Eleven AHG loyalists joined in one of our favorite local hikes: A round trip Toothpick to Lamb’s Saddle, up Caterpillar and on to Gimble and Lewis Point for lunch. It was special to have back in the fold some hikers who tend not to join us for snowshoeing. We enjoyed catching up as we meandered through the forest.
Along the way, we saw early wildflowers: Calypso orchid or fairy slipper, Toothwort or milkmaid, Scarlet fritillary, blooming Dogwood, and Fawn Lily. Right next to the path nearing Lewis Point, we stopped to examine a beautiful specimen of California ground-cone (looks like a pine cone), a parasite on madrone or manzanita.
Arriving at Lewis Point, we were welcomed by the largest forest ‘garden’ of Hound’s tongue with its beautiful blue wildflower. Kay captured this spectacular picture of a Propertius Duskywind butterfly enjoying the blooming Hound’s tongue. Our journey amounted to 5.3 miles RT and about 600’ elevation gain.
Elisabeth
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1 Toothpick sign
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2 Calypso orchid or Fairy slipper
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3 Mt McLoughlin
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5. Gyre-Gimble-Lewis trails
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6. Lewis Pt picnic bench
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7 Lewis Pt
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8 Propertius Duskywing butterfly on Hound's tongue flowers
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9 Hound's tongue
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10 California ground-cone
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