Northern Black Currants

Found a black currant shrub on a walk. Like some other Ribes specie berries, the black currant is sweet, succulent and packed with powerful antioxidants and nutrients. Apparently, the seeds are rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. These fatty acids aid in proper brain and nerve function, as well as aid in hindering inflammation. The black currant is just as good as the acai if you ask me, and black currants taste a lot better. So, eat up!

Before you eat up, correctly identify your plant. The leaves will be green, fuzzy and three lobed. Stem will be fragrant. A few berries will be dangling from one stalk. Berries will be purple to black with stamen and calyx still attached. I found mine freeze dried.

A handful!

January black currants

Late summer

Mount Baden Powell via Crystal Lake Rec. Area

October 26th 2013:
We wanted a difficult walk, all day, views and something we had never done before. So we hiked to the summit of Mount Baden Powell from Crystal Lake Recreation Area. (Starting from Azusa, CA, take the HWY 39 directly north through winding roads until the road forks towards the Crystal Lake Rec Area. Park at the trail head located about 1/2 a mile above the Crystal Lake general store.)
We started late 8:30AM. Took the trail to Windy Gap and Mt Islip.
We witnessed a small herd of big horn sheep up. These Nelson Bighorn sheep are part of one of the only herds in existence. It is amazing that these delicate but healthy bighorn sheep live 25 miles from the largest, most smog polluted areas in the United States. More info about Bighorn in the San Gabriels in this Sheep Peepers article.

 From Windy Gap, we walked east on the PCT, bagged Mount Hawkins, Middle Hawkins and Throop Peak on the way to Baden Powell.

 Southeast views from Throop. Pictured is Iron Fork of the San Gabriel River, a place that is very seldom visited.










Kate taking a breather underneath the refreshing smell of Jeffery pines. Stick your nose in between the bark furrows and you'll smell butterscoth, vanilla and/or Christmas cookies.

 

Our first time on the summit of Throop. Reads...
"Amos G. Throop (1811-1894)
Founder of Throop University in 1891
Now known as California Institute of Technology
May 13, 1992"

 One the top, I found a snack, Wax Currant (ribes cereum). It was freeze-dried and, actually, better tasting than fresh wax currants. Tasted of mild cherry and cranberry. Eat these puppies whole.

 On the way down, and the remainder of the hike, I found more snacks, Bush Chinquapin (chrysolepis sempervirens), meaning "I have nuts that taste like toasted filberts, but they are surrounded by a sharp, sticky force field, so don't mess!"

These nuts use to be one of the many staple foods native north American tribes ate. Now they are enjoyed by the Clarks Nutcracker, among other birds, rodents and me.

Swipe or whack these spiny nuts off the branch with a good stick. Get them on a rock or hard surface. Hit them with your stick or stomp on them with your boot. A few nuts will be exposed. Eat them out of hand or toast them like sunflower seeds.

 More views, looking towards the LA basin.

 The exposure of Throop ridge. Walking beneath Limber pine and sierra lodgepole pines (Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana). These lodgepole pines are extremely old, from 200-500 years old, and are dying off due to prolonged drought. So go and see them before they are dead!

Happy to be in a rocky mountain fir forest.The north face of Throop ridge.

Top of Baden Powell. View of Mt Baldy and Iron Mtn.
In the shade of limber pines (pinus flexilis). Limber pine branches twist, turn and bend over years of harsh, high winds, making gnarled, sad looking trees. But Limber Pines here are nothing but sad. They stand for resilience, endurance, toleration, guts and glory. These are some of the oldest trees in the world, living up to 2,000 years old. The limber pines pictured are around 1,000 years old, so you feel very humbled to be under them.

 We turned around to experience the whole hike again, but backwards!18 miles, ~5k elevation gains

Visit the San Gabriel high country. It is unlike any other mountain range in the west. With it's old trees, rare wildlife, fire thrashed forests, bone dry ridges, sketchy granite cliffs, rich (undocumented) history, gold rush prospects, trash heeps, wildflower gardens pristine cold springs, drunk drivers, weekly homicides, graffiti, pit-toilets, snow storms, observatory, boy scouts, high peaks and unforgettable experiences, the San Gabriel Mountains has something for everyone.
Go seen it all before it burns! Good luck. And thanks for reading.

Wild Onions, Sage and Chickens

All species of the Allium family are edible to a certain degree. Whether bulb or leafy flesh, wild onion makes a wonderful and fresh seasoning for those who camp. Found in moist areas throughout the west, the wild onion is herbaceous with long basil leaves covering a flowering stalk. Flowers are purple to white. The plant has a distinct pungent onion odor. Impossible to miss!
Use the leaf or bulb as you would with commercial onions. Flavor is less pungent, more bitter to what you're use to. Flowers, like other alliums, are edible raw or as a garnish. I prefer the flowers.

FYI: In protected places(National parks, wilderness, etc) do not pick onions, they are plants that balance the ecosystem, aiding in filtration, pollination and specie habitat. Also, do not eat more than just to garnish with, to keep populations happy.

Sagebrush, or Artemisia tridentata, can be used as a seasoning. In this case I used grouse sage. I suggest drying it for best flavor. Add dried sagebrush to meats before grilling on an open fire. This produces that burning sage smell we all love, adding more depth to your BBQ meats and veggies.

FYI: Sagebrush is not Salvia. A. tridentata and salvia species have similar fragrance and share edible uses. Though, not all salvia species are considered edible.

Western Hemlock

The hemlock is a m tree grows in mountain forests throughout the northwest. The needles are flat, when crushed, smelling of fresh lemon and pine.
This is one plant that can illuminate all your senses. Admire it's looks, feel it's soft needles and bark, smell and taste it's lemony presence.
Steep fresh needles in hot water for breakfast tea. Or, throw fresh needles in with traditional pesto. Be creative. And remember a little goes a long way!
At home or in the backcountry, get a taste.

 

Rosa Hips

Roses. White, red, pink, purple or orange. After the bloom, you'll soon find the fruit. This fruit can be eaten raw, dried, candied or made into preserves. Some species have pulpier, sweeter fruits than others.
The plant is prickly and shrubby with mostly rose pink, fragrant flowers. Easy to identify. Harvest the fruit in late fall or winter. I prefer "freeze-dried", or raisin like rose hips, after freezing winter winds have rolled through.
Squeeze the seeds out and enjoy a tasty, vitamin C rich snack!

Pleasant's and Bedford Peaks

December 20th was a beautiful day to be outside. We decided to take a long walk to Bedford Pk, then possibly Beek's Place. We started up the Bedford Pk trail at 8:45 from Maple Springs TH. I had done this hike many times to just Bedford, and was curious what lied beyond it.

Nice and green after last few storms.
This picture to the left is the top of Ladd Canyon.
We hiked down to the headwaters of Ladd Canyon, and then up to Pleasant's Pk. The grassy section reminded us of Hobbits.

 Towards top, Bedford seems like the surface of Mars. Clear views of Catalina Is, and San Clemente Is. 

Lone Oak. Views of the snowy peaks of San Bern, Jaci and Palomar Mountains. This was some of the greatest distance I have seen with my own two eyes!!!

We reached a summit close to Pleasant's Pk, and by then, 12:50PM, we felt it was time to head back. We saw at least 3 Red Trailed hawks, a Kestrel, vultures, and many Juncos, and Towhees. This is a very quite area in the mid week. We did not see any other hikers.




This is the view towards Pleasant's Pk. The peak on the left of the picture serves as a multipurpose facility, used for wireless broadcasts and stuff like that.

These little seeds come from the Yucca plant all to familiar in this area. The seeds can be shook out of the pod(just like a salt shaker) into your hands and eaten like sunflower seeds. It is best to roast them, for the taste is more pleasant. 

Geology: This is a picture of a type of thrust, folding fault. This type of fold is seen a lot in the Santa Ana mtns. The folding is quite a site. 

On the way up Bedford Trail I had built a 5 1/2 ft cairn. To my surprise, it was still standing on our way back!

The wind sock on Bedford H-landing blew off. Kate decided she could take its place for the time being.




We got back to the car at 4:45PM. Total, ~16 miles. ~3000ft gain, and lots of up and down.

Yucca Toss

I dedicate my first post to more fun and games.
A few weeks ago, Kate and I were hiking around the Madjeska Canyon area, a very hot, sunny, dry day. Typical for fall in the Santa Ana Mountains.

We walked a few miles up a long, and somewhat boring, service road. I felt like playing a game, so I utilized what was available; yucca and rocks.
I drew out lines and markers and directions, as the picture shows below.

History:
I have not found any hard evidence of native indian tribes, the Gabrielinos, playing a similar game, but I am sure they did, much like the Scottish Caber toss, or pole vaulting.
Back when we were younger, my brother and I tossed the yucca stems, but never set rules for a game. The points system makes it more competitive and fun.
Anyways, Yucca Toss in a great game for kids and the whole family, I'm sure! If you are looking for a cheap form of entertainment, you are bored, or just need a break, play Yucca Toss.