2016 March Sierra Report

Susan Labiste also contributed to this field report.

My daughter and I headed up 50 toward Pollack Pines to check out the King Fire and to see what the area now looks like. We scout up around 4000' to 4500' on Peavine Ridge. We found some patches of snow but most areas were free of snow and warm. We found patches of corts popping up and cup fungus.

The manzanitas were just starting to bloom quite lovely. Looking toward Tahoe we saw plenty of snow.

We then headed down to Sly Park to cross over to Pipi. We found the road to be closed 23 miles past the reservoir so we took a short hike at Sly Park. We found 1 almost eaten large coral with just the stem remaining, 1 very old elfin saddle and 3 large old blewits on the trail. We hike near the creek so we found few mushroom along the trail. Here is a link to my (Kitty's) photos from this trip (on Facebook) .

No morels on either area. However we did hear reports of a few morels at lower elevations of 2000' - 3500'.

Looks like as long as the weather continues to warm up and rains continue we should see some activity in the next 2-3 weeks. But what do I know - still a crazed beginner here.

Sue headed for 88 and checked Pipi. Here is what she reported, "There didn't seem like much to report regarding mushrooms other than the photos. Snow is off the ground in the camp. It is still showing up in small patches on the North facing slope as you approach the camp. Beyond Pipi the snow blocks North South Road well before reaching Pioneer Emigrant Road, and that was before this last storm. At Pipi the bracken fern is not yet sending up fiddle heads. The dogwood remains bare and is not yet blooming. There were no Ramaria (corals) and no snowflowers yet. The ground is soaked and still cold. The mountains are just beginning to wake up."