Re: Wildflower update

Desert wildflowers are beginning to appear at the southern end of the Owens Valley. Key spots to check out are the Alabama Hills and the southern alluvial fans of the Sierra Nevada. Includes links to more information, including a timeline for the usual peak blooming periods for wildflowers in the Eastern Sierra and surrounding deserts.

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/wildflower.html

If one is in the Alabama Hills area, go there, wildflowers or not. The place is an incredible experience. Plan on an entire day and wander all over. The wild flowers are a good bonus though.

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Old Dude

Surprised no one has mentioned the greatest bloom in our lifetime of California poppies downstream from the park along the Merced River. That is the result of released key ashy nutrients from last summer's Telegraph Fire that burned areas north of the river from several miles west of Briceberg, eastward to a mile short of Fergusson Ridge (Where the rockslide occurred.). Each March there is always a good bloom of poppies for a mile or two above and below the South Fork junction along the sunny north side canyon Merced River Canyon walls. That usual bloom is occuring now too and is about average. This unusual bloom of poppies starts a few miles downstream and is much more dense, widespread, and vibrant. Best viewed from late morning to mid afternoon. Much like the unusual bloom of lupines after the Foresta wildflire, the intensity will only decrease in coming springs so the time to see this brief event is this coming week or so. I'll get back some of my 4x5 film in a couple weeks however here is a pic I snapped yesterday with my little G10 while billygoating about one slope:





Post Edited (03-15-09 10:48)

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