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Sculpin
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Joined: 23 Apr 2015
Posts: 1376 | TRs | Pics
Sculpin
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PostSun Apr 10, 2016 9:33 am 
At the southern end of the High Sierra, steep canyons drop down to the Mojave Desert. Most of these shallow canyons divide ridges of rounded hills that barely support grassland. But there is one canyon with a rather unassuming name - Short Canyon – that is flanked by outcrops of white Sierran granite in picturesque cliffs and spires. The scenery is quite nice, but the real attraction is the botany. Short Canyon is one of the botanical crown jewels of North America, situated at the intersection of the Great Basin, Mojave Desert, and Sierra Nevada. There are even a few disjuncts from the western valleys, such as California Poppy and Gray Pine. Short Canyon is officially an Area of Critical Environmental Concern in part due to the presence of Phacelia nashiana, “Charlotte’s Phacelia,” a spectacular, rare and very local endemic annual with flowers of deepest cobalt blue (similar to the much more common Phacelia campanularia but with a different flower shape). The following narrative describes my fifth hike in Short Canyon but my first during a “superbloom.” Short Canyon is well-known to the outdoorsy type folks in nearby Ridgecrest, but is nearly unknown to visitors. It was recommended to me by the good folks at the Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest or I would not know about it myself. That is why the rather largish parking lot held only 8 cars when we arrived on a perfect Saturday morning during peak bloom. The Short Canyon road starts as a left turn off of Highway 395 just North of the junction with Highway 14. Ordinary passenger cars can follow narrow brown signs from the turnoff to the trailhead with no difficulties. The trail starts steeply uphill in Joshua trees and a glorious desert annual bloom, but then quickly drops to flowing water, which comes out of the ground barely a quarter mile uphill. As we were walking this stretch, my bro-in-law, maybe 30 feet ahead, said “hummingbird!” As I looked forward to see what he saw, he said “No, it’s a moth.” It was a large Sphinx moth, the kind that hovers like a hummingbird. Then we had one of those experiences that you only get if you spend a lot of time in the backcountry or are extremely lucky. As the moth fluttered across the slope barely 10 feet from me, a large lizard, maybe a foot long in total, came sprinting out of a crevice, ran 18 inches across a boulder, hurled itself horizontally in the air for another 18 inches or so, caught the moth in midair in its mouth, and then tumbled pell-mell through a thornbush. It was one of those “did-I-just-see-what-I-think-I-saw?” moments. My opinion of the acuity and agility of reptiles is forever changed! Needless to say, no images of that. After the adrenaline and endorphin levels subsided a bit, we continued on. The carpet of flowers was quite nice:
The desert itself seemed to be in bloom
The desert itself seemed to be in bloom
Past the stretch by the stream, the boot-built trail again climbs steeply to what I call “Grape Soda Lupine Saddle.” This saddle separates the main canyon from a side canyon, and is thick with Lupinus excubitus, a large and gorgeous member of the genus with a strong fragrance that reminds folks of grape soda.
Approaching Grape Soda Lupine Saddle
Approaching Grape Soda Lupine Saddle
After the requisite photos and bloom-sniffing we continued on through the middle canyon and nice patches of desert annuals, mostly Phacelia and Gilia. Giant Nolina parryi are found here with crazy bloom stalks ten inches in diameter and eight feet tall.
The crew having lunch
The crew having lunch
Fountainhead
Fountainhead
The trail then continued on for a mile along the bottom of the canyon with sparse blooms, but we could see colored hillsides ahead. When we reached these hillsides, we found spectacular blooms of desert dandelion and coreopsis carpeting the area, absolutely sublime. Here we veered off the main route, which gets indistinct, and climbed towards a pass leading over to Grapevine Canyon to the north.
Approaching the Council Tree
Approaching the Council Tree
I had been to this pass before. Just before the pass, there is a council tree. This is a huge Gray pine that must be hundreds of years old.
The Council Tree
The Council Tree
As we approached the Council Tree, we found them. First one and then two more, Phacelia nashiana.
That's it!
That's it!
They were so beautiful they took my breath away. After more photos, we rested and drank in the shade of the council tree and enjoyed the view from the pass.
Kyra in the Council Tree
Kyra in the Council Tree
Going had been slow with all the flowers so we turned back here. About a quarter mile back, we startled the one and only rabbit we saw that day. It sprinted up the hillside a short distance and then turned and looked back at us…from the middle of a dense patch of dark blue flowers. Yep, you guessed it. It was a patch of about 50 Phacelia nashiana.
World Champion Phacelia nashiana
World Champion Phacelia nashiana
More photos ensued and then it was time to head home.

Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
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Bloated Chipmunk
Cock Rock Searcher



Joined: 29 Jan 2007
Posts: 2993 | TRs | Pics
Location: Margaritaville
Bloated Chipmunk
Cock Rock Searcher
PostMon Apr 11, 2016 1:46 pm 
Thanks for the TR of a place here in SoCal. Nice flowers! I'll put this on my list for next time we're up in that area. smile.gif up.gif

Home is where the hiking is. "Peaks that have come and gone four times should halt a man in his steps." -- William O. Douglas A balanced diet is a margarita in each hand.
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wildernessed
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Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
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PostMon Apr 11, 2016 2:12 pm 
up.gif Nice terrain and wildflowers.

Living in the Anthropocene
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neek
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Joined: 12 Sep 2011
Posts: 2329 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle, WA
neek
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PostMon Apr 11, 2016 3:01 pm 
Never thought I'd see a TR for this one! Wife grew up in r/c. Amazing to be at the right place and time to catch that lizard action.

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