Search Results for: turricula

adventures, landscape, nature, nature|trees, nature|weather, nature|wildfire, nature|wildflowers, pacific crest trail, photography, photography|landscape, photography|wildflowers, running, running|adventures, san gabriel mountains, snow, southern california, trails, trails|san gabriels, trees, weather, weather, weather|southern california, wildfire, wildflowers, wildflowers

Out and Back Trail Run from Islip Saddle to Mt. Baden-Powell – July 2024 Update

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
Mt. Baden-Powell from the PCT near Throop Peak.
Mt. Baden-Powell from the PCT near Throop Peak.

Update July 22, 2024. The Poodle-dog bush along the PCT near Islip Saddle has been cleared by Gary Hilliard and the AC 100 Trail Team!

When I reached the summit of Mt. Baden-Powell (9,399′), it was empty, save an opportunistic raven who was evaluating the chances that the Larabar I was eating might fall to the ground.

On top, the heat of the strong Summer sun was offset by a cooling breeze. There was still a few thin ribbons of snow in the chutes on Mt. Baldy. With the excellent visibility, San Jacinto Peak could be seen in the notch between Mt. Baldy and Dawson Peak, and San Gorgonio Mountain was sharply visible to the left of Pine Mountain.

Poodle-dog bush (Eriodictyon parryi) along the PCT just east of Islip Saddle. (thumbnail)
Poodle-dog bush along the PCT just east of Islip Saddle.

Other than a few people at Little Jimmy hike-in camp, I saw no one on the way up from Islip Saddle. A quarter-mile from the trailhead, there was an astonishing display of Poodle-dog bush along the PCT. In 2011, when a large part of Angeles National Forest reopened following the Station Fire, I developed an extensive rash after bushwhacking through Poodle-dog on overgrown trails. After that experience I’ve been more careful around the plant, and haven’t had a bad case since.

Trees were across the trail in a few places. Most were fairly easy to bypass, but a couple were “inconvenient,” such as this big log, about 0.75 mile east of Windy Gap.

Bright red beaked penstemon (Penstemon rostriflorus) along the PCT above Windy Gap. (thumbnail)
Bright red beaked penstemon along the PCT above Windy Gap

As I worked up the switchbacks above the log, to the southwest I could see the observatory and towers on Mt. Wilson. As a result of the damage to Chantry Flat in the Bobcat Fire, Mt. Wilson was on the Angeles Crest 100 Mile course last year, and will be again this year. As the raven flies, Mt. Wilson was only about 16 miles away, but for someone running the AC100, the miles along its challenging course would total well over 50!

For several years I’ve been following the regrowth of conifers in four places along the PCT that were burned in the 2002 Curve Fire. What has been underscored in my informal study is a) trees take a long time to regrow, and b) frequent fires in an area are particularly devastating. Stand #1 (1.5 miles east of Islip Saddle on the PCT) was recovering nicely from the 2002 Curve Fire when it was burned in the 2020 Bobcat Fire. This comparison shows the result. The other three stands continue to recover well, with south-facing Stand #4, west of Throop Peak, growing particularly vigorously.

View WNW along Mt. Baden-Powell's west ridge. (thumbnail)
Limber pine (left) along Mt. Baden-Powell’s west ridge.

Ascending the final 400′ of gain on Baden-Powell’s west ridge, I was surprised to see a couple of small patches of snow remained on the north side of the ridge. The snowpack here was nowhere near as big as in 2023, but it was still pleasing to see that a little of the white stuff survived until July.

No out and back to Baden-Powell is complete without a quick stop at Little Jimmy Spring. Today, the water from spring was so cold it was painful to hold my hand in the water flowing from the pipe!

Some related posts:
– It’s Mid-July And There Is Still Snow in Los Angeles County!
– A Cool and Breezy Out and Back Trail Run from Islip Saddle to Mt. Baden-Powell
– Contact Dermatitis from Eriodictyon parryi – Poodle-dog Bush
– Regrowth of Trees Along the PCT Following the 2002 Curve Fire

landscape, nature, nature|wildfire, nature|wildflowers, pacific crest trail, photography, photography|landscape, photography|wildflowers, san gabriel mountains, trails, wildfire, wildflowers, wildflowers

Poodle-dog Bush Along the PCT Near Islip Saddle

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
Poodle-dog Bush along the Pacific Crest Trail near Islip Saddle with Mt. Williamson in the background.
Poodle-dog Bush along the Pacific Crest Trail near Islip Saddle with Mt. Williamson in the background.

Nope, my eyes weren’t deceiving me, the hiker was carrying his full-size poodle up the trail.

I was running down the PCT, east of Islip Saddle, after a run/hike to Mt. Hawkins and Throop Peak. I’m guessing the hiker was carrying his dog to keep it out of the Poodle-dog Bush on both sides of the trail.

Poodle-dog bush along the PCT above Islip Saddle in the San Gabriel Mountain
Poodle-dog bush along the PCT above Islip Saddle

Poodle-dog Bush (Eriodictyon parryi) is a fire-follower that can cause severe dermatitis in some people. In this case the plants sprouted following the 2020 Bobcat Fire.

The last big outbreak of Poodle-dog Bush followed the 2009 Station Fire. At that time many people were unfamiliar with its potential effects, and were caught off-guard.

The plant can get you in a couple of ways — the plant’s resin can affect sensitized people in a manner similar to poison oak, and the plant’s numerous hairs can break off and irritate the skin.

My experience with Poodle-dog Bush is described in the posts Contact Dermatitis from Eriodictyon parryi – Poodle-dog Bush and Getting Over Poodle-dog Bush Dermatitis.

Additional related posts: Trail Runners Describe Reactions to Poodle-dog Bush, Poodle-dog Bush Near the Top of the Mt. Wilson Trail

adventures, backbone trail, landscape, nature, photography, pt mugu state park, running, trails, wildfire, wildflowers, wildflowers

Too Many Flowers on the Chamberlain Trail

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
Flower stalks of bleeding heart on the Chamberlain segment of the Backbone Trail
Flower stalks of bleeding heart on the Chamberlain segment of the Backbone Trail

After climbing the western ridge route on Boney Mountain and scrambling over Tri Peaks, I was trying to run down the Chamberlain segment of the Backbone Trail. Usually one of my favorite downhills, the trail was so glutted with the flower stalks of bleeding heart, it made running difficult. Here’s a video snapshot of one short section of trail.

During this second Spring following the Woolsey Fire, bleeding heart has become a predominant fire follower in the Boney Mountain Wilderness. Its rampant growth is reminiscent of the explosion of Poodle-dog bush in the San Gabriel Mountains the second Spring following the 2009 Station Fire.

Plummer's mariposa lily along the Chamberlain segment of the Backbone Trail
Plummer’s mariposa lily

Sticky snapdragon is another fire follower that has become especially prevalent this Spring. It is truly sticky, with rose-purple-colored flowers along a long stalk.

Other wildflowers seen along the way included Humboldt lily, yellow mariposa lily, Plummer’s mariposa lily, slender tarweed, and scarlet larkspur.

Some related posts: Fire Followers Along the Backbone Trail (May 2019); Wildflowers, a Waterfall, and Recovering from the Woolsey Fire (March 2019); Boney Mountain and Pt. Mugu State Park (December 2018)

adventures, nature, news, photography, running, san gabriel mountains, trails, wildfire

Poodle-dog Bush Near the Top of the Mt. Wilson Trail

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
Poodle-dog bush (Eriodictyon parryi) growing along the Mt. Wilson Trail about a half-mile from the top.
Poodle-dog bush near the top of the Mt. Wilson Trail. June 15, 2019.

The Mt. Wilson – Chantry Flat loop is a favorite that I run a couple times a year. Including a little bonus mileage to get to the Mt. Wilson parking lot before the gate opens, the run is about 18 miles long and gains/loses about 4500′ of elevation. The main trails in the loop are the Rim Trail, Gabrielino Trail, Upper Winter Creek Trail and Mt. Wilson Trail.

The weather was perfect for today’s run. Sunny at the beginning, then partly cloudy for the 4000′ climb from the “green bridge” below Chantry to the parking lot on Mt. Wilson. Although there was a lot of poison oak on the Rim and Gabrielino Trails, it was mostly avoidable. About 30 minutes into the run, I was surprised to hear the unmistakable gobble and rustling of a wild turkey high on the Rim Trail.

Near the end of the loop, on the section of the Mt. Wilson Trail above the Mt. Wilson Toll Road, I saw two solo hikers brush against new, vigorously growing patches of Poodle-dog bush (Eriodictyon parryi). I spoke to them, and they were unaware that, like poison oak, Poodle-dog bush can cause an itchy rash. Some people don’t react at all to the plant and others can have a severe reaction. My own experience is described in this post.

Poodle-dog bush is a fire follower that grows in the San Gabriel Mountains, and some other areas. It became very widespread following the 2009 Station Fire. There are still some diminishing patches of Poodle-dog bush on the north side of Mt. Wilson (and elsewhere) from the Station Fire, but the Poodle-dog bush on this part of the Mt. Wilson Trail is a result of the 2017 Mt. Wilson Fire.

Some related posts: Contact Dermatitis from Turricula parryi – Poodle-dog Bush, Mt. Wilson – Newcomb Pass – Chantry Flat Loop, Misplaced on Mt. Wilson, GSU Mt. Wilson CHARA Telescope Array

adventures, backbone trail, nature, news, photography, pt mugu state park, running, trails, wildflowers, wildflowers

Fire Followers Along the Backbone Trail

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
Fire poppy (Papaver californicum), a fire follower, along the Backbone Trail west of Sandstone Peak. May 18, 2019.
Fire poppy along the Backbone Trail.

Fire followers are plants that grow in a recently burned area in much larger numbers than before a fire. In some cases the species may rarely have been observed in the area prior to the fire.

A good example of a fire follower is Poodle-dog bush (Eriodictyon parryi), which became widespread in the San Gabriel Mountains following the 2009 Station Fire.

A wet rain season also increases the population of many species. Combine a fire and wet rain season and plant distributions and populations can be dramatically altered.

Large-flowered Phacelia (Phacelia grandiflora), a fire follower, near Tri Peaks. May 18, 2019.
Large-flowered Phacelia near Tri Peaks. Click for larger image.

Yesterday, I did a long run in the Santa Monica Mountains that included several miles of the Backbone Trail between Sandstone Peak and the Danielson Multi-use area in Sycamore Canyon. This area was burned in 2018 Woolsey Fire and there were some stunning displays of fire followers and other wildflowers.

Star lily was one of the earliest fire followers to bloom in the area and remains prevalent, but the champion fire follower at the moment is large-flowered Phacelia. Before the Woolsey Fire it would be unusual to see this plant on this section of the Backbone Trail. Now its purple-blue flowers blanket large areas along the trail.

Although not as numerous as the large-flowered Phacelia, I’ve never seen so many fire poppies along the Backbone Trail. Its orange-red color is striking and stands out sharply against the brown, charcoal-infused soil. Also more abundant this year is the vibrant yellow collarless poppy.

Here is a slideshow of some of the wildflowers seen on the run.

adventures, landscape, photography, running, san gabriel mountains, trails, trees, weather, wildfire

After the Station Fire: Back to Bear Canyon

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.

Bigcone Douglas-fir burned in the 2009 Station Fire. September 1, 2018.

It’s been nine years since the Station Fire burned 160,577 acres in Angeles National Forest. The Red Box – Bear Canyon – Gabrielino loop is a long time favorite adventure run that I’ve enjoyed doing many years before and after that 2009 fire.

The loop was the first I did when the area reopened in May 2011. The trails were in poor shape — overgrown and damaged from flash floods. The notorious fire-follower Poodle-dog bush had flourished in the wake of the fire and was particularly bad along the Gabrielino Trail between Switzer’s and Red Box. Thinking I was “immune” to the plant, I brazenly plowed through it, and as a result spent several inflamed nights trying to sleep in a reclining chair.

Each year Bear Canyon and upper Arroyo Seco recover a little more. Poodle-dog bush is in decline and in many areas nearing the end of its life-cycle. The chaparral, bay trees and oaks are all recovering; and the bigcone Douglas-firs that survived the fire have become more fully-foliaged.

Bear Canyon from the upper Bear Canyon Trail.
Bear Canyon from the upper Bear Canyon Trail. Click for larger image.

This year Bear Canyon was a little drier than last. The creek was a trickle, disappearing in the sand in some areas and creating small pools in others. The path in the upper part of the canyon, above Bear Canyon Camp, was better defined, but still tricky to follow in some spots.

With the dry conditions, most of the poison oak had already turned red. It was easy to spot, but difficult to avoid. The “stinging nettle” creek crossing higher in the canyon wasn’t as overgrown as last year, but I still managed to brush against a plant or two.

Bear Canyon ends at Arroyo Seco, downstream of Switzer Falls. After turning upstream on the Bear Canyon Trail, I hadn’t run far when I encountered a couple of mountain bikers. They asked me, “is this the trail to JPL?”

This wasn’t the first time that I’d encountered misplaced riders or hikers on this section of trail. Some get misplaced looking for the falls and others mistakenly follow the Bear Canyon Trail down into Arroyo Seco instead of continuing high in the canyon on the Gabrielino Trail. Because of the completion of the restoration of the Gabrielino Trail there were a few more riders on the trail than usual.

Here are a few photos taken along the way.

Some related posts: Bear Canyon Loop: If the Poison Oak Doesn’t Get You, the Stinging Nettle Will; After the Station Fire: Red Box – Bear Canyon – Gabrieleno Loop; After the Station Fire: Contact Dermatitis from Turricula parryi – Poodle-dog Bush