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

[Robert]

Trond,

Very interesting information. I have often wondered how plants migrated up and down the Sierra Nevada during the Ice Age. Of coarse, maybe Ice Ages is a better term as there were periods of glaciation broken by abrupt, short warm periods. This may have created conditions idea for the relative rapid evolution of species and may be partly responsible for the vast diversity of species in California.

Tomorrow, Wednesday I will be traveling to the Cedar Roughs Wilderness and Cold Canyon in the southern portion of the northern inner coastal mountains. I very much look forward to exploring some new territory. A report will follow as soon as possible.

[Robert]

I had a very successful outing to the inner coastal mountains of Northern California yesterday. I will be reporting on this outing soon. 

[Robert]

POPE CREEK

and

KNOXVILLE STATE WILDLIFE AREA

Part I

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Sacramento Weather

Weather: Clear
Temperature, High:58 F, 14.5 C
                      Low:38 F, 4 C



Wednesday I traveled to the southern portion of the northern inner coastal mountains of Northern California. Although I have traveled through this area in the past, I had never stopped to explored the area. This was completely new territory for me and turned out to be quite the adventure and learning experience.

My first goal was to explore the Cedar Roughs Wilderness Area. This wilderness area is located west of Lake Berryessa and consists partly of a long north-south running serpentine ridge. Many interesting plant species are generally associated with serpentine rock formations in California, so I was quite eager to find and explore this area.

This wilderness area is surprisingly remote considering where it is located in California. After a bit of trial and error, I eventually found the trailhead leading into the wilderness. The "mountains", more like large hills, in this region are quite low. The starting elevation at the trailhead was only 530 feet, 162 meters.



Common Manzanita is indeed very common in this area. It is also one of the first species to bloom. As you can see it is the first day of winter and some of the plants were starting to bloom.



Another Manzanita was the Coastal Whiteleaf Manzanita, Acrtostaphylos viscida ssp. pulchella. This species is generally associated with serpentine rock and there was plenty in this area where I had stopped.

This subspecies of Whiteleaf Manzanita has a different "look" from our Whiteleaf Manzanita in the Northern Sierra Nevada Foothills and Mountains. Generally this subspecies can be identified by its rough, glandular-sticky fruit. I looked all over for fruit but did not find any. Fortunately, this subspecies can also be identified by its densely glandular-hairy panicles.



Quercus berberidifolia, a "dwarf" oak species, was seen scattered throughout this area. This species is somewhat similar to another dwarf oak, Quercus dumosa. The acorns of Q. berberidifolia are very different from those of Q. dumosa making it easy to distinguish between the two species.



At one spot there were many dried seed pods of a Calochortus species. It was impossible to determine the species, however given the serpentine in the area they were most likely Calochortus superbus. The stand must me quite lovely when they are in bloom. I look forward to returning when they bloom in the spring. I actually hope they turn out to be Calochortus vestae which also grows in this area.

[Robert]

Pope Creek was located very close to the trailhead. The trail immediately crosses Pope Creek and proceeds up the hills on the other side of the creek. Our rainfall season has been fairly productive so far this season and Pope Creek was running high and cold. I did not wish to get wet or cold so I did not attempt to cross the creek. Fortunately, there was a fair amount of area to explore on this side of the creek.



I found a fair number of Iris clumps. I could not determine them to species either. They were Iris fernaldii or I. macrosiphon. It will be easy to determine the species come spring.



I found a rocky cliff face with many plant species growing in the rock cervices. Dudleya cymosa and Pellaea andromedifolia can be seen in this photograph.



Phacelia imbricata was another species that enjoyed this rock face.



A very interesting rock formation. I did not climb onto it as it was on private property.

[Robert]

Another photograph of Dudleya cymosa.

Many, but not all, of the woody trees and shrubs in this area were very familiar as they also grow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There were many annual species that were sprouting that I could not identify. There were also many bulbous species emerging that could not be identified at this time either. There is plenty of motivation to return several times in the spring.



Given that I could not cross Pope Creek, I soon ran out of public land on the north side of the creek to explore. I returned to the Outback and drove down stream to where Pope Creek enters Lake Berryessa. At this point I could have gone to Cold Canyon as planned, however the parking area seemed crowded when I drove past the area earlier in the morning. At this point I quickly decided to explore the Knoxville State Wildlife Area, a large tract of public land.



Going to the Knoxville Wildlife Area turned out to be an excellent choice. Much of the area is very remote and there were many places to hike and explore.



At the first place where I stopped, elevation 660 feet (201 meters), the habitat was open oak savannah where I saw many bulbous species emerging from the ground, such as this Dichelostemma capitatum.



A seasonal creek drained the area and where there was moisture I found stands of Cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium.

To be continued.......

[Hoy]

Interesting things to find even in winter. (Doesn't look like winter though - sunny and green )

[Robert]

Interesting things to find even in winter. (Doesn't look like winter though - sunny and green )

Trond,

It was like spring - 18 C! perhaps a bit more. Spring comes to this region very early. The Sacramento valley to the east was 3.5 C cooler.

[Robert]

POPE CREEK

and

KNOXVILLE STATE WILDLIFE AREA

Part II

At the first stop at the Knoxville Wildlife Area I hiked up a drainage toward the western ridge crest. Along the way I spotted this very unusual oak. I some ways it was like a Coast Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia, however there were major differences.



Among the differences was the corky, rough bark. The leaf shape and form was also unusual for a Coast Live Oak. In the areas of open savannah it was easy to spot unusual oaks from a considerable distance. Oak hybrids are reported from this region, however I did not see the "right" mixture of oak species to account for the "hybrids" ? I noticed. A few trees looked to be hybrids with California Black Oak, Quercus kelloggii, however I did not see one Black Oak all day. All of this is something for me to ponder!



Eventually I arrived at the top of the ridge. From here there were some great vistas of the surrounding countryside. This is a view down a valley to the northern end of Lake Berryessa.



The trail branched at the top of the ridge. Two trail branches traveled the top of the ridge in each direction. Another branch lead down into this beautiful valley. From this vantage point I could see that there were many different habitats to explore in this area. Rather than explore one of the trails I actually decided to return to the Outback and explore another part of the Wildlife Area.     



I did take a different route back to the Outback and came across this view of Mount Saint Helena poking over the distance ridge (the mountain that is more or less right-center in this photograph). The Mount Saint Helena area would be a interesting area for me to explore at some future date. There are a number of endemic species known to this area, including Erythronium helenae.

[Robert]

What I wanted to do was find a trail that would lead up onto Blue Ridge (pictured) to the east. This ridge drops steeply on its eastern side down to the Capay and Sacramento Valleys. My intuition prompted me to see if I could find a way to explore the chaparral and rocky cliffs near the crest of the ridge. Maybe there would be interesting plants to find in this area.



Near the northern end of the Wildlife Area I found the perfect trail that led up a small valley and drainage toward Blue Ridge. The bottom of the drainage was studded with Valley Oak, Quercus lobata, while Blue Oak, Quercus douglasii, inhabited the shallow, rocky soils on the flanks of the drainage.



In places there is evidence of considerable moisture and rainfall during the cool rainy season. In these areas the trees are covered with "moss". I think this is a Usnea species, less likely a Evernia species. Maybe someone can help me out with this one?



With adequate rainfall and relatively warm weather many of the perennial species are advanced in growth, such as this Sanicula crassicualis.



Sisyrinchium bellum was well into growth too.

[Robert]

Along this trail I found a good diversity of plant species.

Cynoglossum grande coming into growth (pictured).

There were also the dried remains Wyethia species in this area.



A Ranunculus species that will need to be identified when it is flowering early in the spring.



Western Redbud, Cercis occidentalis, grew abundantly along the creek drainage. The dried seed pods lingering well into the winter.



I saw two subspecies of Frangula californica along this trail. Subspecies crassifolia was the most abundant, however there were a few plants of subspecies californica (pictured). The leaf tip of subspecies crassifolia is obtuse and the stems and abaxial leaf surfaces are tomentose. With subspecies californica the leaf blades are more or less green.



Interesting were the upright forms of Acrtostaphylos manzanita. Subspecies elegans is reported from this area and has an upright rather than a rounded growth habit. The fruit of subspecies elegans is minutely glandular-hairy making it easy to distinguish from the other subspecies of Acrtostaphylos manzanita - if one can find the fruit! Unfortunately I could not find any old fruit on the plants or on the ground near the base of the plants, so positive identification was impossible.

To be continued......

[Robert]

POPE CREEK

and

KNOXVILLE STATE WILDLIFE AREA

Part III

Common Manzanita, Acrtostaphylos manzanita ssp. manzanita, is an early bloomer. As I continued to hike up the trail I came across many in bloom. Generally the flowers of this species are white, maybe sometimes with a hint of pink. I did find one plant with clear pink flowers. Late in the day in the shadows the lighting was poor, so my attempt to photograph this plant did not work out.



There are many species of Ceanothus that inhabit the coastal mountains of California, many of which are different from those that are found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Foothills. Along this trail I found Ceanothus oliganthus. I some ways it resembles C. integerrimus, Deer Brush, a very common species in the Sierra Nevada. This time of year Ceanothus oliganthus can be identified by its deep green adaxial leave surface and the distinct hairs on the veins of the abaxial leaf surface.



Another Ceanothus species seen along the trail was Ceanothus incanus. The twigs of this species are stiff and short often coming to a short spiny point. Like Ceanothus cordulatus in the Sierra Nevada, it is not a species one wants to hike through!



Lepechinia calycina grew mixed with other species in the adjacent chaparral. The plants had clearly lost all of their foliage during the late summer / autumn season and were now leafing out again. Generally I think of this species as being evergreen.

This is a pleasant plant to encounter as the foliage has a very strong and agreeable scent.



The dwarf oak, Quercus berberidifolia, grew in the chaparral on the surrounding hills.

[Robert]

Near the creek there were thickets of Rosa californica. This time of year the red rose hips can be very attractive, however by this time they had all been eaten by the wildlife.



Pellaea andromedifolia was the dominant Cliff-Brake species in this area. I rarely encounter this species in the Sierra Nevada, Pellaea mucronata being the dominant species in the Sierra Nevada Foothills.



Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, is a common plant found throughout California foothill chaparral plant communities. The bright red berries are always a delight to see during the autumn and winter seasons. At some point the birds and other wildlife will eat the berries.



Late in the day Blue Ridge was still bathed in the light of the setting sun. I was less than a mile from the base of the ridge, however 21 December is the shortest day of the year and darkness would arrive quickly. It was time to return to the Outback and drive home.

Although everything did not turn out as planned this was an excellent reconnaissance outing. I have some good sites to return to throughout the spring and summer. I would like to visit the Cedar Roughs Wilderness Area early in the spring, however high water in Pope Creek could be an obstacle. Maybe I will buy a pair of fishing waders so I can stay warm and dry while fording the creek.

Next week the plan is to visit the eastern portion of the Cache Creek Wilderness. This area is located in the northern inner coastal mountains between Snow Mountain to the north and the Lake Berryessa region to the south. After that I will be returning to the Sierra Nevada Foothills.

Until then........ 

[Maggi Young]

A delight to have this report from the shortest day to enjoy today, Robert - merry Christmas to you!

[Robert]

A delight to have this report from the shortest day to enjoy today, Robert - merry Christmas to you!

Maggi,

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and may Spirit bless everyone this new year!

We had many blessings today.    Our refrigerator died today. What a blessing we discovered the problem before the house burned down! It is also cold during the day and frosty at night so our food will stay good until tomorrow and we get a new refrigerator. We enjoyed a delightful neighborhood holiday party two days ago and feasted on Salmon today. We enjoyed the exchange of gifts with our Native American friends this morning. I hope everyone had an equally blessed and delightful day!        

[Hoy]

Hi Robert,

hope you have got a new refrigerator!
We lost all power yesterday due to the gale "Urd" that hit us early in the evening. Got the electricity back this morning. No serious damage around here as far as I know, but I have not been out yet.

Nice outing you had! But why do you prefer to follow a path when the wood looks so open? Seems spring is there already! Here we still have 2 months of winter left.