Aspen Grove - 10,000' Ridge Exploratory Hike

[Hikin_Jim]

I'll call it an exploratory hike since we didn't quite summit the high point of 10K Ridge. If I get time, I'll post a proper TR later this week, but for now here are some photos of my Aspen Grove - 10,000' Ridge Exploratory Hike

HJ

[Vnthali]

Hi Jim. Great photos. What I enjoy most about your posts is that I learn something new every time I read them. Now, for example, I know what an Aspen looks like. Every time I hike I see all of the trees and wonder what thy're called. We truly are fortunate to have this kind of natual wonder so close and so (relatively) accessible.

[Hikin_Jim]

I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. Here in S. Calif. we have such good subject matter when it comes to outdoor photography!

I'm glad to hear that you find my posts educational. I have sort of a hobby regarding trees, their identification, and a few basic facts about them -- particularly conifers. Trees are sort of an altimeter as well inasmuch as the trees change as we gain and lose elevation.

List of onifer species of the general area of the San Gorgonio wilderness. Don't quote me on the Latin spellings. I'm doing this from memory. I'll correct them when I get a chance.
-Big Cone Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa) -- lower elevations up to perhaps 6000'
-Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) -- all over the wilderness area, particularly common in Barton Flats. Long needled pine, needles grow in clusters of threes. Medium sized cone
-Jeffery Pine (Pinus Jefferii) -- close cousin of the Ponderosa. Less common in the SGW. More common in the San Gabriels. Larger cones.
-Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) - Fibrous red bark. Leaves are flattened and scale like not needle like. Mature trees can be confused with Sequoias.
-Singleleaf Pinyon (Pinus monophylum) -- Most pines grow needles in clusters. This pine grows its needles singly. Dry land pine. Found on drier, sun exposed slopes, particularly in the eastern and northern sections of the SGW, for example on Grinnell Ridge.
-Sugar Pine (Pinus Lambertiana) - Mid-length needles growing in clusters of 5. Cones are long (sometimes 20" or more) and often break off with part of the branch still attached. Likes shady well watered areas like north slopes of San Bernardino Peak Divide.
- Limber Pine (Pinus Flexilis). High altitude cousin of the Sugar Pine. Also has 5 needles to a cluster. Grows in krummholtz (stunted) form almost to the very summit of San G. Can tie thin branches in a knot without breaking the branch which is a snow shedding strategy for surviving harsh winters.
- Lodgepole Pine (Pinus Contorta) - Another high altitude pine. Found frequently in the upper regions of the SGW, particularly on high, wind swept ridges. Needles are "contorted" (half twist from tip to base) an grow in clusters of two. Small round cones. Produces highly numerous cones which can cover the ground around the base of the tree over time.
-Juniper (Juniperus ?) - Can't remember whether it's Utah Juniper or which one. Not particularly common but is present in some drier portions of the wilderness.

Maybe in future TR's I'll delineate photographically which is which.

HJ

[Dave G]

Nice recon! That ridge is on my to do list.

[Vnthali]

Jim, we picked up a couple of really big pine cones (about 12-inches tall) from the Marion Mountain campground yesterday. The campground is just over 6K. Are these perhaps from the Big Cone Douglas Fir you mentioned above?

[Hikin_Jim]

They're probably not Big Cone Douglas Fir. The name "Big Cone" distinguishes our local Douglas Firs from Douglas Firs elsewhere. In other words, the cones are only big in relationship to other Douglas Firs.

Can you describe the cones?

If they had heavy spines that look almost like a bear's claws, they were probably Coulter Pines.


If each scale on the cone looked like sort of spoon like, and the cone was long and cylindrical, it was probably Sugar Pine.


If the cone scales were pointed downwards, and the overall shape of the cone was egg shaped, then it was probably Jeffery Pine.


HJ

[Vnthali]

Thanks for the information Jim. It's the one in the middle (sugar Pine). The cone's almost a foot long from its base to the top.

[Hikin_Jim]

Thanks for the information Jim. It's the one in the middle (sugar Pine). The cone's almost a foot long from its base to the top.

That sounds right. They can be really really long. I've seen them over 20" long.


It's kind of cool (well, for me anyway) to know what kind of plant community I'm hiking through and what it tells me about the elevation and environment. It's really interesting to watch the trees and plants change as I ascend and descend and as I travel to different parts of the wilderness. They're almost like road signs for me.

HJ

[Hikin_Jim]

Map of route (from Aspen Grove to the point we stopped), showing both cross country short cuts that we used.

HJ

[Andy]

Jim, thanks again for another fine report and I love the fact that you saw ice already.