THE JEFFREY PINE JOURNAL Newsletter of Friends of the Inyo SPRING-SUMMER 2005 VOLUME III, ISSUE I Giving Back to the Land The Eastern Sierra Wilderness Stewardship Corps High & Dry Walking the crest of the White Mountains Desert Oases A field guide to streamside trees of the Eastern Sierra Summer on the Eastside – McGee Canyon, John Muir Wilderness Working to preserve the public lands and wildlife of the Eastern Sierra Jeffrey Pine Journal Volume 3, Issue 1 THE President’s Message Jeffrey Pine Journal by Frank Stewart ost of you are reading this newsletter for the first time. For this issue VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 SPRING-SUMMER 2005 Monly, we are tripling the number of newsletters that we are printing and mailing, thanks to the generosity of a donor. You have received the Newsletter of “Jeffrey Pine Journal” because we think that you need to know about us. Friends of the Inyo We are a growing and dedicated group of citizens who believe that the pub- lic lands and wildlife of the Eastern Sierra need to be protected. Although Friends of the Inyo has been around for a number of years, in the last few years we have really stepped it up a notch. We have an Executive Director, Post Office Box 64 one conservation associate, and with help of the National Forest Founda- Lee Vining, California 93514 tion, we have added one more person to our staff. Our Bishop office is a pretty busy place. But then, the Eastern Sierra is also a pretty busy place. 275 S. Main St. The “east side” receives annual tourist visitation numbers that rival Yel- Bishop, California 93514 (760) 873-6400 lowstone and the Grand Canyon combined. Why? Not just because of its www.friendsoftheinyo.org wild character and striking scenery, but because that wildness and beauty is Board of Directors only about a half day’s drive from where most Californians live. In the long Lisa Jaeger – Round Valley, CA run, that close proximity is a good thing. People will always need to escape Frank Stewart – Round Valley, CA the hectic pace of the cities, yet there never seems to be quite enough time Linda Emerson – Bishop, CA to get away. Here in the Eastern Sierra, visitors can find the tranquility Todd Vogel – Bishop, CA they seek up a mountain trail on the same day that they left the office (as Paul Spitler – Palo Alto, CA long as they can slip out by noon!). For those who can spare more time, Will Friday – Santa Monica, CA the Sierra Nevada, White Mountains and Inyo Mountains that surround Bishop offer some of the best opportunities for backcountry travel in the Staff lower 48 states. That opportunity is one that we would like to pass on to Paul McFarland, Executive Director Keith Glidewell, Conservation Associate future generations, to your kids. We want to keep the “eastside” wild, but Jamie Anderson, Stewardship Coordinator we are not willing to leave that to chance. We are working towards achiev- ing new wilderness designations for the last of the best places that remain Friends of the Inyo is a local non- unprotected around here. Check out our proposals by visiting our website: profit conservation organization www.friendsoftheinyo.org dedicated to preserving the wildlife, This year in the high country, spring has been slow to take hold. Winter cultural and recreational values of has persisted well into April. We started off with the wettest October on the Eastern Sierra’s public lands. record. Then we got pasted with deep snows and drenching low elevation Printed on Recycled Paper rains in late December/January. Now, with this cool spring, we are enjoy- ing an epic desert wildflower bloom, as well as a lasting and dense Sierra snow pack. Of course, soon the heat will turn on in California, bringing the The Cover Photo runoff in torrents. But even summer’s heat will not defeat the deep snow- drifts of the upper slopes. The north faces of the mountain passes will be Mule’s Ears and White Lupine in McGee Canyon. Photo by holding snow all year. Be sure to plan on getting up to the Eastern Sierra. Andy Selters, www.andysel- It is shaping up to be a great summer. ters.com. – Frank Stewart is a General Building Contractor. He wishes he had more The Jeffrey Pine Journal, a biannual publication time for backpacking and fishing. of Friends of the Inyo, is named after the Eastern Sierra’s most aromatic conifer, Pinus jeffreyi. The Jeffrey Pine Journal is distributed free to members of Friends of the Inyo and is available at vari- ous locations in the Eastern Sierra and beyond. Written material and images herein are the sole property of Friends of the Inyo or are used with exclusive permission. We welcome submissions of artwork, writing and field observations. Please send all submissions and comments to Paul McFarland at [email protected]. Thanks. FRIENDS OF2 THE INYO Jeffrey Pine Journal Volume 3, Issue 1 Outings 21-23 May - Cottonwood Creek Restoration 9 July - Protect our Headwaters Upper Owens Campout. Help restore stream banks, plant wil- River Stewardship Day. The Owens River is with- lows and cottonwoods and fix up informal camp- out a doubt the single most important river in the sites along the lower section of the largest stream in Eastern Sierra. Join us for a productive and reward- the White Mountains, Cottonwood Creek. In addi- ing day of fixing fences and campsites, installing tion to on the ground work, BLM biologists and new informational kiosks and restoring illegal off- local naturalists will lead bird and wildflower walks road vehicle tracks up and down the Upper Owens along this remote desert oasis. Primitive carcamp, River. Together we can help ensure a long life for potluck, campfire & camaraderie. 2-WD vehicles this beautiful river. Meet at 9am at the Big Springs OK. Campground (Head a bit over 9 miles north of the Highway 203 & Highway 395 junction. Turn east 4 June - Inyo Mountains Wilderness Restora- off Highway 395 on to Owens River Road. Drive tion and Hike. Come out and help restore and 2 miles east and turn north (left) into Big Springs block illegal off-road vehicle damage in the Inyo Campground). Event cosponsored by Friends of Mountains Wilderness. Back in March, FOI volun- the Inyo, the Sierra Nevada Alliance and California teers and FS staff raked out illegal tracks, installed Trout. Wilderness Boundary signs and built vehicle bar- riers only to have the work undone and the signs 30 July - Schulman Grove of Bristlecones. torn down in less than two weeks. On this trip, vol- Walk among the world's oldest living trees on one unteers will redo and reinforce the restoration work of the Eastern Sierra's most spectacular trails. This done in March in the morning and then head out 4.5 mile walk along the Methuselah Trail among into the Inyos for a hike among the pinyon pines. the world's oldest trees winds along the roof of the Lunch and refreshments provided. Bring gloves. Great Basin in the White Mountains. Meet at 10am Meet at 8am in front of the FOI office (275 South at the parking lot of the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Main Street) in Bishop. Visitor's Center, 9 miles north of Highway 168 on the White Mountain Road. 12 June - Glass Creek Meadow Hike. A moder- ately strenuous 4 mile roundtrip will take us up to 20 August - Green & Brown Lakes. A moderate- Glass Creek Meadow past tumbling Glass Creek ly strenuous 6.5 mile roundtrip stroll through aspen falls. Glass Creek Meadow, the largest subalpine groves leads up into a perfectly carved hanging val- meadow in the Eastern Sierra, is home to over 40 ley of granite, flowery mountain meadows and cool species of butterflies, Yosemite toads and dazzling alpine lakes. Meet at 9am at the South Lake Trail- wildflower carpets. A hidden gem, there are few head parking lot. places as magical as Glass Creek Meadow. Meet at 10 September - Second Annual Eastern Sierra 9am at the Obsidian Dome Road turn-off, 11 miles Coastal Clean Up. Last year, over 50 participants north of the Hwy 395 and 203 junction. cleaned up over 250 pounds of trash from the Bish- 15-19 June - White Mountain Crest Hike with op Creek Drainage in this first annual fall clean up. Sierra Mountain Center. See sidebar on page 9. Location and times to be announced, but you can bet on a day of beautiful weather, colorful creekside 2 July - Glass Creek Meadow. Come out and forests and plentiful prizes for participants. celebrate the freedom of America's public lands on a moderate, 4 mile hike to Glass Creek Meadow in the Proposed Owens River Headwater Wilderness Additions. The eastside's largest subalpine meadow, Outings Details Glass Creek Meadow is home to over 40 species of butterflies, Yosemite Toads and dazzling wildflower All hikes are free (except White Mtn. Crest hike), and open to ALL! Please also visit our website – www.friend- carpets. Meet at 9:30 am at the Obsidian Dome softheinyo.org – for more hikes and projects throughout Road turnoff, 11 miles north of the Hwy 203 junc- the summer. For more information, please contact Paul at tion and 3.5 miles south of the June Lake Junction 760-873-6400 or [email protected]. on Hwy 395. Photo: Norman Herterich FRIENDS OF3 THE INYO Jeffrey Pine Journal Volume 3, Issue 1 Giving Back to the Land FOI establishes the Eastern Sierra Wilderness Stewardship Corps he Inyo National Forest, located along the solutions.