Plant Guide to Dawson Saddle Trail

Plant Guide to Dawson Saddle Trail

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #Pls
0.00 This guide does not follow the old unsigned trail exactly at Dawson Saddle, SR2 (7903 feet). Instead, head east on SR2 to the new trailhead, about 0.04 miles beyond (east) of Mile Marker 69.59.
0.00 Plants at trailhead, in order from west (on the right) to east, beginning at the Jeffrey pine 5 steps to the right of the trailhead.
0.00 r 1 Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi 99 / 9
0.00 r 2 *Jerusalem oak Dysphania botrys 99 / 1
0.00 r 3 giant blazing star Mentzelia laevicaulis 40 / 1
0.00 r 4 rock buckwheat Eriogonum saxatile 75 / 5
0.00 r 5 threadleaf common rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa var. oreophila 15 / 3
0.00 r 6 Grinnell's beardtongue Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii 99 / 9
0.00 (pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea)
0.00 The trailhead
0.00 r 7 Nevin's bird's beak Cordylanthus nevinii 30 / 2
0.00 l 8 squirreltail Elymus elymoides 99 / 9
0.00 l 9 California brickellbush Brickellia californica 2 / 2
0.00 l 10 Davidson's buckwheat Eriogonum davidsonii 5 / 2
0.00 Begin hiking trail
0.00 11 pussy paws Calyptridium monospermum 30 / 2
0.00 l 12 silky lupine Lupinus elatus 99 / 9
0.01 r 13 green-leaf manzanita Arctostaphylos patula 99 / 9
0.01 b 14 Davidson's lotus Acmispon nevadensis var. davidsonii 25 / 2
0.01 r 15 pinegrove groundsmoke Gayophytum oligospermum 50 / 5
0.01 r 16 santolina pincushion Chaenactis santolinoides 20 / 3
0.01 17 white catch-fly Silene verecunda 15 / 2
0.01 l 18 white fir Abies concolor 99 / 9
0.02 Switchback to right; sign: "Dawson Saddle Trail. Built by Boy Scouts the summer of 1982 to commemorate the 75th year of world scouting. Total volunteer hours 3540. Elevation 7903 feet. USFS".
0.05 r 19 Davidson's phacelia Phacelia davidsonii 6 / 2
0.06 l 20 sugar pine Pinus lambertiana 99 / 9
0.07 l 21 pine lousewort Pedicularis semibarbata 99 / 9
0.07 l 22 broad-seeded rock-cress Boechera platysperma 20 / 2
0.08 l 23 Tehachapi ragwort Packera ionophylla 20 / 2
0.08 r 24 mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordulatus 99 / 9
0.09 Switchback to left; jct. old path to right that leads now to a steep dropoff in 6 paces.
0.09 r 25 slender woodland star Lithophragma tenellum 99 / 2
0.09 r 26 Southern California draba Draba corrugata 5 / 1
0.09 b 27 beaked penstemon Penstemon rostriflorus 50 / 4
0.11 l 28 southern Sierra phacelia Phacelia austromontana 99 / 4
0.14 r (alpine sulfur-flowered buckwheat, Eriogonum umbellatum var. minus)
0.18 b 29 curl-leaf mountain-mahogany Cercocarpus ledifolius 99 / 3
0.18 l (snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
0.19 b 30 one-sided bluegrass Poa secunda ssp. secunda 20 / 2
0.19 l (California cliff-brake, Pellaea mucronata var. californica; clasping-leaved caulanthus, Caulanthus amplexicaulis; a waif of desert pincushion, Chaenactis stevioides)
0.19 l 31 Mojave linanthus Leptosiphon breviculus 99 / 2
0.19 l 32 San Gabriel linanthus Linanthus concinnus 3 / 2
0.19 r 33 woolly mountain-parsley Oreonana vestita 99 / 3
0.19 Switchback to right.
0.20 l 34 Parish's needlegrass Stipa parishii var. parishii 30 / 3
0.21 l 35 alpine sulfur-flowered buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum var. minus 40 / 3
0.25 l 36 wax currant Ribes cereum var. cereum 20 / 4
0.27 l 37 Ross' sedge Carex rossii 5 / 2
0.27 r (Sierra gooseberry, Ribes roezlii var. roezlii)
0.28 l 38 lodgepole pine Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana 99 / 9
0.30 r Jct. with old trail from Dawson Saddle. Prickly cryptantha, Cryptantha echinella, is found 0.03 miles down the old trail.
0.30 r 39 Burlew's onion Allium burlewii 99 / 9
0.31 l 40 toothed wintergreen Pyrola dentata 1 / 1
0.34 l 41 low pussytoes Antennaria dimorpha 7 / 1
0.37 l 42 bitter root Lewisia rediviva var. minor 99 / 5
0.38 Begin open area.
0.39 l (Peirson's lupine, Lupinus peirsonii)
0.39 l 43 southern alpine buckwheat Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum 99 / 5
0.39 Now on ridge for first time. The trail will stay close to the ridgeline for the next 0.4 mile.
0.39 (fir mistletoe, Phoradendron bolleanum, 100 feet south)
0.39 l 44 Sierra mousetail Ivesia santolinoides 30 / 1
0.40 r 45 pine dwarf-mistletoe Arceuthobium campylopodum 40 / 1
0.41 r 46 Peirson's lupine Lupinus peirsonii 75 / 2
0.41 From right to left, view of the three peaks of Williamson Peak with the South Fork Trail below, Waterman Mountain, Strawberry Peak, Twin Peaks, Throop Peak, Mt. Burnham and Mt. Baden-Powell
0.44 47 snow-plant Sarcodes sanguinea 5 / 2
0.56 Trail leaves ridge, now on east (left) side slightly below the ridge.
0.60 Jct. faint trail that merges from the right that leads to ridge.
0.63 Back on ridge.
0.66 l 48 San Bernardino beardtongue Penstemon caesius 50 / 5
0.72 49 plain mariposa lily Calochortus invenustus 1 / 1
0.72 Trail leaves ridge and is just below ridge on east side.
0.77 Trail now goes farther below the ridge. An old trail, in disrepair, is on the ridge.
0.85 r 50 bush chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens 99 / 9
0.91 Cross small drainage with lots of lodgepole pine
0.97 l 51 pinedrops Pterospora andromedea 5 / 3
0.97 Cross small drainage with lots of lodgepole pine
1.02 Deep bear clawmarks on lodgepole pine, 6.5 feet above ground, in August 2002.
1.05 Cross small drainage.
1.11 Mt. Baden-Powell now visible again, now on the right of Mt. Burnham.
1.17 First small area burned in 2002 Curve fire. Only spot fires occurred along the rest of the trail, beyond the edge of the main fire.
1.20 Saddle with view of Mt. Wilson, San Gabriel Peak, Mt. Islip, Twin Peaks, Strawberry Peak, and Mt. Waterman. Trees have numerous bear claw marks. Trail heads back to east side of ridgeline.
1.20 r 52 sp wreath plant Stephanomeria virgata or S. exigua ssp. coronaria 1 / 1
1.20 l (limber pine, Pinus flexilis)
1.21 r (spineless horsebrush, Tetradymia canescens)
1.24 b 53 limber pine Pinus flexilis 99 / 9
1.35 r 54 Yosemite rockcress Boechera repanda 1 / 1
1.38 r Unusual closed depression
1.39 The final saddle on the trail. The trail now leaves the ridgeline and traverses the north slope of Throop Peak.
1.44 r 55 Sierra gooseberry Ribes roezlii var. roezlii 2 / 2
1.45 Cross drainage. Many lodgepole pines here.
1.54 Cross middle of three small drainages that join below the trail.
1.62 Cross drainage.
1.67 Cross drainage that is a limber and lodgepole pinecone graveyard.
1.72 Cross drainage.
1.79 Jct. PCT; elevation 8860 feet; end plant trail guide.

Off-trail only species given in guide:
0.19 56 clasping-leaved caulanthus Caulanthus amplexicaulis 1 / 1
0.19 57 desert pincushion Chaenactis stevioides 1 / 1
0.19 58 California cliff-brake Pellaea mucronata var. californica 20 / 1
0.30 59 prickly cryptantha Cryptantha echinella 5 / 1
0.39 60 fir mistletoe Phoradendron bolleanum 1 / 1
1.21 61 spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens 1 / 1
http://tchester.org/sgm/plants/guides/dawson_saddle_trail.html
Updated 7 June 2016.

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#Pls
0.00				This guide does not follow the old unsigned trail exactly at Dawson Saddle, SR2 (7903 feet). Instead, head east on SR2 to the new trailhead, about 0.04 miles beyond (east) of Mile Marker 69.59.
0.00				Plants at trailhead, in order from west (on the right) to east, beginning at the Jeffrey pine 5 steps to the right of the trailhead.
0.00	r	1		Jeffrey pine	Pinus jeffreyi	99 / 9
0.00	r	2		*Jerusalem oak	Dysphania botrys	99 / 1
0.00	r	3		giant blazing star	Mentzelia laevicaulis	40 / 1
0.00	r	4		rock buckwheat	Eriogonum saxatile	75 / 5
0.00	r	5		threadleaf common rabbitbrush	Ericameria nauseosa var. oreophila	15 / 3
0.00	r	6		Grinnell's beardtongue	Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii	99 / 9
0.00				(pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea)
0.00				The trailhead
0.00	r	7		Nevin's bird's beak	Cordylanthus nevinii	30 / 2
0.00	l	8		squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	99 / 9
0.00	l	9		California brickellbush	Brickellia californica	2 / 2
0.00	l	10		Davidson's buckwheat	Eriogonum davidsonii	5 / 2
0.00				Begin hiking trail
0.00		11		pussy paws	Calyptridium monospermum	30 / 2
0.00	l	12		silky lupine	Lupinus elatus	99 / 9
0.01	r	13		green-leaf manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula	99 / 9
0.01	b	14		Davidson's lotus	Acmispon nevadensis var. davidsonii	25 / 2
0.01	r	15		pinegrove groundsmoke	Gayophytum oligospermum	50 / 5
0.01	r	16		santolina pincushion	Chaenactis santolinoides	20 / 3
0.01		17		white catch-fly	Silene verecunda	15 / 2
0.01	l	18		white fir	Abies concolor	99 / 9
0.02				Switchback to right; sign: "Dawson Saddle Trail. Built by Boy Scouts the summer of 1982 to commemorate the 75th year of world scouting. Total volunteer hours 3540. Elevation 7903 feet. USFS".
0.05	r	19		Davidson's phacelia	Phacelia davidsonii	6 / 2
0.06	l	20		sugar pine	Pinus lambertiana	99 / 9
0.07	l	21		pine lousewort	Pedicularis semibarbata	99 / 9
0.07	l	22		broad-seeded rock-cress	Boechera platysperma	20 / 2
0.08	l	23		Tehachapi ragwort	Packera ionophylla	20 / 2
0.08	r	24		mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	99 / 9
0.09				Switchback to left; jct. old path to right that leads now to a steep dropoff in 6 paces.
0.09	r	25		slender woodland star	Lithophragma tenellum	99 / 2
0.09	r	26		Southern California draba	Draba corrugata	5 / 1
0.09	b	27		beaked penstemon	Penstemon rostriflorus	50 / 4
0.11	l	28		southern Sierra phacelia	Phacelia austromontana	99 / 4
0.14	r			(alpine sulfur-flowered buckwheat, Eriogonum umbellatum var. minus)
0.18	b	29		curl-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus ledifolius	99 / 3
0.18	l			(snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
0.19	b	30		one-sided bluegrass	Poa secunda ssp. secunda	20 / 2
0.19	l			(California cliff-brake, Pellaea mucronata var. californica; clasping-leaved caulanthus, Caulanthus amplexicaulis; a waif of desert pincushion, Chaenactis stevioides)
0.19	l	31		Mojave linanthus	Leptosiphon breviculus	99 / 2
0.19	l	32		San Gabriel linanthus	Linanthus concinnus	3 / 2
0.19	r	33		woolly mountain-parsley	Oreonana vestita	99 / 3
0.19				Switchback to right.
0.20	l	34		Parish's needlegrass	Stipa parishii var. parishii	30 / 3
0.21	l	35		alpine sulfur-flowered buckwheat	Eriogonum umbellatum var. minus	40 / 3
0.25	l	36		wax currant	Ribes cereum var. cereum	20 / 4
0.27	l	37		Ross' sedge	Carex rossii	5 / 2
0.27	r			(Sierra gooseberry, Ribes roezlii var. roezlii)
0.28	l	38		lodgepole pine	Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana	99 / 9
0.30	r			Jct. with old trail from Dawson Saddle. Prickly cryptantha, Cryptantha echinella, is found 0.03 miles down the old trail.
0.30	r	39		Burlew's onion	Allium burlewii	99 / 9
0.31	l	40		toothed wintergreen	Pyrola dentata	1 / 1
0.34	l	41		low pussytoes	Antennaria dimorpha	7 / 1
0.37	l	42		bitter root	Lewisia rediviva var. minor	99 / 5
0.38				Begin open area.
0.39	l			(Peirson's lupine, Lupinus peirsonii)
0.39	l	43		southern alpine buckwheat	Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum	99 / 5
0.39				Now on ridge for first time. The trail will stay close to the ridgeline for the next 0.4 mile.
0.39				(fir mistletoe, Phoradendron bolleanum, 100 feet south)
0.39	l	44		Sierra mousetail	Ivesia santolinoides	30 / 1
0.40	r	45		pine dwarf-mistletoe	Arceuthobium campylopodum	40 / 1
0.41	r	46		Peirson's lupine	Lupinus peirsonii	75 / 2
0.41				From right to left, view of the three peaks of Williamson Peak with the South Fork Trail below, Waterman Mountain, Strawberry Peak, Twin Peaks, Throop Peak, Mt. Burnham and Mt. Baden-Powell
0.44		47		snow-plant	Sarcodes sanguinea	5 / 2
0.56				Trail leaves ridge, now on east (left) side slightly below the ridge.
0.60				Jct. faint trail that merges from the right that leads to ridge.
0.63				Back on ridge.
0.66	l	48		San Bernardino beardtongue	Penstemon caesius	50 / 5
0.72		49		plain mariposa lily	Calochortus invenustus	1 / 1
0.72				Trail leaves ridge and is just below ridge on east side.
0.77				Trail now goes farther below the ridge. An old trail, in disrepair, is on the ridge.
0.85	r	50		bush chinquapin	Chrysolepis sempervirens	99 / 9
0.91				Cross small drainage with lots of lodgepole pine
0.97	l	51		pinedrops	Pterospora andromedea	5 / 3
0.97				Cross small drainage with lots of lodgepole pine
1.02				Deep bear clawmarks on lodgepole pine, 6.5 feet above ground, in August 2002.
1.05				Cross small drainage.
1.11				Mt. Baden-Powell now visible again, now on the right of Mt. Burnham.
1.17				First small area burned in 2002 Curve fire. Only spot fires occurred along the rest of the trail, beyond the edge of the main fire.
1.20				Saddle with view of Mt. Wilson, San Gabriel Peak, Mt. Islip, Twin Peaks, Strawberry Peak, and Mt. Waterman. Trees have numerous bear claw marks. Trail heads back to east side of ridgeline.
1.20	r	52	sp	wreath plant	Stephanomeria virgata or S. exigua ssp. coronaria	1 / 1
1.20	l			(limber pine, Pinus flexilis)
1.21	r			(spineless horsebrush, Tetradymia canescens)
1.24	b	53		limber pine	Pinus flexilis	99 / 9
1.35	r	54		Yosemite rockcress	Boechera repanda	1 / 1
1.38	r			Unusual closed depression
1.39				The final saddle on the trail. The trail now leaves the ridgeline and traverses the north slope of Throop Peak.
1.44	r	55		Sierra gooseberry	Ribes roezlii var. roezlii	2 / 2
1.45				Cross drainage. Many lodgepole pines here.
1.54				Cross middle of three small drainages that join below the trail.
1.62				Cross drainage.
1.67				Cross drainage that is a limber and lodgepole pinecone graveyard.
1.72				Cross drainage.
1.79				Jct. PCT; elevation 8860 feet; end plant trail guide.

				Off-trail only species given in guide:
0.19		56		clasping-leaved caulanthus	Caulanthus amplexicaulis	1 / 1
0.19		57		desert pincushion	Chaenactis stevioides	1 / 1
0.19		58		California cliff-brake	Pellaea mucronata var. californica	20 / 1
0.30		59		prickly cryptantha	Cryptantha echinella	5 / 1
0.39		60		fir mistletoe	Phoradendron bolleanum	1 / 1
1.21		61		spineless horsebrush	Tetradymia canescens	1 / 1