Snow Mountain.

[Robert]

This is a typical scene in Northern California, an oak woodland and oak savannah. The oaks are predominantly Blue Oak, Quercus douglasii. California Gray Pine, Pinus sabiniana, can also be seen in this photograph. Saint John Mountain (center distance) flanks the northern edge of Stony Creek, my next destination.



Eventually I arrived at the small hamlet of Stonyford in Indian Valley (pictured) and drove westward into the hills and low mountains above the valley. Here I stopped to check on some interesting plant species I had seen on a previous outing.



Here there were broad swathes of Eriophyllum lanatum var. achilleoides in bloom.



Scattered among the Eriophyllum was the pink flowering Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum. It is one of 14 varieties of Eriogonum nudum found in California.



Scattered among the chaparral shrubbery were thickets of Rhus aromatic. Their bright red berries contrasted beautifully with its bright green foliage.

[Robert]

There were many colonies of Wyethia glabera at this site. Their yellow “daisy’ flowers were finished for the season, however their large, bold, glossy leaves were quite striking in this setting.



The plant I came to see at this site was Lomatium californicum.



Lomatium californicum blooms very early in the season with bold umbels of yellowish flowers. I like the glaucous-gray foliage of this xeric species.



My next destination was the canyon of the Middle Fork of Stony Creek. The gorge is extremely roughed territory and there would not be time to explore far into the canyon, however there were some sites that I could visit easily given my time frame.

[Robert]

It did not take long to drive from the ridge top down to the confluence of the Middle Fork and South Fork of Stony Creek.



Although the bulk of the snow pack has melted from the slopes of Snow Mountain and the surrounding ridges, Stony Creek was still running fairly high. The chaparral was green and lush. It was a wonderful day to be out.



Monardella villosa was blooming profusely on the steep talus serpentine slopes along the Middle Fork of Stony Creek.



I was pleased to see the native bunchgrass, Elymus glaucus var. glaucus. This specimen had especially nice blue-green stems.



From a distance I spotted some interesting looking glaucous-green rosettes on the serpentine rubble that appeared to be Crisium occidentale, a common species at this site. Upon closer inspection the plants turned out to be Blazing Star, Mentzelia laevicaulis. This species has large showy yellow flowers. Although the plants were well budded and had also bloomed recently, I missed the open flowers on this day.

[Robert]

Spotted many butterflies near the willow thickets along Stony Creek. The male Lorquin’s Admiral (pictured) is very territorial and will patrol “their” section of a willow patch. The Middle Fork of Stony Creek must have been very good habitat for butterflies. I spotted 5 species: Lorquin’s Admiral, Silvery Blue, Western Tiger Swallowtail, Common Buckeye, and Monarch.



Once I spotted the Milkweed, Asclepias speciosa, I was not surprised that I found Monarch Butterflies in this area.



It was easy to get focused on my botanical activities along Stony Creek and lose track of the time. When I finally checked the time, I noticed it was getting late in the day. I still wanted to explore possible routes to the summit of Snow Mountain, so I quickly returned to the Outback and started up the South Fork of Stony Creek.



I drove high into the mountains on a steep gravel road. From the maps, it appeared that there was a route (i.e. hiking trail) along the southern ridge of Snow Mountain to the summit. I had reached this trail last autumn when I hiked the Deafy Glade trail.



After a long drive on the gravel road, I reached a fork in the road (4,315 feet, 1,315 meters) with one branch leading to Summit Springs my hoped for destination. The road had washed out and so I set off up the mountain toward Summit Springs and the hoped for trail to the summit of Snow Mountain. The washed out road followed the ridgeline between the upper drainage of the South Fork of Stony Creek (pictured) to the east and Lake and Mendocino Counties to the west.

[Robert]

To the west were vistas of Lake County in the foreground and the mountains of Mendecino County in the distance.



At this point I had very little time remaining before I needed to start my return trip to Sacramento. I hiked as quickly as I could up the washed out road, however from a botanical perspective, the area was extremely interesting. This slowed my progress up the road considerably.

Many of the open slopes were covered with blooming stands of Gilia capitata ssp. capitata.



The annual Fabaceae, Acmispon brachycarpus, carpeted the ground on sunny slopes.



Several species of Manzanita grew in this area. The beautiful glaucous species, Arctostaphylos canescens ssp. canescens grew prolifically along the road. The new growth was striking, covered thickly with canescent hairs.



Encounted less frequently was the non-glandular Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. cushingiana.

[Robert]

Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. glandulosa was also a sporadic resident of this area. The glandular hairs and prominent burl of this species are characteristic of this species.



This Silene species caught my attention. It had attributes that reminded me of Silene hookeri. It was well budded but I did not find any plants with open flowers. That would have been nice. It was a very striking plant.



I was puzzled by this Viola colony. My best guess, without seeing any flowers, was Viola pedunculata. Viola pedunculata can be easily confused with Viola purpurea ssp. purpurea.  Many of the plants were densely puberulent a characteristic I do not see in populations of Viola purpurea ssp. purpurea.



On a nearby serpentine glade there was an astounding variety of plant species. Large colonies of Penstemon hetrophyllus var. hetrophyllus were getting ready to bloom. Yes, the flowers, when open, will be lavender-blue. At my feet were many colonies of Viola douglasii yellowing into dormancy. I was very surprised to find this species at 4,470 feet, 1,362 meters.



In other areas large mats of Lupinus albifrons var. collinus carpeted the ground. The silvery mats were quite striking topped with their racemes of lavender-blue flowers.

[Robert]

With so much to see, it was very difficult to leave. I had a very long drive ahead and I needed to leave promptly. In a very short period of time, I was able to explore a tiny portion of this extremely interesting, beautiful and botanically rich area. A return trip is a must!

Although I could not spend much time at each site I visited, this outing was still very productive and enjoyable. The Summit Springs region of Snow Mountain is extremely fascinating and I am looking forward to many return trips to this area.

My next outing will be to Lyon’s Creek in El Dorado County, California. With the extreme heat this week much of the area will most likely be free of snow.

Until next time……..

[Maggi Young]

I am seeing and learning so much here, Robert!
It seems you are driving very long distances on each of these trips - what would you say is your average mileage  to reach these places?

[Robert]

I am seeing and learning so much here, Robert!
It seems you are driving very long distances on each of these trips - what would you say is your average mileage  to reach these places?

Hi Maggi,

I actually have a somewhat limited travel range right now. An outing might be 200 - 250 miles round trip. A lot of driving is often on dirt or gravel roads. Dirt roads can be slow. To get to the Summit Springs area near Snow Mountains required a long drive on a gravel road. Most of the road was in good condition, however there were places were the road had washed out during the winter and only a temporary repair was made. Having all-wheel-drive is extremely helpful. My efforts are very worth while as there are many very interesting sites to visit and plants to see.

I had a change of plans yesterday. Yesterday, I went to Lyon's Creek, in El Dorado County, California. I have a meeting I need to attend on Thursday, thus the change. I have not been able to look over the photographs from this outing yet but I have a feeling there are many good photograph - I took a lot! The outing was fantastic! I look forward to reporting on this outing. With much work these days, my progress can be slow, however I enjoy making the reports and am very pleased that they are enjoyed by others. 

[Robert]

A view of the forest and Pyramid Peak in the distance.

Lyon's Creek drainage, El Dorado County, California

I am working on a report of this outing and will be posting it in a few days.

[Robert]

LYON’S CREEK

Wednesday, 21 June 2017

Part I

Sacramento Weather

Weather: Clear
Temperatures, High: 102 F, 39 C
          Low: 67 F, 19.5 C




On Wednesday, 21 June I made my first outing to the Lyons Creek region in El Dorado County, California. While the Sacramento Valley was roasting in a heat wave (39 C to 42 C everyday), it was a pleasant 77 F (25 C) at 10:30 A.M. in the Lyons Creek Basin.



My timing was prefect. Although there were still many snowdrifts on the north facing slopes, for the most part the access road was clear of snow.
 


Spring had arrived to the high country. The trailhead (6,707 feet, 2,044 meters) was clear of snow; the mountain meadows were greening, and the early wildflowers were starting to bloom.

Evidence of past glaciation is evident throughout this area, shaping not only the terrain but also creating numerous habitats for various plant communities. The lower portions of the Lyons Creek basin consist of a series of meadows. Each meadow is quite unique consisting of differing combinations of plant species depending on available moisture, sun exposure, soil, and other factors. Some meadows can become quite dry as the season progresses, while a nearby meadow can remain quite moist.



Lewisia nevadensis grows quite abundantly along the first portions of the Lyons Creek trail. Two years of adequate precipitation have been highly beneficial for the whole ecosystem. Many mature specimens of Lewisia nevadensis were in full bloom. In addition, 1 and 2 year old seedlings were getting well established, some of which were flowering for the first time.



The meadows look green with grasses (Poaceae). Yes they are coming along, however the dominant monocots at this season are the Carex and Juncus species. In many locations the meadows are thickly covered with Carex integra, one of several Carex species native to this area.

[Robert]

Early in the season when there is still considerable snow runoff, large colonies of Juncus exiguus can be found growing in low-lying areas near the running water. Later in the season this species is often lost in a tangle of larger growing grasses (Poaceae).



Ranunculus alismifolius is among the first of the wildflowers to come into bloom after the snow melts. This species is very abundant; their yellow flowers create large sheets of yellow haze throughout many of the meadows.



There are four varieties of Ranunculus alismifolius native to the Sierra Nevada. I forgot to check, but I believe the plants to be variety lemmonii. This will be very easy to confirm on my next visit.



Sanicula tuberosa is another early blooming species. It has a distinct preference for drier habitats.



Calochortus minimus grows abundantly throughout this area. The plants exhibit a wide range of flower characteristics. Plants can be found with flower petals ranging in color from pure white through various shades of lavender. In addition, a wide range of petal markings can be observed, from none to various lavender blotches and crescents. The anthers range in color from white, blue, to purple.
The plants for the most part fit the description for Calochortus minimus, however there may be some influence of Calochortus nudus within the populations in this area. Further investigation is needed.

[Robert]

Fivespot, Nemophila maculata, is one of the few annual species native to this area. They are generally found in small, dense colonies that are extremely attractive when in bloom.



Viola bakeri is one of five Viola species that can be found in the Lyons Creek Basin. Viola bakeri has a preference for dry habitats. It can be found growing in full sun or part shade. This species is quite abundant throughout the lower elevations of the basin.



Eriogonum marifolium var. marifolium (pictured) has a clear preference for dry meadows. At higher altitudes Eriogonum incanum is found. Within the basin there is a transition zone where the range of the two species overlaps. Within this zone, hybrids and introgression can be observed.



I have strong and pleasant memories of Veratrum californicum var. californicum from my first trip to this region in 1960 at age 5. It may have been the first wild plant for which I learned a name. Unfortunately, I was taught that its name was ‘Skunk Cabbage’, a name attributed to a different species. I still have pleasant associations with this plant and feel uplifted when hiking among them.



Veratrum californicum is found in the seasonally moist meadows. Late in the season, as the meadows dry, their tattered and insect eaten foliage begins to yellow. If there is enough residual moisture, their yellowing foliage can be very attractive in the autumn landscape.

On this outing I found plants at various stages of growth. This plant will be blooming soon. Where the snow had just melted, their foliage buds were just beginning to poke through the soil.

[Robert]

In shady sites where moisture lingers small colonies of Viola adunca ssp. adunca were in bloom. It is a shy species that takes some effort to find in its shady, out-of-the-way hideouts.



Trifolium longipes ssp. atrorubens is the most frequently seen native clover species in the lower meadows of the Lyons Creek Basin.



In rockier, sunnier terrain, another annual, Collinsia torreyi ssp. torreyi progresses rapidly into its flowering cycle.



Numerous deciduous, woody species can be found in the basin. Lonicera conjugialis (pictured) is one of the first to leaf and flower. It grows abundantly in various habitats. Amelanchier alnifolia var. pumila was another shrubby species found in bloom in scattered locations along the trail.



An old sign from the past.

In 1863 Egbert Livingston “Bud” Wilson purchased 400 acres much of it within the Lyons Creek Basin. Over time the land holdings of the Wilson Ranch grew to consist of over 35,000 acres of private, and leased Michigan California Lumber Company, and Forest Service lands. The meadowlands within the Lyons Creek Basin were used as summer rangeland for cattle. When I visited this area as a young boy, I remember hearing the cowbells in the forest. In 1968, George A. “Bud” Wilson, Jr. sold 1,800 acres to the Michigan California Lumber Company, who later exchanged it with the Forest Service for lower elevation timberlands. For a time, much of the land was leased back to the Wilson Ranch for cattle grazing. With the expansion of the Desolation Valley Wilderness Area, cattle grazing was eventually discontinued on lands adjacent to the wilderness and the majority of the Lyons Creek Basin became free of cattle. Today the Wilson Ranch still retains a small private holding at the confluence of Lyons and Silver Creek.