Caspers

Our first field trip, which was the first day of class, was to Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park in Orange County. My family frequents this park, since it is quite close by and also quite spectacular. It is located inland from San Juan Capistrano, along the Ortega Highway, in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. It is part of the San Juan Creek watershed.

This description of Bell Canyon is by from Jerry Schad, author of "Afoot & Afield in Orange County" (the bookmarks are mine):

"...In the winter, surface water tumbles through the upper part of the canyon but seldom reaches its mouth. The headwaters lie in a rugged and almost inaccessible gorge below Los Pinos Peak in Cleveland National Forest.

"On the drier benches alongside the canyon bottom (themselves recent river terrace features) you'll find some coast cholla cactus along with the more familiar prickly pear; various sage-scrub and chaparral plants; and naturalized non-natives typical of heavily grazed or disturbed areas, such as wild oats and rye grass, filaree, mustard, artichoke thistle, milk thistle, and tree tobacco. Here, in the transition zone between the shady woodland along the creek and the warm, dry slopes, your chances of spotting wildlife and birds are greatest. Look for deer, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, and a host of smaller creatures. When the ground is wet, tracks easily give away their presence.

"The name "Bell," incidentally, commemorates an eight-ton granitic boulder, scored with mazelike petroglyphs, that once lay precariously balanced on some smaller rocks, upstream in what is now the Audubon Sanctuary. When struck with great force, the boulder resonated like a bell, audible a mile away. Removed from the canyon in 1936, Bell Rock was taken to the courtyard of the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, where it rests today." ref.

We walked along the dry creek into Bell Canyon a short way, along the more open side of the creek, and then crossed over to the wooded area on the other side, where we stopped for lunch. From there we headed back with notes and photographs and great satisfaction.

This is all of us, in the oak grove after lunch.
(photo from Hort29)

One of our instructors, Harry Mestyanek, seated on the log, talks to my classmates.
(photo from Hort29)

Here I am, fussing with my cell phone. Silly me...no reception at Caspers.
(photo from Hort29)

Plant List for Caspers

Artemisia californica (Sagebrush)

Baccharis salicifolia (Mulefat)

Claytonia perfoliata (Miner's Lettuce)

Dudleya lanceolata (Lanceleaf Dudleya or Liveforever)

Dudleya pulverulent (Chalk Dudleya or Liveforever)

Eriogonum fasciculatum (California Buckwheat)

Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon)

Lotus_scoparius (Deerweed)

Malosma laurina (Laurel Leave Sumac)

Marrubium vulgare (Horehound)*

Opuntia ficus_indica (Prickly Pear, Tuna, Nopal)*

Platanus racemosa (Western Sycamore)

Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak)

Rhamnus crocea (Redberry)

Rhus integrifolia (Lemonadeberry)

Rosa californica (California Wild Rose)

Salvia apiana (White Sage)

Salvia mellifera (Black Sage)

Sambucus mexicana (Mexican Elderberry)

Toxicodendron diversilobum (Poison Oak)

Umbellularia californica (California Bay, Oregon Myrtle)

Yucca whippleii (Our Lord's Candle)

*indicates a naturalized (not native) plant

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Caspers

This is all of us, in the oak grove after lunch. (photo from Hort29)

One of our instructors, Harry Mestyanek, seated on the log, talks to my classmates. (photo from Hort29)

Here I am, fussing with my cell phone. Silly me...no reception at Caspers. (photo from Hort29)

Plant List for Caspers

This is all of us, in the oak grove after lunch.
(photo from Hort29)

One of our instructors, Harry Mestyanek, seated on the log, talks to my classmates.
(photo from Hort29)

Here I am, fussing with my cell phone. Silly me...no reception at Caspers.
(photo from Hort29)