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Botanical Tales of the Pacific Crest Trail

February 9, 2021 by Backcountry Press 1 Comment

The Making of a “Super-Naturalist”

by Matt Berger

Over two PCT thru hikes I took tens of thousands of plant photos, figured out each plants’ identity, and uploaded these observations to citizen science websites. Getting to this point was a process that I took one step a time. Now, I’m ready to share what I’ve learned with others who walk in these same steps along the PCT and are wondering what all the plants are along the way – the tall and the small, the showy and the “wallflowers,” the commonplace and the rare. Let me share a bit with you about how I got here…

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Klamath National Forest restricts wilderness usage

July 30, 2020 by Backcountry Press 5 Comments

New backcountry restrictions have been put in place to limit environmental impacts in the wilderness, including two high-use, sensitive areas in the Siskiyou and Trinity Alps wilderness areas.

Photo-documentation of the regionally rare yellow-cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis) being cut for firewood in the Devil’s Punchbowl in the Klamath National Forest.

In a move that has been a long time in the making, the Klamath National forest has enacted restrictions in two of the most visited backcountry destinations on the forest. This action could not have been more timely, as more people are visiting the backcountry this year than ever before. Signs are going to be posted immediately — though in a recent informal survey few visitors to the Siskiyou Wilderness even read the signs at the trailhead.

There have been numerous reports of people behaving poorly in the wilderness this summer including graffiti on mountain summits, beer bottles being smashed on rocks riverside, and groups of over 25 people gathering to play Frisbee on sensitive meadow systems. We need to continue to work with the forest service to provide outreach and education about Leave No Trace in these places we love.

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Backpacking in Conifer Country

July 5, 2020 by Backcountry Press 1 Comment

‘Tis the summer for backpacking. We have seen more people in the backcountry this year than ever before. We have also had more requests from friends and family as to where they should go backpacking that ever before. In this post we explore some epic destinations to get out, walk, and learn about ancient conifers.

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12 Wonderful Humboldt County Hikes

June 20, 2020 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Rees Hughes shares some of his favorite hikes from his book, Hiking Humboldt Volume 2. This was recorded in a ZOOM Webinar during sheltering in place for COVID-19.

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Zig Zag Trail

March 6, 2020 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

The Zig Zag Trail

Prairie Creek Redwoods National and State Parks

Map from Conifer Country

This area of California contains some of the largest redwoods on Earth and holds extensive old-growth forests, protected as a national park in 1968. This particular walk, using the Zig Zag Trails and Prairie Creek Trail, is entirely in old growth. It offers an enigmatic temporal departure into a rare forest type. In addition to redwoods, other conifer specimens like Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and Sitka spruce are coupled with clandestine western redcedar and Port-Orford cedar—be sure to look carefully and learn your conifers well. Watch for grand firs that occur infrequently along the road, particularly at the south end of Elk Prairie.

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Lassen Country Hikes

December 18, 2019 by Backcountry Press 3 Comments

Updated Hiking Maps

The book’s trail guide showcases the geologic history of the Lassen country. We have selected hikes that provide examples of the Lassen Volcanic Center and regional geology. USGS 1:24,000 scale maps show the trails and parking locations. The guide is illustrated but watch for references to figures and tables in previous chapters. Also, important background information about the geology in each hiking guide is discussed.

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2019 Humboldt County Trails Updates

November 12, 2019 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Inland Mountains

Chris Valle-Riestra is an exceptional volunteer and trail steward–with a particular fondness for the Klamath Mountains. He has been spearheading trailwork in the Orleans Ranger District for many years and knows the trails well .

He has updated conditions of trails on the forest for fall 2019. Click through to the hiking descriptions and read his comments.

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Big Tree – Elk Prairie Loop

November 1, 2019 by Backcountry Press 1 Comment

Prairie Creek Redwoods National and State Parks

The most extensive accessible trail system in Humboldt County is in the Elk Prairie/Big Tree areas of Prairie Creek Redwood State Park and Redwood National Park. This trail system offers many ways to mix and match the trails that network this area. Included in the route are magnificent old growth redwoods, picturesque Prairie Creek, the open grasslands of Elk Prairie, a nature trail, and miles of accessible trail.

Big Tree – Elk Prairie Hiking Basics
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Bumpass Hell Trail

August 26, 2019 by Backcountry Press 2 Comments

Geology of the Lassen Country

Bumpass Hell Trail
Bumpass Hell Hike Map

The Bumpass Hell Trail is one of the most popular destinations in the Lassen Country. The trailhead is at the large parking area 0.25 mile (0.4 km) east of Lake Helen. The trail traverses the dacite of Bumpass Mountain for the majority of the hike. Also, note the well-preserved glacial polish and striae in the dacite alongside the first few hundred yards of the trail. They were created by the glacier that started from the Lake Helen cirque. At the viewpoint where the trail turns east, about 0.5 mile (0.8 km) from the trailhead, it crosses briefly into andesite of Mount Diller. Here a National Park Service trailside interpretive display shows a model of Brokeoff Volcano before erosion.

Trailhead: Bumpass Hell trailhead parking lot
Distance: 3.0 miles (4.8 km) round trip
Key Geologic Features: Hot springs, clay-altered bedrock

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Drury – Chaney Groves Trail

December 14, 2018 by Backcountry Press 1 Comment

From Hiking Humboldt V2 by Rees Hughes

Drury – Chaney Map by Jason Barnes

In the massive flood of 1964, the once bustling community of Pepperwood was inundated by 30 feet of water. What remains on this floodplain of the Eel River are a few homes and farms, some vegetable stands, and a robust redwood forest. The Drury-Chaney Groves trail bisects the flat alluvial bench populated with redwoods that lie between the Avenue of the Giants and US 101. It is a flat walk and an accessible trail through several extensive groves of towering redwoods.

Ralph Works Chaney Memorial Grove

It was Berkeley paleontologist Ralph Chaney who first brought back ‘dawn redwood’ seedlings with him from China in the late 1940s. This deciduous sequoia joins the coast redwood and the giant sequoia as the three conifers known as redwoods.

Peaceful trail along the Eel River floodplain.

Getting there: Drive south on US 101 for 32.5 miles taking Exit 674 (Avenue of the Giants/Pepperwood). Turn left onto the Avenue of the Giants for 2.7 miles. The road passes through what remains of the community of Pepperwood taking a bend to the south, quickly reaching the parking area for the Drury-Chaney Groves trailhead. Parking is available on both sides of the Avenue of the Giants. Approximate driving time, 40 minutes.

Evergreen [Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)] and deciduous ferns [Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)] abound.

The route: From the parking area, the trail crosses a small open space and enters the redwood forest for the remainder of the walk. The level trail crosses the old Barkdull Road (0.6) — a right turn here will take you to another access point from the Avenue of the Giants in half a mile; a left turn leads to the general location of the old Barkdull Ranch (0.1). After crossing the Barkdull Road, the trail reaches the loop trail (0.7). The loop is 0.9 mile long (1.6). The return to the parking area necessitates retracing your steps (2.4).

Extras. Once located between Pepperwood and Stafford, the town of Elinor had a railroad stop, hotel, post office, and logging camp on the east side of the Eel River and a collection of homes, store, and school on the west side. A ferry plied the river connecting the two sides of the town. However, when the 1964 floodwaters receded there was little of Elinor left. Just after you turn left onto the Avenue of the Giants from Exit 674, turn left again on Elinor Road and drive 150 yards to the concrete barriers that block old US 101. You can follow the old road for a short distance to the bridge (dated 1938) crossing Jordan Creek. During periods of low water, it is possible to wander east to the Eel River.

Orleans Ranger District Trails Update

June 22, 2018 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Spring 2019

Chris Valle-Riestra

Chris Valle-Riestra is an exceptional volunteer and trail steward–with a particular fondness for the Klamath Mountains. He has been spearheading trailwork in the Orleans Ranger District for many years and knows the trails well . He has updated conditions of trails on the forest for summer 2018.

The Orleans Ranger District has administrative responsibility for recreational trails in three designated ranger districts. These include portions of the Marble Mountain Wilderness, the Trinity Alps  Wilderness, and the Siskiyou Wilderness.

Chris’ Trail Updates:
  • Visit his website
  • Trinity Alps Trails KML

Godwit Days with Michael Kauffmann

February 26, 2017 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Michael will lead two hikes at Godwit Days in Arcata, California. On these hikes, participants will explore the relationships between birds, conifers and manzanitas.

Price of the trip includes a book from the Backcountry Press catalog.

  • Conifers of the North Coast 1
  • Conifers of the North Coast 2

West’s Best Fall Hikes

September 14, 2016 by Backcountry Press 1 Comment

featured-image

Quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides) in the Blackrock-High Rock Desert.

Fall in the West

A time of rejuvenation. With the shift of the California Current, rains begin to fall in California after a summer of drought. The high country along the Pacific Slope finds snow returning. While we retreat inside our homes, native plants and animals must adjust to the changes. Some birds migrate, mammals might hibernate, and some plants shed their leaves and “hibernate” for winter in their own way.

What follows is a journey across the Pacific Slope to four locations that are excellent for viewing fall color.
  1. Siskiyou Wilderness
  2. Pasayten Wilderness
  3. San Gabriel River National Monument
  4. Blackrock-High Rock Desert National Conservation Area

Siskiyou Wilderness

100_1097
Low elevations of the Siskiyou Wilderness with dense moss-mats and Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum).

I’ll start by admitting that my son’s middle name is Siskiyou. This wilderness was my first destination upon moving to Humboldt County and I’ve been back many times since–and learned something new each trip. The wilderness represents the mystery and intrigue of Conifer Country and holds within its boundaries at least 16 species of conifers – making it second to the Russian Wilderness in diversity within the Klamath Mountains. A few other regional highlights include the success story of the GO Road, the epic Bigfoot Trail along the crest, and a stay at Bear Basin Butte on the edge of the wilderness. Once you visit, you will never forget this place.

Fall Highlights:
  • Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum)
  • Vine maple (Acer circinatum)
  • Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii)
  • Umbrella plant (Darmera peltata)
  • Dwarf huckleberry (Vaccinium caespitosum var. caespitosum)
  • Cascade bilberry (Vaccinium deliciosum)
  • Blue or thin-leaved huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum)

100_1267
Higher elevations offer fields of color from Bilberries (Vaccinium sp.)

applegate-river-fall
Under-story of Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii)

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Umbrella plant (Darmera peltata)


Pasayten Wilderness

Embed from Getty Images

The alpine tundra of the Pasayten Wilderness is characterized by small hummocks decorated with diminutive heaths and grasses with the much taller conifers surviving on only the fringes of this landscape. Subalpine larch (Larix lyallii) has a range restricted to the North Cascades and Northern Rockies where they are locally common on exposed rocky areas as well as pioneers on disturbed sites and more recently in snowfields.

FALL HIGHLIGHTS:
  • Alpine Bearberry (Arctous alpinus)
  • Creeping dogwood (Cornus canadensis)
  • Subalpine larch (Larix lyallii)

img_7957
Subalpine larch (Larix lyallii) on the edge of hummocky meadows.


San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

leaf-bwThe 346,177 acre San Gabriel Mountains National Monument was dedicated in October 2014 by a proclamation by President Obama after nearly 10 years of work to get it established.  It contains the Sheep Mountain Wilderness, the San Gabriel Wilderness, and Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness as well as most of the major peaks including Mount San Antonio, Mount Baden-Powell, and Throop Peak.

FALL HIGHLIGHTS
  • Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum)
  • Black oak (Quercus kelloggii)

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Black oak (Quercus kelloggii) in the Sierra Pelona Mountains.

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Listen for the fall rut when the male bighorn sheep battle in the high country.


Blackrock Desert-High Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Want to visit a newly-designated wilderness area in the llitteral middle-of-nowhere? Then the Pine Forest Range is the place for you. Nearby is Nevada’s Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area with loads of places to adventure. There are only a few plants that grow to any noticeable height, including rare conifers and the iconic quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) which offers epic fall color.

Fall Highlights
  • Quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides)

Quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides) below the pine belt in the Pine Forest Range.
Quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides) below the pine belt in the Pine Forest Range.

Aspens in fall -- Black Rock Desert
Holy WOW! Aspens in fall — High Rock Canyon

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Backcountry Press
🚨GOOD NEWS ALERT: Now available for preorder wi 🚨GOOD NEWS ALERT: Now available for preorder with free eBook!

Dearest Klamath Mountains Enthusiasts,

You all have been so patient with us as we attempted to wrangle the complexity of this region into one comprehensive natural history book.

It took 10 years and 34 co-authors, but we did it!!

The full color 496 page hardcover will ship to you in early September, but the eBook is available immediately (and for FREE) with your preorder purchase! 

And if you’re super into learning first hand about the river ecology, geology, plant communities, and more of this epic corner of the world, join lead authors @michael.kauffmann, @justin.garwood, and other co-authors Oct. 7-9 for an all inclusive weekend nerd-out/ campout on the Wild and Scenic South Fork of the Smith River! Your book is included ⛺️🌲📘

Get yours at our Link In Profile

#klamathmountains #naturalhistory #biodiversity #northerncalifornia #southernoregon #trinityalps #trinityalpswilderness #trinitycounty #delnortecounty #siskiyoucounty #josephinecounty #currycounty #jacksoncounty #ashlandoregon #ashland #shasta #shastacounty #humboldt #humboldtcounty #reddingca #reddingcalifornia #exploreoregon #pnw @activenorcal @lostcoastoutpost

https://backcountrypress.com/book/the-klamath-mountains-a-natural-history/
#overachiever 🏔 We asked for pics of our books #overachiever 🏔 We asked for pics of our books in the wild. @forestperi delivered.

Guess who summited Shasta today?!?
#conifercountry

This totally made our day, Forest! Thanks! Too bad there aren’t any conifers to i.d. at 14,180’😆

📷: @aliciaellingson

#mountshasta #booksinthewild #conifers #shasta #northerncalifornia

https://backcountrypress.com/book/conifer-country/
Our books love to join you in the wilderness! Thi Our books love to join you in the wilderness!

This awesome pic just in of Taina and Conifer Country in the Trinity Alps Wilderness.

Taina is part of the California Fish and Wildlife High Lakes Research Team. They’re mapping lakes and monitoring for Cascades Frogs across northwest CA.

Thanks for doing this important work, Taina and crew!

📷: Justin Garwood, co-editor of The Klamath Mountains: A Natural History

👀 We’d love to see your Backcountry Press books out in the field. Tag us!

#conifercountry #trinityalps #klamathmountains #thisisscience #wilderness #northerncalifornia #norcal #backpacking #fieldguide #botany #botanist #conifers #ecology #naturalhistory

https://backcountrypress.com/book/conifer-country/
North Coasters: Join @michael.kauffmann for Arts A North Coasters: Join @michael.kauffmann for Arts Alive at @eurekabooks this Saturday evening for a book signing event! Come say "Hi" and chat with him about conifers, California Desert Plants, and, of course, the Klamath Mountains!

🤓 He'll even have sand samples from around the world for you to check out. See if you can guess which one came from the Mojave Desert's Kelso Dunes!

📷: Dylan Neubauer

#artsalive #meettheauthor #ilikeeureka #madeinhumboldt #humboldtmade #californianativeplants #desertplants #humboldtcounty #humboldt #eurekaca #mojavedesert #californiadesertplants 

https://backcountrypress.com/book/california-desert-plants/
2,394 species = The total flora of the California 2,394 species = The total flora of the California deserts!

The six largest plant families in the California deserts make up more than 1/4 of the native flora... can you guess what they are?

⬇️

⬇️

⬇️

• Asteraceae (sunflower family) = 200 species

• Fabaceae (legume family) = 98 species

• Poaceae (grass family) = 93 species

• Polemoniaceae (phlox family) = 78 species

• Polygonaceae (buckwheat family) = 77 species

• Hydrophyllaceae (phacelia family) = 75 species

📷:
1. Psathyrotes ramosissima, Asteraceae, turtleback | Photo by Matt Berger @sheriff_woody_pct 

2. Lupinus concinnus, Fabaceae, bajada lupine | Photo by Patrick Alexander

3. Stipa hymenoides, Poaceae, indian ricegrass | Photo by Matt Berger

4. Linanthus dichotomus, Polemoniaceae, evening snow | Photo by Jim Morefield

5.  Rumex hymenosepalus, Polygonaceae, desert rhubarb | Photo by Matt Berger

6. Phacelia crenulata, Hydrophyllaceae, notch-leaved phacelia | Photo by Stan Shebs

➡️ This PSA was brought to you by our new book: “California Desert Plants”

Tap our Link In Profile to find yours!

#californiadesertplants #mojavedesert #sonorandesert #greatbasin #californianativeplants #joshuatreenationalpark #cadesertplants #deathvalley #anzaborrego

https://backcountrypress.com/book/california-desert-plants/
Nuggets of knowledge we soaked up from @sheriff_wo Nuggets of knowledge we soaked up from @sheriff_woody_pct on the Botany Road Trip to the Intermountain West:

1. Rare plants tend to grow in clusters with other rare plants.

2. When choosing to except a hitch or not, feel more comfortable if a couple is offering the ride. Couples, generally, don’t murder people.

3. If it looks onionish but doesn’t smell a onionish, don’t eat it. It may kill you.

4. Studying satellite imagery for interesting soil types and rocky outcrops is a great way to hunt for rare plant locations.

5. Look more closely at the tiny plants you step over.

6. Penstemon is the most diverse genus that is endemic to North America!

Part 2 of our 3 part journey featured 12  of them, including this gorgeous King’s Beardtongue (Penstemon kingii) from Utah.

This evening Part 3 takes us to the southeast to meet, among others things, loads of carnivorous plants. Sundews, flytraps, and pitcher plants — oh my!

#botanyroadtrip #botanizing #botanist #nativeplants #rareplants #carnivourousplant #penstemon

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