Conifer Country. A natural history and hiking guide to 35 conifers of the Klamath Mountain region. Michael Edward Kauffmann

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1 Conifer Country A natural history and hiking guide to 35 conifers of the Klamath Mountain region Michael Edward Kauffmann In association with: Redwood Science Project, Humboldt State University California Native Plant Society, North Coast Chapter

2 Winter in the Siskiyou Mountains Order this book online: or Copyright 2012 Michael Edward Kauffmann First Edition Text pages printed on 100% recycled, 100% post consumer waste in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission from the author. All photos, text, maps by author except where noted Book layout by author Front cover design by Allison Poklemba Back cover design by author Published by Backcountry Press Kneeland, California ISBN Library of Congress Control Number: Map background images by Tom Harrison from Printing by Oceanside, California

3 Dedication To Allison for many honeymoons in the mountains & To my family for allowing me to explore There is science, logic, reason; there is thought verified by experience. And then there is California. -- Edward Abbey

4 Special Thanks: To Dr. John O. Sawyer, who has been a mentor and friend during my personal discovery of this magical landscape. To David Fix, who provided me with invaluable feedback over the eight years of writing and exploring. To Jeffrey White, who provided opportunities at Humboldt State to further my coniferous understandings. This book would not have achieved the climactic crescendo that is has without them and many others. While the successes of Conifer Country are due to all reviewers listed below, any shortcomings are solely attributable to the author. Inevitably, there will be issues to be addressed in the next edition. Content was thoroughly reviewed as well, but understandings change and new ideas arise. Contributing reviewers, in alphabetical order: David Charlet (conifers) David Fix (manuscript and copy editing) Erik Jules (manuscript and graduate committee member) Sue Leskiw (copy editing) Michael Mesler (manuscript and graduate committee member) Kristi Mergenthaler (geology) Allison Poklemba (anything and everything) John Sawyer (manuscript numerous times; graduate committee member) Loren Schneider (geology) David Rains Wallace (about this book) Jeffrey White (manuscript and graduate advisor) A few words of caution... Many of the trails mentioned in this book traverse wilderness areas often so remote that cell phones do not work. In addition to exposed risks of the terrain, weather conditions may also change quickly, the Earth may shake, or Mount Shasta may erupt. Just because a hike is included in this book, or even that I have rated it as easy, does not mean that it will necessarily be safe or easy for you. Prepare yourself with proper physical training, equipment, and wilderness skills before attempting anything outside of your comfort zone. You will then be able to hike with confidence in Conifer Country. I have hiked all of the routes herein at least twice to check the accuracy of the hike descriptions. Nonetheless, logging, construction, storm damage, or earthquake may have altered the trails and/or roads. This is one of the main reasons that the routes descriptions are available for digital download from my website, so they may be updated as I continue to explore and readers supply feedback. Please contact me and share your experiences with this book. Happy Trails (and plant loving), Michael Edward Kauffmann

5 Table of Contents Section 1: Klamath Knot 8 About this book 11 How to use this book 12 Conifer Country: the region defined 13 About the exceptional regional conifer diversity 14 The success story of regional conifers 16 Regional geology 20 Regional climate Section 2: Conifers 25 What is a conifer? 29 Comments on the range maps 29 Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) 33 White fir (Abies concolor) 35 Grand fir (Abies grandis) 39 Shasta fir (Abies x shastensis) 40 Noble fir (Abies procera) 44 Subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) 45 Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis) 49 Brewer spruce (Picea breweriana) 53 Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) 55 Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) 57 Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) 61 Mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) 64 Sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) 67 Western white pine (Pinus monticola) 71 Foxtail pine (Pinus balfouriana) 74 Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) 78 Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) 81 Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) 84 Ghost pine (Pinus sabiniana) 87 Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. murrayana) 89 Beach pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) 92 Knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata) 95 Bishop pine (Pinus muricata)

6 97 Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) 102 Incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) 104 Port Orford-cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) 107 Western redcedar (Thuja plicata) 109 Common juniper (Juniperus communis) 112 Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) 113 Alaska yellow-cedar (Cupressus nootkatensis) 115 Baker cypress (Cupressus bakeri) 118 Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) 121 Other regional conifers 125 Introduced conifers Section 3: Hikes 129 North Coast: Region Kings Peak - hike Russ Park - hike Patricks Point - hike Prairie Creek Zig-Zag - hike Damnation Creek - hike Little Bald Hills - hike Siskiyou Mountains: Region Vulcan Lake - hike Bear Peak Botanical Area - hike Devil s Punchbowl - hike Bigfoot Scenic Highway - hike Seiad Baker Cypress Botanical Area - hike Cook and Green Pass - hike White Mountain Botanical Area - hike Central Klamath Mountains: Region Diamond Lake - hike Little Duck Lake - hike Sugar Creek - hike Fen Trail - hike Mount Eddy - hike Cedar Basin - hike Bear Creek - hike 20

7 176 Canyon Creek - hike Gray (Ghost) Pine Botanical Area - hike Salmon Mountain - hike Southern Klamath Mountains: Region South Fork Mountain - hike Hell s Half Acre - hike South Fork Trinity National Recreation Trail - hike Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness - hike Long hike: Pacific Crest Trail 193 Long hike: Bigfoot Trail Section 4: Tying a bow around it 194 List of tables, figures, and color plates 196 Glossary 199 Bibliography 203 Future 205 About MK Foxtail pine in the Trinity Alps Wilderness