Dinkey Lakes 23-25 August 2017
This was my second trip out of Cliff Lake Trailhead this year and it turned out to be as fruitful as the first. It was my first trip beyond the Nelson Lake turnoff. The trail remains heavily forested to Cliff Lake and to the pass leading to Dinkey Lakes. The purpose of my hikes for the past several years has been to document the areal extent of Lewisia leeana and this was one of the most fruitful I have taken.
During the hike to Cliff Lake, I was distracted by 18 plants and one amphibian. Three of them were new to me. They included bud saxifrage (Micranthes bryophora), muskflower (Mimulus moschatus)and a Sierran treefrog (Pseudacris sierra).
A little before noon as I approched Cliff Lake, I made my first observation of Lewisia leeana. I wasn't expecting to see it because it had never been reported in the area. Near the inlet stream at the north end of Cliff Lake, I observed L. leeana in the wettest environment I have ever seen it and it was surrounded by moss. During the hike to the divide, I made a total of 13 observations of L. leeana. L. leeana was not as abundant on the north side of the divide until I got to Rock Lake. During the remainder of 23 August, I made eight more observations of L. leeana.
See : https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/sekihiker/2017/8/23
On 24 August I divided my time between two areas in Dinkey Lakes. During the morning, I hiked from my camp at Second Dinkey Lake to Island Lake down to Fingerbowl Lake and back to Island Lake via a different route. The granite ridge north of the trail between Second Dinkey and Island was barren of L. leeana and I didn't see any of it until I crossed the Island Lake outlet stream. The slopes between Island Lake and Fingerbowl Lake were a different matter - I made 20 observations in that area. Returning to Second Dinkey I walked the ridge south of it, returning via a more westerly route. I made 20 more observations of L. leeana on that circuit.
See : https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/sekihiker/2017/8/24
I decided to return home on 25 August. I made a couple of more observations of L. leeana north of the divide. South of the divide I took the Bullfrog Lake trail and made an additional 25 observations of L. leeana on the way to the trailhead. In addition, I made my first observation of ballhead sandwort (Eremogone congesta).
See : https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/sekihiker/2017/8/25
The Dinkey Lakes area has more observations of L. leeana in the Calflora database and iNaturalist than anywhere else in Fresno County. It is heavily visited because of its beauty and more recently due to its easy access. I visited about half the area and the density of L. leeana was at least equal to anywhere I've been.
Comentários
Oh fingerbowl lake how I miss you. I unfortunately was unaware of iNaturalist before my many excursions to the dinkey wilderness area but am planning a trip this coming summer and would love to expand on the observations you have made. I know for a fact i've seen multiple individuals on the way to three sisters peak from the ridgeline south of mystery lake. Great post!
I figure only half to a third of the area where L leeana is abundant has been delineated. I will be returning to the area next summer as well.
Thanks for the kind words.
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