NPSO 2019 Annual Meeting

July 12-14     Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains

Field Trips

Friday July 12, 2019    11:45 - 4:30                    Field Trip # 5

Difficulty:     Moderate  (3.6 miles) - There are no restrooms available on this field trip.

Elevation:     The trail begins at 1,776' and ascends to 2,784' for a total elevation gain of 1,009'.

Group Size Limit:     10

Trip Description:     Join botanist Cindy Roché for an enchanting look at grasses along the Enchanted Forest Trail. We will use her new Field Guide to the Grasses of Oregon and Washington, an illustrated guide to all 376 species, subspecies, and varieties of grasses--both native and introduced--that grow wild in Oregon and Washington.

The Enchanted Forest Trail follows Slagle Creek on BLM land in the Applegate Valley. The trail starts as an old road through madrone and mixed conifer forest and then opens into a dry meadow before turning to single-track trail alongside shady Slagle Creek. At times the trail also winds through chaparral and oak woodland, which will allow us to view grasses in a wide range of habitat types.

To purchase Field Guide to the Grasses of Oregon and Washington,
please visit OSU Press.

The Enchanted Forest Trail is 3.6 miles round trip, but with many stops we may not complete the entire trail. If we do complete the entire trail the elevation gain will be 1,009 ft. at a moderate grade.

If time allows, at the end of the field trip there will be an optional wine tasting at Wooldridge Creek Vineyard, just down the road from the Enchanted Forest Trail. The cost is $10 per person for a full tasting flight, or $7 for a glass of wine. Wooldridge Creek Winery also has cheese and charcuterie plates available for sale, all made in house.

Floristic Highlights:     Bromus carinatus, Bromus laevipes, Elymus elymoides, Elymus glaucus, Festuca californica, Festuca roemeri, and Achnatherum (Stipa) lemmonii.

Appropriate Footwear:     Sturdy footwear is advised.

Special Considerations:     Bring plenty of water, a hat, lunch and snacks.

A hand lens for keying and species identification will be helpful.

Parking is limited at the trailhead so full cars will be necessary in the carpool.

Meeting Place and Time:     Trip # 5 leaves at 11:45 from Pacifica.

Driving Directions:     From Pacifica drive north on Water Gap Road to Highway 238. Travel east on Highway 238 to the town of Applegate. Turn left on to North Applegate Rd. Follow this road for 4 miles, turning right on Kubli Creek Rd for 1/10 mile, then right on Slagle Creek Rd, going 1.5 miles to the pavement ending point. Trail begins at the green gate. Do not block driveways on either side of the trailhead.

Driving miles from Pacifica to trailhead:     15 miles from Pacifica, about a 20 minute drive.

Leader:       Dr. Cindy Roché

Dr. Cindy Roché lived and botanized in the Rogue Valley and adjacent mountain ranges from 1998 to 2016. During that time she illustrated grasses for two volumes of the Flora of North America, and taught workshops at the Siskiyou Field Institute. For the past 17 years she has been working with the Carex Working Group on a Field Guide to Grasses of Oregon and Washington, recently published by OSU Press. After moving to Bend, she added sedges to her repertoire by assisting Barbara Wilson in teaching sedge workshops.

California fescue - Festuca californica

Festuca roemeri, Achnatherum lemmonii and wildflowers along the Enchanted Forest Trail.

Bromus laevipes