Natural History Wanderings

I just returned from six days in the Northern Sierra in the Yuba Pass/Lakes Basin area. I was at San Francisco State’s Sierra Nevada field campus taking the Butterflies of the Sierra Nevada class with Paul Opler and Evi Buckner. Not only did we look at butterflies but flowers, birds and other insects as well.

Before the class started I made a brief stop at Yuba Pass Meadow (6/21/14) which was much drier than last time I was there. There are still flowers in bloom but only the woodland ones are probably still looking fresh by now.

More rewarding was a walk up the beginning of the Frazier Falls trail (6/21/14).  There were many flowers in bloom including Slender Penstemon, Yarrow, Single-stemmed Groundsel, Aster, Pennyroyal, Helianthella, Mt. Gooseberrry (in fruit), Hot Rock Penstemon, Paintbrush, Sulfur Buckwheat, Naked Buckwheat, Horsemint, Pussypaws, Meadow Rue, Low Phacelia, Narrow Leaf Mule’s Ear, Prickly Phlox, Lechtlin’s Mariposa Lily, Mt. Whitethorn, Bear Buckwheat, Pink Alum Root, Mt. Pride, Catchfly, Jewel Flower, Mt. Spirea, Sierra Stonecrop, Sticky Cinquefoil and Creek Dogwood.

The best spot of the trip was today’s walk up the trail from Packer Saddle towards the top of Sierra Butte.The hike to the top requires some effort but is worthwhile. Today we just went up about a half mile to the flower garden area. Flowers here included Arrow-leaf Balsam Root, Mule’s Ear, Scarlet Gilia, Paint brush, 3 species of Buckwheat, Coyote Mint, Mariposa Lily, Mt. Whitethorn, Helianthella, Mt. Pride, and Slender Penstemon

Other interesting flower areas during the Butterfly class were:

Round Lake Trail (first mile) had many plants in bloom including Lupine, Paintbrush, Scarlet Gilia, Horsemint, Snow Plant, Mariposa Lily, Prettyface, Pussypaws, Mule’s Ear, Pinedrops, Dwarf Lousewort, Slender Penstemon, Helianthella, and Pennyroyal. (6/25/14)

along forest  road 54 (drier area plants such as buckwheats, ceanothus, Pussypaws and Mule’s Ear) and Lincoln Meadow (which had wetter plants such as Elephant’s Head, White Rein Orchids which are south of highway 49(6/22/14)

Big Springs which is a pullout west of Bassetts on Highway 49 ( there were Sierra Lily, Crimson Columbine, White Rein Orchid).(6/24/14)

See photos from this trip at: https://picasaweb.google.com/115971268999811132619/NorthernSierraNevadaNearLakesBasinAndYubaPassJune22To272014

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