High Sierra Topix

Just curious what sort of 'edibles' in the backcountry folks have tried.

Not much for me: fish (I guess they count), wild onions, raspberries, at one time I was tempted to eat a Bolete mushroom, but didn't have the patience to cook it properly (BTW I would not recommend 'hunting' mushrooms unless you know what you're doing - ).

Currants, Sierra gooseberries, Sierra onions, Sierra ginger, wild mushrooms...I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

Those funny little frogs - toast 'em up.... they taste like popcorn!

Wild onions (anytime I can smell them on the trail), Sierra wild mountain Blackberries, wild mushrooms often...(Those Botany classes at UCLA help out.), and Miner"s lettuce - just off the top of my head....probably more to add too.

Mosquitoes. But not intentionally.

Hi Greg,
The time of year makes all the difference: wild strawberries (September) can be incredible and I've done well where Paiute/French canyon intersect. Blueberries (also best in September) are all over the place but the last great catch was in Dusy basin. Boletes (also most prevalent in autumn) are best if you dry 'em out first (but, it's important to get them before the worms do), then they add an amazing jolt to soups, pastas etc. Morels (I've generally only found them at lower elevations, and again worms may get 'em before you do) are common in recent burn areas and it's very hard to confuse them with other mushrooms. But, I'll say that those popcorn frogs of Sierra Maclure may be the best if you carry butter and a little garlic!
cameron

Hey,Trailblazer
Interesting thread. . . what appetizing thoughts to gather here in the dead of winter!
OK, pan fried trout, if that counts. Can't think of a better way to enjoy such a delicacy except fresh caught and cooked over an open fire in butter, bread crumbs and herb seasoning. MMMMM!
But my favorite memory is Sierria wild onions, picked, cleaned, sliced and added immediately to my soup of dried bacon bits, potato, chopped egg, dried parsely, carrot and celery. This was after the long climb from Big Pete Meadow to an evening of stupendous alpengow in Dusy Basin . A moment to remember for sure, particularly since I was accompanied by one of my best trail buddies at that time, who savored the experience as much as I. As Chris McCandless said, happiness isn't real unless shared.

Once at Sheep Crossing my buddy Lou caught a couple trout and stuffed them with sage and wild onions, and grilled them over a wood fire...that was awesome.

Can anyone post pics of what patches of wild onion, rasberry, gooseberry and all look like? whenever in the High Sierras I only see tons of rocks, meadows and forests

Aviprk wrote:Can anyone post pics of what patches of wild onion, rasberry, gooseberry and all look like? whenever in the High Sierras I only see tons of rocks, meadows and forests

And what do boletes look like in the Sierra? I've harvested tons of them (almost literally) in the Snowy Range near Laramie, Wyoming, but I've never seen them in the Sierra (but then, I've never really looked).