Middle Fork Kaweah River 6 May 2013

This was my first hike in the Sierra for 2013. It was cut short by rain, but was enjoyable nonetheless. Common madia were all over the place. As I worked my way up canyon, I saw many of the species I had seen on a hike in 2012. Trail crew was finishing brush removal and only had a mile or two of trail left to complete. I talked to them when they caught up to me and it turned out I had met two of them near Hamilton Lake last August. I asked for a flower ID and they told me yerba santa. Thanks, guys, there's not much of that at the higher elevations where I usually hike. I found clustered broomrape again and a relative that looks even stranger, chaparral broomrape. At mid-day, the rain was coming down pretty hard, so I decided I'd better head back. It rained off and on during my return to the trailhead but by the time I got back it was mostly clear. Driving from the trailhead out to Highway 198, I saw a few more gorgeous flowers and even stopped on the highway to photograph a few more. I stopped at the visitor's center and got another ID, this time Sierra manroot. I'm not too proud to ask for help. It saves a lot of book work.

Great day!

Posted on Μάιος 29, 2013 0340 ΠΜ by sekihiker