ceanothus, buckeye, flowering ash, mountain mahogany, and California coffeeberry. Fire plays an important role in the chaparral community, regularly burning areas every 10 to 40 years.
Although the foothills zone is generally considered to be a dry environment, rivers, streams, and creeks flow through the area, transporting meltwater from the High Sierra toward the thirsty valley below. A varied plant community thrives along these watercourses, well-watered by the plentiful moisture. Cottonwood, willow, alder, oak, laurel, and sycamore are common streamside associates.
POISON OAK
Poison oak is found in both the foothills woodland and chaparral communities. As the saying goes, “leaves of three, let it be.” Poison oak leaves typically grow in groups of three; they are bronze and shiny in spring, green in summer, and scarlet in fall. The leaves usually fall off the plant prior to winter. Poison oak may grow as a creeping plant, erect shrub, or even a small tree under the right conditions. All parts of the poison oak plant, including branches, stems, leaves, and even roots, contain the oil urushiol, which is the causal agent for the rash that may develop after contact. Even a microscopic drop of urushiol is enough to trigger a reaction in people sensitive to the oil. The toxin may penetrate the skin within less than 10 minutes after being exposed to it.
Upon contact, immediately wash your skin or attempt to absorb the oil with dirt. Touching clothing that has come in contact with the plant is oftentimes just as potent as direct contact. Wash contaminated clothing in soap and hot water as soon as possible. If a rash develops, treat the affected area with hydrocortisone cream. For severe reactions, consult a physician.
Animal Life: The mild, Mediterranean climate of the foothills region is hospitable to a wide variety of creatures. Common woodland amphibians include three varieties of salamander and the California newt. Several varieties of lizards can often be seen scurrying across the trail. Snakes are quite common in this zone as well, with the western rattlesnake receiving the most attention from humans.
Several varieties of rodents find a home in the foothills, including gray squirrel, dusky-footed wood rat, and deer mouse. Rabbit species include the brush rabbit, black-tailed jackrabbit, and Audubon’s cottontail. Bats can often be seen around dusk, as they flit through the sky searching for insects. Medium-size mammals, such as the raccoon, ringtail, gray fox, skunk, and coyote are familiar residents. Larger mammals in the foothills include mule deer and two reclusive cats, the bobcat and mountain lion.
Numerous birds can be found in the foothills—far too many for a casual list of even the common species. Familiar raptors include the red-tailed hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, and great horned owl. The California quail is the most common game bird. The turkey vulture, the ubiquitous buzzard of the California sky, is also common.
Montane Forest
Plant Life: Above the foothills region, a zone of mixed coniferous forest, composed of conifers and deciduous trees, extends across the west slope of the southern Sierra roughly between 4,500 and 7,500 feet. The two most dominant conifers are the three-needled ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and the white fir (Abies concolor). Generally, ponderosas are found in relatively dry areas, while white firs occupy soils with more moisture. Mature ponderosas can obtain heights between 60 and 130 feet.
Ranger Meadow, Deadman Canyon Trail (Trip 46)
At higher elevations in the zone, Jeffrey pines replaces ponderosa pines. Closely related to the ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pines are more adaptable to the colder temperatures and increased snowfall of the upper limits of the montane forest. A host of other evergreens may intermix with these conifers, most commonly incense cedar and sugar pine. Some of the more common deciduous trees include dogwood and black oak.
On the east side of the range, in the rain shadow below the Sierra Crest, the montane forest is found between elevations of 7,000 and 9,000 feet. Stands are typically less dense and less diverse than in their western counterpart. The forest is composed primarily of Jeffrey pine and white fir.
As expected, streamside environments within the montane forest harbor many more species of trees, shrubs, and plants. On the west side, quaking aspen, black cottonwood, bigleaf maple, nutmeg, laurel, Oregon ash, and numerous varieties of willow line the banks of rivers and streams. Riparian zones on the eastside are home to quaking aspen, Fremont cottonwood, black cottonwood, and water birch.
Animal Life: The esantina salamander, western toad, and Pacific tree frog are the three most commonly seen amphibians in the montane zone. Reptiles include a wide variety of lizards and snakes, including the western rattlesnake, which is common up to around 6,000 feet. A wide variety of birds, including songbirds, woodpeckers, and raptors live in this zone.
Similar to the foothills, the montane forest is home to many rodents, including the broad-handed mole, Trowbridge shrew, deer mouse, pocket gopher, northern flying squirrel, chipmunk, and dusky-footed wood rat. Bats also frequent the evening sky above the montane forest. In addition to the medium and large mammals of the foothills zone, the porcupine and long-tailed weasel and black bear also reside in the montane forest.
Weighing up to 300 pounds, the black bear (Ursus americanus) is the largest mammal in the Sierra and ranges from cinnamon to black in color. A female typically gives birth to two cubs every other winter. She cares for her offspring through the summer and following winter, before forcing them to fend for themselves the following spring. Male bears do not participate in raising the cubs, and would possibly kill and eat them if the mother did not fiercely protect them.
Giant Sequoia Groves
Plant Life: The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron gigantean) sets the Sierra Nevada apart from all other forests in the world. When Europeans first reported trees of such stature, their claims were largely discounted by virtually all who had not seen them firsthand. A few of these “Big Trees” were chopped down, cut into pieces, and sent to expositions, where they were carefully reassembled, only to be viewed as hoaxes by an unbelieving public. Few could comprehend that a living tree could attain such enormous size. Unfortunately, when lumbermen caught wind of the Big Trees, they turned a lustful gaze toward the stately monarchs. Only after hundreds of sequoias were felled, did the lumbermen realize the brittle wood had little commercial value, good for nothing more than fence posts and shakes (shingles). Only after conservationists waged an arduous battle lasting many decades did the giant sequoias receive the appropriate protection. Today, the Big Trees are safe and secure in three national parks, a national monument, and a handful of state parks.
Not only is the giant sequoia the largest species of tree by volume on the planet, the statuesque conifer lives within only 75 groves on the west side of the Sierra Nevada. All but eight of these groves are found within the greater Sequoia and Kings Canyon ecosystem. The largest groves are Redwood Mountain in Kings Canyon National Park and the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. Most of the largest individual specimens are also found within this area, with the General Sherman Tree receiving top honors, followed by Washington, General Grant, President, and Lincoln—all five within the park boundaries.
Giant sequoias may reach heights between 150 and 300 feet, with widths between 5 and 30 feet. The trees have cinnamon-colored bark with deep furrows. For such a huge tree, the oblong cones are rather small at 2 to 3 inches. Limbs on mature trees are oftentimes as big as the trunks of other conifers, bearing branches of lacy, flat, blue-green foliage.
Rather than pure stands, the giant sequoia grows in a mixed coniferous forest made up of white fir, sugar pine, incense cedar, and dogwood. Somewhat less drought tolerant than other Sierra conifers, the Big Trees are found only in areas of moist soil at elevations between 4,500 and 8,400 feet. Average
