Bench Valley Trip Report

[sekihiker]

I just posted a trip report for a hike, 29-31 August - 1 September, through Bench Valley with a variation on the Two Passes/Lucifer's Saddle crossing caused by choosing the wrong approach to Lucifer's Saddle 2 and due to snow choking Lucifer's Saddle 1.

Please visit: http://www.sierrahiker.com/BenchValley/index.html

Please see the last post on this page to find a link that works.

[Harlen]

Great Bill, nice trip. I checked out all of your "Naturalist's Observations, and found it very helpful- I finally know what that silvery, low lying plant is- "Silky raillardella." Thanks, Ian.

[sekihiker]

Great Bill, nice trip. I checked out all of your "Naturalist's Observations, and found it very helpful- I finally know what that silvery, low lying plant is- "Silky raillardella." Thanks, Ian.

Thanks, Ian. I've hiked through this area a couple of times before and didn't "see" ANY of the plants.

[cgundersen]

I'll second Harlen's comments about the flora identification. Each year, I try to add one or two flowers to the species I can identify, but I seem to lose others as quickly as I add new ones. I think there's a term for this.... anyway, just curious: did you harvest the bolete? I kind of regard them as the slow-moving land trout of the Sierra! Cameron

[sekihiker]

...did you harvest the bolete? I kind of regard them as the slow-moving land trout of the Sierra! Cameron

I didn't harvest the bolete. I'm scared to try any wild mushrooms. My parents told me they would kill me. I should know better, but I'm too lazy to learn the good from the bad. This was an exceptional year for mushrooms in this area. It may sound like an exaggeration, but I saw hundreds of them of maybe ten different species. I wish I had more time to photo them, but I just took pictures of the ones that impressed me the most.

[cgundersen]

I'm hardly a 'shroom expert, but boletes are among the easier species to identify (pale reddish to tan to dark brown cap and spongy underside). I've encountered 2 variants in the Sierra, one that does not change appearance when cracked open and a second that (presumably, oxidizes) and turns slightly greenish/bluish. Although the latter form is not toxic, it tends to be less good eating than the former. And, curiously, the genuinely good boletes are best if you chop them up and let them dry before reconstituting them for cooking. They can really amp up a boring freeze-dried dinner! Cameron

[sekihiker]

Thanks for the info, Cameron. I think I'll stick with the domesticated variety.

[Harlen]

Hey Bill,

"Live dangerously," as Nietzsche said:
"The secret of realizing the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment of existence is: to live dangerously! Build your cities on the slopes of Vesuvius! Send your ships out into uncharted seas! Live in conflict with your equals and with yourselves! .... you men of knowledge !(Bill) The time will soon be past when you could be content to live concealed in the woods like timid deer![/i] .... keying out harmless little flowers.

He is also the one who said: "What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger." Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols

Come on Bill, at least eat some "puffballs," they are sweet and good for you. Ian.

[sekihiker]

I've got to admit, now that I know those boletes are tasty, it sounds tempting.

[sekihiker]

I just posted a trip report for a hike, 29-31 August - 1 September, through Bench Valley with a variation on the Two Passes/Lucifer's Saddle crossing caused by choosing the wrong approach to Lucifer's Saddle 2 and due to snow choking Lucifer's Saddle 1.

Please visit: http://www.sierrahiker.com/BenchValley2017/index.html