2012 trail work season wraps up...took place on the pacific crest trail. this was the most remote...
TRANSCRIPT
Notice:
This year the Palm Springs
Aerial Tramway will be
closed for maintenance
from August 10 to 30.
Plan ahead.
sediment runoff into the Long
Valley meadow and creek.
Crews installed new bridges
this season, although some of
the bridge head abutments and
trail extensions and realign-
ments won’t be built until next
season. Due to the complexity
of some of the proposals in the management plan, no comple-
tion date has been determined
yet for Long Valley.
Crews worked in Round Valley
for the second consecutive
season improving the trace
trails that lead from the main
trails to the campsites. Most of
the work so far has been on
the north and west side of the
Round Valley meadow. A cou-
ple of new outhouses were
placed in service recently. Like
the work in Long Valley, the
purpose of the work in Round
Valley is to reduce erosion and
sediment runoff into the Round
Valley meadow.
Continued on Page 4
This year’s trail work
season marked the third consecu-
tive year that trail crews from the
California Conservation Corps and
the California State Parks State-
wide Trail Crew worked at Mount
San Jacinto State Park. Work began
in Long Valley in May as the last of
the snow was melting off and work ended the last week of October as
the last of the volunteer mule
teams from the Backcountry
Horsemen of California hauled the
final loads of tools and equipment
out of Fuller Ridge.
The California Conserva-
tion Corps brought backcountry
trail crews from Yosemite, Stanis-
laus, and Klamath. Each of these
crews, which are also affiliated
with the federal AmeriCorps pro-
gram, spent about 6 to 8 weeks working on our trails. Local CCC
Corpsmembers from the Inland
Empire centers in San Bernardino
and Pomona also rotated through
during the entire summer. Each
crew averages 13 to 15 Corps-
members. Most of the season we
had two to three crews working.
The CCC crews were mentored
by the State Parks Statewide Trail
Crew which managed each job
site, assigned daily tasks, and su-
pervised construction while pro-
viding one to five laborers per
site. The State Park’s crew is
managed by Staff Parks and Rec-reation Specialist Lori Turner, and
she is assisted by Laborers James
Silvia and Gardner James.
Trail crews worked in
four areas of the park: Long Val-
ley, Round Valley, Fuller Ridge
and the Hidden Divide Preserve.
In Long
Valley, crews
started the trail
improvements
outlined in the
Long Valley Man-
agement Plan
which was pub-
lished this last
spring. This project
will make most of
the Long Valley
trail system acces-
sible
to those with mobil-
ity needs, and the
new trails will be
more sustainable in
handling increased visitor capacity.
Drainage is improved
by using modern trail
construction tech-
niques such as single
and double-sided
causeways, which
reduces erosion and
Mt. San Jacinto Natural
History Association
A Non-Profit Corporation
Serving Mt. San Jacinto State
Park and Wilderness since
1979
Winter 2013 Volume 33, Number 1
In this Issue: ….
2012 Trail Work Season
overview ……………..Page 1
NHA Board of Director’s
Update………………..Page 2
Photo Contest 2012 Win-
ners…………………...Page 3
Natural History Corner
……………………. . Page 5
Annual Picnic Report Page 6
Membership ………Page 7
Preventatiive Search and
Rescue Program…… Page 8
Holiday Banquet Re-
port………………….Page 9
Bulletin: Goldspotted Oak
Borer alert…………. Page10
PEAKS is the newsletter of
the Mt. San Jacinto Natural
History Association. pub-
lished for the members and
other interested parties. To
receive the newsletter please
provide an email address.
Newsletter Editor:
Joe Migliore
2012 Trail Work Season Wraps Up Improvement work will resume when the snow melts at
Long Valley, Round Valley, Fuller Ridge and the much anticipated Hidden Divide
Preserve. From Supervising Ranger Bart Grant
Page 2 PEAKS Winter 2013
Iona Scapple President 2013-2015 Kurt Leuschner Vice President 2012-2013 Robert Pellenbarg Treasurer 2012-2014 Marsha Hansen Secretary 2013-2015 Peter A’Hearn Director 2013 –2015 Maureen McCarty Director 2012-2013 Joe Migliore Director 2013-2015 Dennis Schirmer Director 2012-2014 Elize Van Zandt Director 2012-2013 State Park Liaison Garratt Aitcheson Park Superintendent Bart Grant Supervising Ranger Robert Howard Park Interpreter John Beringer Park Aide
2013 Board of Directors From the President, Iona Scapple
Thank you to volunteers for all the work that you
have done this year. Someone once said that volun-
teers are not paid, not because they are worthless
but because they are priceless. Without the volun-
teers, the Visitor Center would not be open. With
the help of John Beringer, the Visitor Center is now
operating seven days per week. John, our VC Man-
ager/Park Aide, has given much more of his time than
what he is paid.
Thank you Board Members, Joe Migliore has opened
his home to the Board for all of the meetings and he
has worked tirelessly to keep the Board moving in
the correct direction. Joe, our PEAKS publisher has
rewritten the NHA brochure with the help of Kurt
Leuschner, Maureen McCarty and our editor Elize
Van Zandt. Maureen is also our webmaster. Marsha Hansen, our secretary, has done more
than her share of work by doing many of the jobs usually done by the president. Bob Pellen-
barg, our treasurer, is doing a good job with the numbers, keeping our bills paid. Dennis
Schirmer, our science collaborator, is a man of many hats, doing whatever is asked of him. Our current slate of Board Members, along with a new member, Peter A’ Hearn, are looking
forward to an exciting new year of service to our State Park. John Muir once remarked that
“the view from Mount San Jacinto was the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on
earth”. Our hope is to help our State Park visitors share John Muir’s view.
Welcoming a New Director of The NHA Board
Peter A’Hearn
Peter and his wife Rochelle attended the
annual NHA banquet on December 8 at
which time Peter was unanimously
elected by the membership to the Board
of Directors. A welcome addition in-
deed!
Peter is K-12 Science Specialist at Palm
Springs Unified School District.
As the district science coach, he works
with teachers through lesson study, one-
on-one coaching, consultation, workshops and summer institutes, teaching science lessons
and working with teachers at all levels from Kindergarten through College Board Advanced
Placement Physics.
He is also a Board member of the Region 4 California Science Teachers Association and co-
chair of the 2013 California Science Education Conference in Palm Springs.
There’s more, but you get the idea.
“if you want something done ask a busy person” so the saying goes.
Welcome Peter
To Russell Anderson
Mary Wilson
&
Kim Clark
For all that you have
done while serving as
members of the
NHA Board of Direc-
tors,
With our sincere
appreciation!
PEAKS Page 3 Winter 2013
The Winners of the 2012 3rd Annual NHA Photo Contest
Thanks to all of you who submitted photos for the 3rd annual contest. The judges had some diffi-
cult decisions to make in selecting just the best seven photographs out of many fine entries. We
will add an honorable mention category for the upcoming contest to recognize at least a few of
the excellent entries in each category that did not make the final cut. The 2013 contest gets un-
derway on April 1st. Check out the website for further information and rules at msjnha.org
2nd Place, Scenic
Aleta Walther
San Clemente, CA
Grand Prize
Peter Lapner
Port Richey, FL
1st Place, Scenic
Tom Gallagher
Redding, CA
1st Place, Plant
Sharon Mattern
Palm Desert, CA
2nd Place, Plant
Kurt Johnson
Palm Springs, CA
1st Place, Wildlife
Aleta Walther
San Clemente, CA
2nd Place, Wildlife
Kurt Johnson
Palm Springs, CA
Page 4 PEAKS Winter 2013
2012 Trail Work Season Wraps Up continued from Page 1
Bart Grant
Supervising Ranger
“The eagerly anticipated trail project taking place in Hidden Divide is well under-way. We anticipate this pro-ject will be completed in 2013.”
really nice rock work the crews have done
near the North Fork San Jacinto River
crossing. Crews are also realigning
a section of this trail, removing 19
of 21 switchbacks. There are about
2 more seasons worth of work to
complete.
The eagerly anticipated trail pro-
ject taking place in Hidden Divide
is well underway. Once completed,
there will be a way for the public
to legally access the features of this
area that are currently not adja-
cent to trails while still protecting
the most sensitive features of this
preserve, such as the endemic and
threatened San Jacinto Blue Curl. We an-
ticipate this project will be completed in
2013.
Looking into the future, we anticipate that
there is sufficient proposition 84 funding
available to continue trail improvements
during the 2013 and 2014 seasons at the
same level as this year. It is likely that pro-
jects will continue in 2015 but at a reduced
level as funding shifts to local sources.
For more information or to review maps
and documents about each project, stop by
either the Long Valley Ranger Station or
park headquarters in Idyllwild. The Long
Valley Management Plan may be reviewed
on line. See link at bottom of page.
Lastly, I want to acknowledge the trail work
done by the wilderness Park Aides, Boy
Scouts and Volunteers.
This season we had up to 5 park
aides assigned at Long Valley.
Park Aides handle the routine
maintenance of the existing
trails rather than reconstruc-
tion. Park Aides clear obstacles
on trails such as logging out
fallen trees, keep the wilderness
campgrounds and trails clean,
maintain the outhouses, trim
brush, and make and maintain
the trail signage. State Park vol-
unteers occasionally help the
Park Aides and have stayed overnight at the
wilderness campgrounds as camp hosts. Boy
Scouts performed projects in Little Round
Valley, the Low Trail and Stone Creek area
this summer including improving a
switchback section of trail and widening a
narrow steep section of trail by rebuilding a
retaining wall.
There are plenty of volunteer opportunities
working on the trails in the park. Most of the
work I save for the volunteers is of the eas-
ier, less technical nature that is still impor-
tant, such as brush trimming, clearing trail
alignments and logging out fallen trees with
crosscut saws. We are also interested in
having volunteers serve as camp host in the
backcountry campgrounds next summer,
Some realignment of the trails is taking
place to reduce impacts on the meadow.
There are about 2 or 3 more seasons’
worth of work to complete.
At Fuller Ridge, a third season of work
took place on the Pacific Crest Trail.
This was the most remote work site for
the crews. Volunteer packers and their
mule teams from the Backcountry
Horsemen of California kept this crew
supplied with weekly runs up the Deer
Springs Trail. Each mule carried about
120-130 pounds of equipment per trip.
The goal of this once dangerous section
of the PCT is to bring it to the eques-
trian standards set for the PCT.
If you get a chance, go and check out the
Management Plan: http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/795/files Long_Valley_Mngmnt_Plan_FINAL_1_2012web.pdf
Large-blotched
Ensatina Salamander Ensatina escholtzii klauberi
Rob Howard, Park Interpreter
“Ensatinas have been seen on the ramp lead-ing to the tram, so when people pick up pieces of bark or wood next to the walkway, they could potentially disturb a salamander’s
home.”
Natural History Corner by Rob Howard, Park Interpreter, San Jacinto State Park
One of the few amphibians known to oc-
cur in Mount San Jacinto State Park is the
Large-blotched Ensatina Salamander
(Ensatina eschscholtzii klauberi). An adult
Ensatina measures 3 - 6 inches in total
length, with a large head and eyes, long
legs, and a relatively short body. The col-
orful blotches ranging from orange to light
cream or yellow on its back make it one
of California’s most beautiful salamanders.
The tail is
rounded
and con-
stricted at
the base,
which helps
differentiate
this sala-
mander
from other
salamanders
in the area.
This unusual salamander is found through-
out the Peninsular Ranges of southern Cali-
fornia from the San Jacinto Mountains to
northern Baja California. Within Mt. San
Jacinto State Park they range from Long
Valley to Idyllwild, inhabiting moist, shaded
pine forests and oak woodlands. They can
be found under rocks, logs, and woody
debris, especially bark that has peeled off
and fallen beside logs and trees. Ensatinas
have been seen on the ramp leading to the
tram, so when people pick up pieces of
bark or wood next to the walkway, they
could potentially disturb a salamander’s
home.
The Large-blotched Ensatina is a member of
the family of Lungless Salamanders. Because
these salamanders lack lungs they breathe
through their skin, which requires them to
live in damp or moist environments to keep
their skin permeable for gas exchange. En-
satinas are fully terrestrial and do not need
to return to water to breed. Breeding usu-
ally occurs from November to March. After
several hours of an elaborate courtship,
involving the male rubbing his body and
head against the female, the male deposits a
gelatinous mass of sperm, or spermato-
phore, which is then picked up by the fe-
male’s cloaca and used to fertilize her eggs.
In late spring, females will lay a single clus-
ter of about 8 eggs. Most Lungless Salaman-
ders lay eggs in moist places on land, such
as in rotting logs
or beneath bark,
and may “brood’
the eggs by secret-
ing large amount of
mucus to prevent
egg desiccation.
The eggs usually
hatch after four to
five months. Unlike
most other types
of salamanders,
frogs, and toads
that have aquatic larvae that must hatch into
water, the young Ensatinas hatch directly from
the egg into inch-long terrestrial salamanders
with the same body form as an adult. This is
because the eggs are fluid-filled capsules—each
larva floats in its own personal aquatic envi-
ronment until it matures. Longevity has been
estimated at up to 15 years.
These salamanders are most active during
summer thunderstorms and on rainy or wet
nights when temperatures are moderate. They
stay underground in relatively cool, moist
places during hot and dry periods where they
avoid dehydration. High-altitude populations
also hibernate or become inactive during se-
vere winter cold. They may be active and feed
underground during the hot, dry summer
months. Food includes a wide variety of inver-
tebrates, including worms, ants, beetles, spi-
ders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, sow
bugs, and snails. A salamander will thrust out a
long sticky tongue to capture prey, crushing
the prey in its mouth before swallowing. Typi-
cally feeding is done using sit-and-wait ambush
tactics, but sometimes Ensatinas will slowly
stalk their prey.
An Ensatina has a number of tricks to avoid or
repel predators. When disturbed, an Ensatina
will stand tall in a stiff-legged defensive posture
with its back arched and its tail raised and
secrete a milky white substance from the poi-
son glands located on the tail. This noxious
substance often repels predators. However, if
an Ensatina is caught, it is able to lose its tail to
distract a predator. The wiggling tail will at-
tract the predator’s attention so the salaman-
der can crawl away to safety. The tail can then
be re-grown. The Ensatina can also emit a
hissing sound, similar to a snake, to discourage
predation.
Due to habitat loss and fragmentation it is
listed as a California Species of Special Con-
cern by the California Department of Fish and
Game.
Page 5 PEAKS Winter 2013
Page 6 PEAKS Winter 2013
The NHA Annual Summer Picnic, The NHA Annual Summer Picnic, San Jacinto State Park Headquarters, IdyllwildSan Jacinto State Park Headquarters, Idyllwild
What could be better? A picnic in the park of course. On August 25th we all gathered at the Idyllwild Park Headquarters campground
for our annual picnic. The weather was perfect. We all brought some great side dishes and Garratt Aitchison, our State Park Sector
Superintendant and his crew provided hamburgers and hot dogs with the all the trimmings. The best part was making and renewing
friendships. We had more than 30 members and staff in attendance but, alas, our official photographer who shall not remain unnamed,
Rob Howard, didn’t get the traditional group shot. A great time was had by all.
If you missed this one join us the next time around!
Front to back: John Beringer, Jan Welch, Robert
Peek, Jenny Adamson loading up while it lasts.
Left to right:
Kurt Leuschner
chats with
Cecilia Fischer
Vicky Schulke
John Beringer
and
Jeff Schulke
Left to right: Bob Pellenbarg and John
Beringer are smiling. Could they be talk-
ing about the Visitors Center?
Ranger Robert Peek is giving the boss a hand
Superintendant Garratt doing double duty as chef
New friends: Maureen McCarty on right sharing tales with Jeff and Vicky Schulke
Serious talk? Gene Rojek and Maureen
McCarty
Membership by Maureen McCarty, Membership
Page 7 PEAKS
Mail to: Mt. San Jacinto NHA
255 N. El Cielo, Suite 140, #141
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Check the type of membership you would like to join or renew, fill in
your mailing information and return this form with your dues. Make
your check or money order payable to: MT. SAN JACINTO NHA.
Name ________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________
City ____________________ State______ Zip code ___________
New Membership Application or Renewal Form
Dues Schedule
Senior $15
Student $15
Individual $20
Family $25
Supporting $30
Life $150
Endowment Fund Contribution
$__________
Please check here if you do not wish to have your name published on line or in Peaks as recognition for your member-ship and contributions to the
NHA.
links to many related park and institu-
tional sites. It is a living document and
we welcome comments to improve
function and add content. Whatever it
is, please feel free to email us at [email protected].
We are trying to be as “green” as we
can. Please help us by keeping
your information current.
If you are getting this issue of PEAKS in
a paper form that means that we do not
have a current or correct e-mail address
for you. Just take a moment and send
your current e-mail address to
[email protected]. Help save a tree!
Happy New Year from the Board.
Our membership is growing but the
more we have the more we get done.
It would be wonderful if each of you
could get us just one new member.
This could be a “New Years Resolu-
tion” that would be easy to keep.
Joining and renewing is easier than
ever. This can now be done from our
NHA web-site www.msjnha.org . After you have logged in, find the big
green box on the home page. Click it
and you will be taken to a form to fill
out. You can, off course, print the
form and mail it to us at the address
given but you are just a click or two
away from doing it on line.
I encourage anyone that has not had a
chance to check out our redeveloped
website to please do so. There is a
wealth of information about park his-
tory, resources and planning as well as
VOLUNTEER NOWVOLUNTEER NOW
Winter 2013
Page 8 PEAKS Winter 2013
nature's warning signs, much less the signs
of their own health and well-being.
Developing a keen sense of awareness
regarding your surroundings and environ-
mental conditions are key points for a
successful hike that often get overlooked.
Dan Bass, Preventative Search and
Rescue volunteer at Mount San Jacinto
State Park and Wilderness is ready to
educate new hikers and visitors on wil-
derness safety and awareness. Behind
him is an educational panel describing
the 10 essential items to carry when
traveling in the wilderness. PSAR volunteers are dedicated to provid-
ing protective measures through education
and stewardship programs. They are
trained in the 10 essential systems, daily
weather and trail conditions, seeking pro-
tection from lightning, avalanches, proper
hydration, trail recommendations and park
rules. They can also answer questions
about snakes and wildlife concerns often
addressed by visitors.
PSAR volunteers patrol six zones
in the park year around. PSAR vol-
unteers carry maps, extra water
and whistles to provide to hikers.
On busy weekends, SPAR has a
presence on the ramp to the tram
where many new hikers pass. Ad-
ditionally the park switched from a
self-permitting system to a system
requiring visitors to get
their permit at the ranger
station where they have
direct contact with park
staff. Staff can inform
visitors about trail condi-
tions, equipment needed,
and weather forecasts, i.e
winds, snow. A state trail
map for the unit is avail-
able free or visitors may
purchase topographical maps.
In the last 18 months, we reduced our
medical responses and SAR events by 85%.
Although still too early to tell if PSAR is
having an effect on these numbers, it will be
worth keeping an eye on as the program
progresses.
“PSAR volunteers are extremely
proactive in approaching visitors
and providing them with informa-
tion about how they can be better
prepared and more self-reliant
when faced with an emergency in
the wilderness.”
Note: Sue Neary has transferred to
Seacliff State Beach near Santa Cruz.
She is working on her masters in Emer-
gency Services Admin., specializing in
earthquake preparedness. We wish her
well!
Sue Neary
Park Ranger “Developing a keen sense of aware-
ness regarding your surroundings and
environmental conditions are key
points for a successful hike that often
get overlooked.”
Mt. San Jacinto Volunteers Take A Mission Driven Approach To
Mountain Safety and Preparedness.
By Park Ranger Sue Neary
Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR) is a
relatively new volunteer program at Mt. San
Jacinto State Park and Wilderness designed
to take an educational approach to improv-
ing the experience of new visitors and hik-
ers in the backcountry.
PSAR volunteers are extremely proactive in
approaching visitors and providing them
with information about how they can be
better prepared and more self-reliant when
faced with an emergency in the wilderness.
The program compliments the SAR efforts
of our Department of Parks and Recreation
hasty team and the Riverside County
Mountain Rescue Unit. It encourages a
cooperative effort to educate our visitors
on the potential hazards of recreating in the
wilderness.
PSAR is the expression of a value system.
Many visitors, both returning and new, are
goal driven to reach the peak in record
breaking speed, but have developed little
appreciation for the value of recognizing
Page 9 PEAKS Winter 2013
NHA Annual Holiday Banquet
December 8th in the Crocker Room at the Tramway Mountains Station
The NHA Banquet is open to all members with a guest, and park staff. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway graciously provided free
passes for members and their guest and use of the Crocker Room. Tramway staff was, as always, very helpful with the banquet room
set-up and the staff of Aramark , under the direction of Peaks Restaurant Manager Kaitlyn Tinsley did a wonderful job decorating the
room and setting very attractive tables out for us, including Christmas Holiday decorations. The dinner was served buffet style including
cheese and cracker tray with dried fruit, ceasar salad, two entrees ( chicken and fish) and delicious side dishes finishing with chocolate
cheese cake and bread pudding. Of course wine and drinks were also available. What more could we ask for?: A great turnout of 43
members & guests including park staff, our Inland Empire District Superintendant Ron Krueper and his wife Millie and our past Park
Interpreter Ellen Absher and her husband Jim. The guest speaker from the Bureau of Land Management ,Greg Hill, gave in inspiring
presentation on the 200th anniversary year of the Public Lands Office and it’s successor the BLM and their roll in preserving for poster-
ity millions of acres of magnificent wild lands in the U.S. Kurt Leuschner was MC, and Ranger Bart Grant gave a short update on park
trail projects. It was by all accounts a great success.
The 2013 Annual Holiday Banquet will be held on December 7, 2013. Put it on your calendar.
Ranger Bart is exuberant talking about our park
NHA President. Iona, visiting with (clockwise from lower left) Sally and Dennis Schirmer, Ann and Wes McNeal, Gene
Rojek & Grete Abele and Regina Landry. Iona is standing.
Aleta Walther and Sharon Mattern show-ing their winning photos
Ron Krueper is passionate about
State Parks’ Inland Empire
Front: Carol and Keenan Barber, Rear: John and Helen Beringer
On the right ,Millie and Ron Johnson
L to R, Jeff Wilson, Vickie and Jeff Schulke, Ron and Alana Krueper
Clockwise from front: the back of park aides Michael and Phil, Kurt Leuschner, Peter and Rochelle A’Hearn, Judi and Robert Peek
Page 10 PEAKS Winter 2013
The Goldspotted Oak Borer, Agrilus coxalis
The goldspotted oak borer (GSOB) was first detected in 2004 in San Diego County, California by the
California Department of Food and Agriculture during a survey for exotic woodborers. In 2008, it was
found attacking coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia, canyon live oak, Q. chrysolepis, and California
black oak, Q. kelloggii, on the Cleveland National Forest and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. GSOB is
playing a major role in on-going oak mortality. GSOB larvae feed under the bark primarily at the in-
terface of the sapwood and phloem on the main stem and larger branches. Larvae kill patches and
strips of phloem and cambium, resulting in limb and branch die back and, eventually, tree death. Be-
cause of host distribution, GSOB has the potential to spread further north in California and cause simi-
lar tree mortality.
From California Parks and Recreation
Do Not Move Oak Firewood Out of Local Areas
Goldspotted oak borer (GSOB) larvae remain in cut oak logs and firewood from GSOB-
killed trees or green infested trees and are a continual threat of further infestation.
Wood from GSOB infested trees should not be removed from local infested areas. We
emphasize that transporting infested firewood is likely the most significant pathway for
introducing GSOB into non-infested areas.
For more information go to http://groups.ucanr.org/GSOB/
BULLETIN:
What is killing the Oaks?
The Goldspotted Oak Borer
By some estimates
more than 80,000
trees have been killed
by this beetle in San
Diego County.