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Chapter field trips are free and open to the public. This page also lists non-chapter field trips, workshops and other events that require a fee, as noted in the announcement. Chapter field trips are oriented to conservation, protection and enjoyment of California native plants and wildlife. Many other upcoming chapter activities are listed in the Blazing Star.
In our region it is important to be prepared for hiking on rugged & steep terrain, wide temperature ranges and rapidly changing conditions at any time of year. All participants should wear sturdy footwear and carry sufficient water, sun protection, food, clothing layers, personal first aid and other supplies you may need. If you have any questions about your ability to participate in a particular field trip, please contact the trip leader in advance. Field trip chair: JoeCernac@sbcglobal.net or (408) 292-5465
Santa Cruz Chapter Events: ellen@centralcoastwilds.com
Bristlecone Chapter Events
East Bay Chapter Events
Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden http://www.nativeplants.org/ (Events)
Marin Chapter Events
North Coast Chapter Events
Yerba Buena Chapter Events
Completed 2009 filed trips
Sat Feb 28 Fire-follower Walk at Owl and Buckeye Canyons (San Mateo County) 1-4 pm
Saturday, March 7, 9 am, Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve
Sunday, March 8, 9:30 am, Mt. Tamalpais
Saturday, March 14, 10 am, Stile Ranch Hike
Sunday-Thursday, March 15-19, Desert Wildflower Trip
Friday-Sunday, March 20-22, Carrizo Plain National Monument (eastern San Luis Obispo County)
Saturday, March 28, 1 pm, Del Monte Forest, Monterey
Sunday, March 29, 1 pm, Coyote Ridge (Second trip on Saturday, April 11, 10 am)
Sunday, April 5, 10 am, Grant Ranch County Park
Sunday April 5, 10:30am-1:30pm. West Pinnacles w/ Corky Matthews
Saturday, April 11, 10 am, Coyote Ridge
Monday April 13 through Friday April 17. CA desert
Saturday, April 18, 9:30 am, Woods Trail, Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve
Wed April 29 7pm An Evening with the Grasses
Saturday-Sunday, May 2-3, The Cedars (Sonoma County)
Sat May 16 10am San Mateo Coast
Sun May 17 9am Mount Hamilton
Fri-Tues May 22-26. California Floristic Province in Oregon
Sat May 30 1pm Ring Mountain, Marin County
Sun Jun 7 10am Grass Walk at Los Trancos
Sun Jun 14 10am San Mateo Coast
Sun Sep 20 Bonny Doon Ecological Preserve
Sun Oct 4 Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve
Sun Oct 25 Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Field trip Reports
Sonora Pass Carcamp Trip Report (Aug 1-3, 2008) by Carolyn Dorsch
Eighteen people, including trip leaders Stella Yang and Carolyn Dorsch headed up to the Sierras the first weekend of August. We camped off of Hwy 120, at 6,200 feet, near the Clark Fork of the Stanislaus River. The first day we stayed in the “lowlands,” and explored along the Clark Fork meadow and the Column of the Giants. Day Two found us up near the top of Hwy 120, just a little west of Sonora Pass. We spent the day hiking up to St. Mary’s Pass (10,100 feet). The walk was steadily uphill, but with wildflowers all along the way, low 70s temperature, and nice breezes, the 1,200 foot climb from the trailhead was quite manageable. Along the way, and at the top of the pass we found many high-elevation flora blooming, including the following: Pursh’s wooly-pod (Astragalus purshii), Buckwheat (Eriogonum ovalifolium), Sierra Claytonia (Claytonia nevadensis), and Arctic Willow (Salix arctica). In fruit were two anemones: A. occidentalis and A. drummondii. All together, it was about a three-mile round trip. A couple people took the challenge offered by the mountains, and continued their hike up to Stanislaus Peak (11,233 feet) before rejoining the group back at the trailhead in the late afternoon. Day Three, as a final stop before heading home, we drove down Herring Creek Road. While it can be stunning in June (elevation around 7,000 feet), we had to work harder to find the flowers. Following the water, we came across beautiful colonies of Alpine Lily (Lilium parvum) near Herring Creek. The trip was capped off with a short visit along the Trail of the Gargoyles, where we could admire the amazing geologic formations. Plans are already in motion for another trip up to the Sonora Pass area. Late June/early July is the best time to see the flowers at the 6-7,000 feet elevation, but there is plenty to see in early August, so long as you go to the higher elevations. Look for this trip’s highlights at a Member’s Night meeting later in the year!
Botanizing in the State of Jefferson July, 2007
On June 30th, nearly 30 CNPS members made a seven hour voyage to the area of far northern California that many consider to be the heart of the State of Jefferson. What follows is a summary of where we went and what we saw; the full story is available on our Chapter website at www.cnps-scv.org under Field Trips, Reports.
Situated right on the wild and scenic Klamath River, Sarah Totten campground was all ours, and offered a wonderful place for us to call Home Sweet Temporary Home. On Sunday July 1st, we caravaned to Cook & Green Pass via Saeid Creek Rd., making several stops on our way up. At our first stop, sharp eyes spotted an interesting saprophytic plant growing in the forest duff: Monotropa hypopythis or pinesap, and this was a first time sighting for most in the group. As we continued uphill, we found many other interesting and showy plants, including some that were being dug up by poachers! At the top, we explored the Pacific Crest Trail as it heads east of Cook & Green, and got a taste of the rich flora of the region and its relationship to the geology.
Monday was Calochortus day, and we traveled to three very different locations finding all three species we were seeking in nice bloom: C. persistens high up on Gunsight Ridge just west of Yreka; C. greenei just over the border into Oregon; and C. macrocarpus in a wide valley north of Mt. Shasta.
Day three saw a return to Cook & Green, this time on the PCT west of the pass towards Red Buttes. We encountered many species not seen on the other side of the pass, including a seep with Cypripedium californicum, the California lady-slipper orchid. The top of our journey to Bee Camp opened up to an area of stunning vistas and a different flora, as the local botany closely follows the local geology and microclimate.
The next day was a trip to Alex Hole, a northeast-facing cirque situated at the shoulder of Coundry Mountain. We found a stunning array of species to occur in and around this glacially-carved bowl, including choice plants from genera Lewisia, Erythonium, and Polemonium, along with several orchid species. This is also the only place we encountered melting snow. I think...
We moved camp south for the rest of the trip, to yet another paradise situated on the summit of Scott Mountain Pass, south of Etna on Hwy. 3. This campground adjacent to large meadows with seeps and fens surrounded by rich woodlands provided ample opportunity for the botanically inclined to lose themselves in the identification and appreciation of such a diversity of species.
Jefferson, we shall return.
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