NPSO 2019 Annual Meeting

July 12-14     Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains

Field Trips

Saturday July 13, 2019    8:30 - 4:00                    Field Trip # 13

Difficulty:     Easy  (There will be no hiking miles unless the group decides to walk out the PCT for a short ways.) - There won't be any difficult hiking or walking on this trip. High clearance vehicles are recommended but not required.

Elevation:     This trip will not include much elevation gain. We will mainly stop on roadsides, pullouts and at camps and trailheads to botanize along the way without much walking required. There will be an optional short, moderate walk on the PCT at Big Red Mountain if the group has time and feels inclined.

Group Size Limit:     15

Trip Description:     Drive scenic Forest Service Road 20 along the spine of the Siskiyou Crest, a world-renowned place for botanical diversity. The caravan will stop along the way to admire rare plants, wildflower-filled moist meadows, dry rocky serpentine habitat, pollinators galore, and panoramic vistas of the Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains. Many rare, endemic, special status, and unusual species will be seen along the way.

Itinerary List:

Drive up Beaver Creek on Rd. 20
Stop 1: Silver Fork Basin and Kettle Belly Glade
Stop 2: Cow Creek Glade
Stop 3: Jackson Gap
Stop 4: Wrangle Camp
Stop 5: Big Red Mountain
Stop 6 (if time): Dutchman Peak lookout
With other stops along the way as they arise.
Drive down Beaver Creek on Rd. 20

Itinerary Descriptions:

We will start at the bottom of Road 20 at Beaver Creek in the Upper Applegate and drive up to the Siskiyou Crest. Our first stop will be Silver Fork Basin and Kettle Belly Glade, taking a look at the diverse dryland and wetland habitats alongside and near the road.

We will then drive up to the Siskiyou Crest itself and drive southwest to Cow Creek Glade below Observation Peak. Cow Creek Glade is a wet meadow system with very diverse flora and pollinators.

Next we will stop at Jackson Gap where we will botanize with views of Observation Peak and Dutchman Peak and see endemic species such as Henderson's horkelia.

From there we'll drive to Wrangle Camp to botanize in wet meadows near an historic CCC-built stone and pole construction snow camp.

After that we will head up to the PCT trailhead at Big Red Mountain to view serpentine influenced flora at the base of Big Red Mountain with the option to walk out the trail a little ways.

If time remains as we drive back we will stop at the Dutchman Peak Lookout to see the historic cupola-style lookout and the surrounding diverse plant community.

For more information about Road 20 on the Siskiyou Crest please see this Forest Service document: The Siskiyou Loop: Discovery Tour

Floristic Highlights:     Dwarf sagebrush (Artemesia arbuscula), golden triteleia (Triteleia crocea), Henderson's horkelia (Horkelia hendersonii), Lemmon's swordfern (Polystichum lemmonii), Siskiyou willowherb (Epilobium siskiyouense), splithair paintbrush (Castilleja schizotricha), and Whitney's locoweed (Astragulus whitneyi v. siskiyouense)

Appropriate Footwear:     Hiking boots or sturdy shoes are recommended.

Special Considerations:     We will be on a high elevation ridge with sun and wind exposure. Prepare and stock your vehicle and backpack appropriately. Bring sun protection, extra water and snacks; binoculars and cameras are welcome. You can fill your gas tank in Murphy, Williams, or Applegate.

Plant Lists:     Plant lists for Dutchman Peak, Big Red Mountain, and Observation Peak will be helpful for this trip.

Meeting Place and Time:     Trip # 13 leaves at 8:30am from Pacifica.

Alternate Meeting:     To accomodate trip members who aren't staying at Pacifica, this trip will also pick up members at its first stop at Star Ranger Station at 9am, (6941 Upper Applegate Road).

Driving Directions:     Directions to Silver Fork Basin:

From Pacifica, head right (southerly) across the Applegate River and through the town of Applegate on HWY 238 about 18 miles. Turn right on Hamilton and go past Cantrall-Buckley County Park. Turn right on Upper Applegate Road, driving 7.5 miles to Beaver Creek Road (Road 20) and turn left. Eventually Road 20 turns to gravel. Turn right at the Silver Fork Gap intersection onto Road 2025 to Silver Fork Basin and Kettle Belly Glade. Note: Road 20 contains washboard sections and is a bit rough and narrow near Dutchman Peak; it is still passable in regular cars, although best in AWD or 4WD.

Driving miles from Pacifica to trailhead:     40 miles one way from Pacifica to the furthest location we will go, at Big Red Mountain. (Drive time about 1 hour and 10 minutes to the first stop at Silver Fork Basin.)

Leaders:       Ben Ey & Jeanine Moy

Jeanine Moy connects to native flora as a naturalist, educator, creative, activist, and backcountry adventurer. Over the last decade, she has studied local ecology at Southern Oregon University, 'field-guided' her way through Klamath-Siskiyou wilderness areas and led volunteers for public land stewardship in designated Botanical Areas. The wet subalpine meadows of the Siskiyous have become her all-time favorite habitat. Having just recently launched a community-powered restoration project and nature center, she encourages you to ask her about Vesper Meadow.

Ben Ey is a local landscaper and holds a bachelor's in landscape architecture and a certificate in permaculture design. He has practiced, lived, and studied plants in many different ecoregions. In his free time, Ben enjoys carpentry, making art, gardening, dancing to live music, and exploring the gritty outskirts of our dear region.

Cow Creek Glade on the Siskiyou Crest

Lemmon's sword fern (Polystichum lemmonii)

Siskiyou milkvetch (Astragalus whitneyi var. siskiyouensis)

Coyote mint on the Siskiyou Crest

Wildflowers on the Siskiyou Crest