2017 - Robert's botanical adventures in Northern California

[David Nicholson]

.........................She still gives me a bad time about the barometer. She calls it Rachel, as in Leah and Rachel. “So, you’re going off to see Rachel again?” I also get a hard time over all the samples I keep too (rocks, dried plants, etc.), but that is a different story.

I don't know, we blokes always seem to get a hard time

[Robert]

I don't know, we blokes always seem to get a hard time

I know what you mean.

You know, I do take the opportunity to remind my wife, Jasmin, how wonderful it is to have a thermometer in every room. 

[Robert]

Today, I had a bit of a foray to the east side of the Sierra Nevada.



Highway 50 follows the South Fork of the American River.



I have heard that 88% of the drivers in California are looking at their gizmo while they are driving. I look at road cuts.  Much of the canyon of the South Fork of the American River between Pollock Pines and Silver Fork is geologically very interesting. East of Whitehall some diorite can be seen, some with dark intrusions (pictured). There are a number of other interesting geologic formations too.



Some of the area burned somewhat recently.



Despite cool, autumn-like weather the trees have not started to turn color yet, such as this California Black Oak, Quercus kelloggii.



There are plenty of trees and shrubs with ripe fruit, such as this Elderberry, Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea.

[Robert]

The red fruit of Pacific Dogwood, Cornus nuttallii, is showy.



A view of Lovers Leap from the tiny village of Strawberry.



From Echo Summit, 7,382 feet (2,220 meters) there is a good view of South Lake Tahoe. It was 50 F (10 C) at 2:00 P.M. at Echo Summit. The storm clouds were building quickly, however they still had not reached the Tahoe Basin.



A view southward to the volcanic southern Upper Truckee River Basin.



Rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus ssp. puberulus, is very common on the east side of the Sierra Nevada. Now-a-days, it is often seen along the easement of the highway west of the crest. Beyond the highway easement, it is usually not seen. Most likely the seed traveled via automobile to the west side. Maybe during chain control in the wintertime. Sometimes there are Incense Cedar, Calocedrus decurrens, well below there elevation range along the highway. These were, also, most like transported as seed by automobiles.

[Robert]

Much of the Tahoe Basin consists of Jeffery Pine, Pinus jeffreyi, forest. This photograph was taken near Meyers at the head of the Upper Truckee River Basin. 52 F, 11 C, at 2:15 P.M.



A view back to Echo Summit.



Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana is a very common species in the Tahoe Basin and this portion of the eastern Sierra Nevada. Common or not, I like the plant and grow it in our Sacramento garden.



Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum can be found blooming now both on the east and west side of the Sierra crest at high elevations. I saw a beautiful pink form (this one was quite unique and I see many) near Carson Pass. It was starting to rain so I did not stop to photograph it.



Grass Lake is basically at the summit of Luther Pass, 7,740 feet (2,359 meters).

[Robert]

To the south of Grass Lake you can see some of the ancient volcanic peaks.



Grass Lake is turning into a meadow. When I was young (1960's), I remember it being a bit more lake-like. This is a great area to see very interesting wildflowers. Access is easy and the area is very popular. I would like to visit again, however I am very busy now so an outing to this area is not likely anytime soon.



The wind was gusting strongly, maybe 50 mph at times. Needless to say trying to photograph wildflowers was next to impossible. Cirsium andersonii was still blooming near the lake.



Chaenactis douglasii var. douglasii was also seen in bloom. It was a bit of a blur in the wind. When I was almost knocked over by a gust of wind I knew it was time to try some other location.



Hope, Faith, and Charity Valleys are famous for their display of autumn colors. There are many groves of Quaking Aspen, Populus tremuloides in this area. They turn brilliant yellow in the autumn and the color is accentuated by the contrast with the deep green conifers.

[Robert]

A view of Hope Valley and the storm clouds quickly building over Carson Pass.



The early part of the Oligocene, 33 million years ago, was the start of considerable volcanic activity, especially in the area south of Echo Summit to south of Ebbetts Pass. Some areas were covered with up to 3,000 feet of volcanic deposits, much of it andesite. The earliest eruptions were mostly rhyolite, but most of it was eroded way. The best that I can understand, much of this volcanic activity ended about 9 to 5 million years ago. Today, one can still see andesite deposits in Pollock Pines and Camino in El Dorado County. This volcanic activity was widespread; from Plumas County in the north to northern Yosemite National Park to the south.



At Carson Pass, 8,652 feet (2,637 meters), the storm clouds were thickening very quickly.



The summit of Round Top Peak was hidden by clouds. It was 46 F (7.5 C) at 3:00 P.M. and spits of rain were starting to fall.



Rabbitbrush, Chryothamnus viscidiflorus ssp. puberulus, looked great in this area.

[Robert]

From Carson Pass to Silver Lake it was spitting rain.

The ridge behind Silver Lake is layer after layer of volcanic deposits, in this case close to 2,000 feet deep or more.



Eriogonum umbellatum var. polyanthum with ripening seed near Silver Lake.



Near Iron Mountain Road and my route back to the farm the rain started to come down a bit harder.



Jenkinson Reservoir, 3,400 feet (1,036 meters), and a view east with dark clouds over the Sierra Nevada. It was 57 F (14 C) at 4:00 P.M. Shortly, I arrived at the farm. The temperature was 67 F (19.5 C) at 4:45 P.M. There was no rain yet, however it arrived about an hour later. It was light and by 8:00 P.M. it had ended.

Now for a busy work schedule. My next outing is planned for next Thursday.

Until then..... 

[Robert]

The first snowfall of the season fell on the Sierra Nevada Thursday night and Friday.



The high peaks of the Crystal Range got a dusting of snow. It even started snow while I was driving out of the area, near Lyons Creek. The road started getting covered in snow, so I was glad to be driving out. Unknown to me at the time, My brother and our friend Joe drove up to Lyons Creek to hike around a bit. By then, the snow was coming down hard and the road was completely covered in snow. They did not do much hiking. They drove down to the farm and told me the story, as well as conditions on the east side of the Sierra Nevada where they had just spent several days hiking and camping.



A view from Wrights Lake toward Rockbound Pass.



This weeks outing will be to the cirque on the north side of Mount Price. By then the weather will have warmed considerably and the snow from the Thursday night, Friday storm should be gone. This area was scoured out by glaciers during the periods of glaciation from about 2 million to 10,000 years ago. I am looking forward to a interesting outing.

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, I know what you mean about collecting rock samples. My Dad used to complain about the number of plastic bags in the car boot containing rock samples gathered on holiday. I gave most of them to the local Museum. Extras were placed on the scree. I once read of an outcrop of jadeite in North Scotland. In one area where roadworks were taking place, a fresh roadside exposure of green rock was seen by the roadside. The road was too narrow to stop with the caravan so it remained un-identified, it was in the same area where the book said it was. I can,t remember exactly where it was now. I find Geology a fascinating but complicated subject. Geologists tend to use long words which I think they make up as they go along.

[Robert]

Ian,

Clearly, I like geology too. 

One often needs a creative mind to interpret rock formations. Circumstantial evidence is often all that one has to go on. Of coarse, geologist often do not agree on things. I have read reports that state that there are 7 plutons in Desolation Wilderness, others state 4. And then, the divisions of rock names can be vexing. Rhyolite and andesite seem straight forward, but where does dacite fit in?

Geology also has a bearing on plant life in an area. Serpentinite is an obvious example.

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, "Dacite. A fine grained volcanic rock resembling andesite but containing quartz and potassic feldspar as well as plagoiclase. Dacites are the fine grained equivalents of the granodiorites." From=Minerals, Rocks and Gemstones by Rudolf Borner. No wonder I gave the study of geology up.

[Robert]

Ian,

Thank you for a definition of dacite. Are the mineral grains large enough to see with a hand lens?

For me, it has been a slow process finding good definitions of some common rocks and minerals. I have checked many university web sites and pick up a few here and there. Any suggestions on all the different pyroxenes and amphiboles?

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, Borer has Dacite as a variety of Rhyolite. It is classed under Fine-grained (extrusive and hyperbasal rocks). I did not delve too deeply into geology as I soon became confused with all the different varieties of rocks and the naming system based on what seemed to me, small differences in make up. I think I,ll stick to flowers. ian.

[Robert]

Ian,

Yes, the small differences in naming rocks is frustrating to me. I have to admit that I find geology interesting and will not give up trying to learn more. I actually learn much more giving things a try and making mistakes. I knew that Dacite was a variety of Rhyolite, however I am sure that, at this point, I would call a piece of Dacite, Rhyolite.

I had a good outing in the Sierra Nevada yesterday. I still have not checked to photographs - hopefully something good.