A week ago Saturday, I decided to make a quick overnight camping trip up in the Los Padres National Forest. I hadn't been out in a while (too much work) and I enjoy taking regular campouts, just car-camping. I'm fortunate in that there are some beautiful campgrounds along the Santa Ynez River about 15 - 20 minutes from my house. The downside to this is that they are the same distance from lots of other people's houses, so when the weather is nice you have to get there early to get a spot.
Sure enough, I got skunked along the river, and decided to go to the north side of the Santa Ynez Valley to a campground north of the town of Los Olivos. This site was farther in on a marginal road and I thought it would keep the crowds down. It turned out I was right. The campground at Figeroa Mountain had 36 spots and there was only me and three other parties there.
As you drive north to the campground from Los Olivos, you gain altitude as you enter the foothills of the San Rafael Mountains. You go from the Oak Savannah grasslands, through Oak Chaparral marked by brush and Digger Pines, to end in Foothill Woodlands at 3000 ft at the campground. The Foothill Woodhills are marked by beautiful stands of Manzanita and Jeffrey Pines.
This shot shows a large Manzanita with Jeffrey Pines in the background. Jeffrey Pines look much like the Ponderosa Pines I was familiar with from the Rockies. A key way to tell them apart is by smelling the bark - Jeffrey Pine bark smells like vanilla. I much admire the red smooth bark of Manzanita, set off by the deep green leaves.This is a pretty spot and it was fun exploring a little to find it. This time of year, however, it was a little too warm and buggy for my taste. It will be a great place to return to this Fall, when the bugs have died off and it cools a little. I spent the evening in my mesh tent (didn't need the fly) reading and writing away from bugs and it was so warm I didn't use the sleeping bag, just laying on my pad.
5 comments:
Reid, the ponderosas' bark smells like vanilla too, at least most people think so. The ones up at Bandelier last weekend were especially fragrant, even to my insensitive nose. The way I've been told to distinguish Jeffreys is by an, hhmmm, appendage on the cones which curves (like the letter J, conveniently), whereas those on Ponderosas are straight. I haven't spent much time in Jeffrey country, though, so forgive my vague memory.
There we go: http://trees.stanford.edu/images/Pinaceae/jeffreyi.jpg
"Prickles turn in on open cone scales." The parent page (http://trees.stanford.edu/ENCYC/PINjeff.htm) repeats the vanilla claim however.
Thanks for setting me straight. I've spent years and years around Ponderosas and never smelled their bark. Someone here in California told me the bark smell was a differentiator - that's the only reason I ever tried it. Delightful smell!!!
Did you get the PDF of the article I sent?
I did egt the article: thank you very much! I haven't had time to read it yet. We're geting ready to leave for a month long trip next week. Maybe I'll print and bring it though. Might be great reading while backpacking in the Wind Rivers!
We need to organize a tree-bark smelling party someday! Find some Jeffreys and Ponderosas side by side in the Eastern Sierras. The level of frangrance definitely seems to vary, by season, moisture level, both?
I sent that article to Adrienne Mayor who really liked it. I will be interestd to hear your take.
I love the Wind Rivers! Say hello to the Popo Agie for me - that's one of my favorite river names.
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