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Events

Field Trips:

2008 Schedule -

June 21, Saturday. Benton Hot Springs Valley. Leaders: Karen Ferrell-Ingram and Stephen Ingram. Celebrate the summer solstice enjoying the wonders of a functioning alkali meadow. We hope to see the rare Calochortus excavatus, Inyo County star tulip, in bloom, along with other alkali meadow flowers. We’ll also take a look at the birds and other wildlife in this normally off-limits meadow and wetlands area. A conservation easement was recently placed on the 900-acre ranch that permanently preserves the botanical, agricultural, and natural resources on the property. The trip is co-sponsored by the Eastern Sierra Land Trust and landowner, Bill Bramlette. More information will be available in the next newsletter but in the meantime, contact Katie Nelson at the Eastern Sierra Land Trust at (760) 873-4554, or k.nelson@eslt.org. Flyer [PDF]

June 24-27, Tuesday thru Friday. Partners for Plants in Bodie Hills. Rare Botrychium surveys in cooperation with the Toyaibe National Forest. See future newsletters for more information.

June 28, Saturday. South Lake. Leader: Lizzy Wenk. We will head up the Bishop Pass Trail, turning off to visit Bull Lake and the Chocolate Lakes – a roundtrip distance of 6 miles with 1500 feet of elevation gain and loss. Some of slopes around the Chocolate Lakes are calcitic making them especially interesting botanically. Bring lunch and water. Meet at 8:30 am at South Lake to begin hike and expect to be gone until around 3 p.m. Call Lizzy for details at 873-6263.

July 18, Friday. Mosquito Flat to Long Lake. (RESERVATIONS NECESSARY.) Leader: Cathy Rose. Co-leaders: Sally Gaines, Sherryl Taylor and Steve Ingram. This is the first in a series of four Friday walks to study and enjoy the abundant and beautiful subalpine flora of the Rock Creek area. Since the trailhead at Mosquito Flat is at an elevation of 10,300', much of the work of reaching a high alpine wilderness area will already have been accomplished. On July 18 and August 1, the hike will be an easy stroll to Long Lake.On July 25 and August 8 the hike is a little harder as we follow a series of long, gradual switchbacks to Ruby Lake. For both, participants should be acclimated and wear shoes for rocky terrain. Bring lunch, water and, if you wish, a notebook, camera,
and binoculars. A plant list will be provided. Please meet at 8:30 promptly at the old kiosk parking lot on the Rock Creek Road just west of Tom's Place. We will carpool to the trailhead where parking is tight. EACH GROUP IS LIMITED TO 8 PEOPLE. RESERVATIONS ARE NECESSARY. Please call Sally Gaines at 760-935-4088 to reserve a space. No calls after 9:00 PM please.

July 19, Saturday. Glass Mountain Ridge. Leader: Michael Honer. This will be an all-day driving & short-hiking trip along an obscure series of Forest Service 4WD roads. We’ll pass from low cobbly desert flats, across windswept exposed ridges, through pristine sagebrush steppe, and take a quick hike up an ancient cindercone covered in Linear-leaved Paintbrush. This trip requires 4WD with low gear, high clearance, some experience. Lots of starts & stops. Bring along sturdy hiking boots, water, lunch, and prepare for wind & sun. Optional overnighter camping at a meadow nearby. I’ll supply driving maps. For questions write Michael Honer: mihoner@earthlink.net

July 25, Friday. Mosquito Flat to Ruby Lake. Leader: Cathy Rose. Limited to 8 people. RESERVATIONS NECESSARY. See July 18 description.

July 26, Saturday. Horseshoe Meadow. Leaders: Pam MacKay, Tim Thomas.

August 1, Friday. Mosquito Flat to Long Lake. Leader: Cathy Rose. Limited to 8 people. See July 18 description.

August 8, Friday. Mosquito Flat to Ruby Lake. Leader: Cathy Rose and Steve Ingram. Limited to 8 people. RESERVATIONS NECESSARY. See July 18 description.

August 9, Saturday. Dana Plateau. Leader Jerry Zatorski. This will be a backcountry hike from Tioga Lake to Dana Plateau. We’ll hike an unmaintained trail that weaves its way up Glacier Canyon to the Dana Lake area and eventually the plateau, going through forest, meadow, talus and alpine habitats. With luck we’ll find Net-leafed Willow, Salix reticulata, which is only found near Dana Lake in California. This is a strenuous hike at high elevation, and is only recommended for those in good hiking condition. This trip will take most of the day and participants should bring plenty of fluids and food, field guide, camera, and a hand lens. We will meet at the Tioga Lake parking lot along highway 120, just east of the park entrance at 8:00 AM. For more information contact Jerry at 760-872-3818 or jerryzat@verizonmail.com.

August 23, Saturday. Sharsmith Peak. Leaders: Cathy Rose, Sherryl Taylor. The name Sharsmith Peak has been proposed for a mountain above the Gaylor-Granite basin on the edge of Yosemite National Park presently known as "12,002." Please park just outside Tioga Pass, NOT in the Gaylor Lakes trailhead lot, and we'll walk in to the trailhead for the moderately-strenuous hike to the summit with spectacular Yosemite views. Cathy Rose, a student of legendary Yosemite botanist Carl Sharsmith, will share memories of Carl as we enjoy the subalpine and alpine flowers and birds. Meet at Tom's Place at 8:00 for car-pooling, or be outside the pass by 9:00. Bring lunch and water, and expect a full day's hike. Please call Sherryl Taylor (760-924-8742) for more information.

October 26, Sunday. Highway Clean-up. Leader: Scott Hetzler. Meet at the intersection of Highway 395 and Pine Creek Rd., west of 395, at 9.00 AM. We will try to be done by 1:00 PM. For more information contact Scott at 873-8392.
 

Every year the Bristlecone Chapter plans a variety of excursions to interesting and floriferous places. Our trips usually begin in late March to points in the low desert of our region, such as Death Valley or the Mojave Desert, where the flower display begins in early spring. We generally follow the flowers up in elevation as spring and summer progress, ending our quest for blooms in the highest regions of our awesome surrounding mountains in mid-summer. Our explorations usually finish with an appreciation of fall colors displayed in the extensive aspen groves found in the Eastern Sierra. We also schedule seed collecting or cleaning trips and work parties at the Mary DeDecker Native Plant Garden in Independence.

Everyone is welcome on our field trips whether or not you are a member of CNPS and whether or not you know a turnip from a scarlet monkeyflower.

Cathy Rose Field Trips - preliminary information: Four trips will be lead in the Rock Creek area on July 18 and 25 and August 1 and 8.  The field trips begin at the parking lot at Mosquito Flat at 9:00 (probably) and end early afternoon.  The groups will be limited to 8. Details to follow.   

Field Trip Policies

Events:

Please check back for 2008 events.