The California Backcountry: Where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul

Once again, John Muir had said it best and I must give credit where credit is due (the title is part of a John Muir quote).

Week 7 of my 26 stint on the West coast has ended, and since my last post I now feel like a seasoned Californian. Aside from work related endeavors which I will get to momentarily, I have done some exploring in and outside of the Sierra’s. Camping in the high desert of the Eastern Sierra’s, evening hot spring dips near Mammoth Lakes, traversing through an abandoned boom town, roaming the Serengeti-like landscape of Bidwell Park, touring the brisk and diverse megalopolis of San Francisco, and much more. I have now realized in order to get a full grasp of California, 6 months time is not nearly enough.

Now to the good stuff, WORK! Being surrounded by the forest, plants and trees while in the field has not only left my body and soul feeling at its peak but allowed me to immerse myself in my studies. Grad school will be a walk in the park compared to some of the hikes my partner and I have had to do to reach a known occurrence of a fire sensitive plant species. For the past month we’ve really focused on two main species (due to their phenologies): Mimulus filicaulis and pulchellus (Hetch Hetchy monkeyflower and Pansy monkeyflower) and Cypripedium montanum (Mountain Lady’s slipper). Though both the Mimulus populations seem to be rebounding well, it is another story with the Cypripedium. More often then not the occurrences which we are visiting have one individual or no individuals present, it’s quite the somber scene. Be that as it may, my colleague and I stumbled onto a population of more than 200 C. momtanum‘s in a 20×20 foot plot! Needless to say we were very excited. As a side note when I told that story to my roommates later that day (who are archaeologists), they found it entertaining how a person could get so excited over a plant.

Never forget how fortunate we are and, may fortune and knowledge smile upon you all,

Mi-Wuk Ranger Station

Forest Service

Jake

Eastern side of the Sierra’s Abandoned boom town of Bodie, CA Golden Gate Bridge 80” DBH Douglas Fir