Plant Guide to Dawson Saddle Trail

Plant Guide to Dawson Saddle Trail

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Do not take the old unsigned trail exactly at Dawson Saddle, SR2 (7903 feet). Instead, head east on SR2 to the new trailhead, about 0.04 miles beyond (east) of Mile Marker 69.59, signed simply as "Trail".
Plants at trailhead, in order from west (on the right) to east, beginning at the Jeffrey pine 5 steps to the right of the trailhead.
0.00 r 1 Jeffrey pine (young tree) Pinus jeffreyi 99 / 9 15
0.00 r 2 giant blazing star Mentzelia laevicaulis 20 / 1 4
0.00 r 3 rock buckwheat Eriogonum saxatile 50 / 5 5
0.00 r 4 ssp San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus⁺ 10 / 3 11
0.00 r 5 Grinnell's beardtongue Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii 99 / 9 11
0.00 The trailhead
0.00 l 6 California squirreltail Elymus elymoides ssp. californicus 30 / 4 3
0.00 l 7 California brickellbush Brickellia californica 2 / 2 19
0.00 Begin hiking trail
0.00 8 one-seeded pussypaws Calyptridium monospermum 10 / 1 3
0.00 l 9 silky lupine Lupinus elatus 99 / 9 5
0.01 r 10 green-leaf manzanita Arctostaphylos patula 99 / 9 6
0.01 r 11 Davidson's lotus Lotus nevadensis var. davidsonii 2 / 2 7
0.01 r 12 groundsmoke Gayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum 50 / 5 12
0.01 r 13 santolina pincushion Chaenactis santolinoides 10 / 3 6
0.01 14 white catch-fly Silene verecunda ssp. platyota⁺ 2 / 2 7
0.01 l 15 white fir Abies concolor 99 / 9 15
0.02 r Big Jeffrey pine.
0.02 Switchback to right; sign: "Dawson Saddle Trail. Built by boy scouts the summer of 1982 to commemorate the 75th year of world scouting. Total volunteer hours 3540. Elevation 7903 feet. USFS". Sign was listing at about 30° in August 2002.
0.05 r 16 ~ Davidson's phacelia Phacelia davidsonii 6 / 2 5
0.06 l 17 sugar pine Pinus lambertiana⁺ 99 / 9 8
0.08 r 18 mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordulatus 99 / 9 11
0.09 Switchback to left; jct. old path to right that leads now to a steep dropoff in 6 paces.
0.18 b 19 curl-leaf mountain-mahogany Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus 99 / 3 6
0.19 b 20 one-sided bluegrass Poa secunda ssp. secunda 20 / 2 19
0.19 Switchback to right.
0.20 l 21 Parish's needlegrass Achnatherum parishii 20 / 3 2
0.20 l 22 alpine sulfur-flowered buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum var. minus 20 / 3 2
0.25 l 23 ~ wax currant Ribes cereum var. cereum 20 / 4 8
0.28 l 24 pine lousewort Pedicularis semibarbata 99 / 9 9
0.30 r Jct. with old trail from Dawson Saddle. The old trail has poor footing in several spots, including one switchback that now has to be cut steeply due to a fallen tree.
0.31 r 25 lodgepole pine Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana 99 / 9 2
0.32 l 26 beaked penstemon Penstemon rostriflorus 20 / 4 8
0.33 l 27 ? unk Carex or Juncus. Juncus orthophyllus? 1 / 1
0.34 l Check for leafy daisy, Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus.
0.34 28 sp goosefoot chenopodium sp. 1 / 1
0.35 Begin open area.
0.36 29 Burlew's onion Allium burlewii 50 / 3 2
0.36 30 San Bernardino Mountain onion Allium monticola⁺ 20 / 1 2
0.37 l 31 southern alpine buckwheat Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum 99 / 5 2
0.38 Now on ridge for first time. The trail will stay close to the ridgeline for the next 0.4 mile.
0.38 l 32 Sierra mousetail Ivesia santolinoides 20 / 1 1
0.38 33 woolly mountain-parsley Oreonana vestita 99 / 3 1
0.39 r 34 Peirson's lupine Lupinus peirsonii 50 / 2 2
0.39 From right to left, view of the three peaks of Williamson Peak with the South Fork Trail below, Waterman Mountain, Strawberry Peak, Twin Peaks, Throop Peak, and Mt. Burnham.
0.44 35 snow-plant Sarcodes sanguinea 2 / 2 3
0.44 36 ~ broad-seeded rock-cress Arabis platysperma⁺ 5 / 1 1
0.49 Trail leaves ridge, now on east (left) side slightly below the ridge.
0.52 r (Tehachapi ragwort) (Senecio ionophyllus)⁺ 2 / 1 2
0.59 Jct. faint trail that merges from the right that leads to ridge.
0.60 r (bitter root) (Lewisia rediviva)⁺ 20 / 3 2
0.63 Back on ridge.
0.72 Trail leaves ridge and is just below ridge on east side.
0.77 Trail now goes farther below the ridge. An old trail, in disrepair, is on the ridge.
0.85 r 37 bush chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens 99 / 9 5
0.89 l 38 San Bernardino beardtongue Penstemon caesius 50 / 5 2
0.91 Cross small drainage with lots of lodgepole pine
0.95 39 pinedrops Pterospora andromedea 5 / 3 2
0.97 Cross small drainage with lots of lodgepole pine
1.02 Deep bear clawmarks on lodgepole pine, 6.5 feet above ground, in August 2002.
1.05 Cross small drainage.
1.11 Mt. Baden-Powell now visible, beyond Mt. Burnham.
1.17 First small area burned in 2002 Curve fire. Only spot fires occurred along the rest of the trail, beyond the edge of the main fire.
1.20 Saddle with view of Mt. Wilson, San Gabriel Peak, Mt. Islip, Twin Peaks, Strawberry Peak, and Mt. Waterman. Trees have numerous bear claw marks. Trail heads back to east side of ridgeline.
1.20 r 40 limber pine Pinus flexilis 10 / 3 1
1.38 r Note the closed depression, perhaps caused by the knockdown of a large tree.
1.39 The final saddle on the trail. The trail now leaves the ridgeline and traverses the north slope of Throop Peak.
1.44 r 41 ~ mountain gooseberry Ribes montigenum 1 / 1 2
1.45 Cross drainage. Many lodgepole pines here.
1.54 Cross middle of three small drainages that join below the trail.
1.62 Cross drainage.
1.67 Cross drainage that is a limber and lodgepole pinecone graveyard.
1.72 Cross drainage.
1.79 Jct. PCT. Sign: "(left) 2 mi Mt Baden-Powell; (right) Little Jimmy Campground 2.5 mi; (right) Throop Peak. Turn right on PCT, back toward Throop Peak.
1.79 r Sign: "Dawson Saddle 2 mi (pointed back to way you came)".
1.80 l PCT post.
1.81 Y-Jct. A new, direct, steep path to Throop Peak is on right; stay left on PCT.
1.83 Good view of Mt. Burnham and Mt. Baden-Powell; Pine Mt., Dawson Peak and Mt. Baldy; Cucamonga and Ontario Peaks; and Santiago Peak.
1.85 r 42 volcanic gilia Gilia ochroleuca ssp. vivida 50 / 3 3
1.86 l 43 leafy daisy Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus 5 / 1 27
1.87 r 44 little-leaf creambush Holodiscus microphyllus var. microphyllus 1 / 1 4
1.88 r 45 California fuchsia Epilobium canum⁺ 10 / 1 7
1.88 r 46 red-rayed hulsea Hulsea heterochroma 1 / 1 1
1.89 b Forest of chinquapin.
1.89 r 47 coyote tobacco Nicotiana attenuata⁺ 10 / 1 2
1.93 r 48 spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens⁺ 5 / 1 3
2.07 Jct. "new" shortcut trail to Throop Peak, which goes up very steeply. The trail was not visible in 2003, perhaps eliminated in the post-fire repair work. The next species was found only on that trail in another 0.05 miles. Stay on the PCT.
(white hawkweed) (Hieracium albiflorum) 1 / 1 2
2.23 Jct trail back to Throop Peak from the south. Turn right on it.
2.25 r 49 twiggy wreath plant Stephanomeria virgata 2 / 2 11
2.40 Trail becomes indistinct, but goes steeply uphill.
2.44 Jct with the new trail from mile 1.81. Go left, uphill.
2.47 Throop Peak. Marker plaque: "Throop Peak 9138', in honor of Amos G. Throop, founder of Throop University in 1891, now known as the California Institute of Technology; May 13, 1992.
The following species was seen just to the south on the old trail, but does not yet have a positive identification:
? *downy brome Bromus tectorum 99 / 1 19
Return via any of the three possible trails from the peak. No new taxa were found on the new trail heading north, but it does have a lot of one-seeded pussypaws, Calyptridium monospermum, near the top.
http://tchester.org/sgm/plants/guides/dawson_saddle_trail.html
Updated 20 September 2003.

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Do not take the old unsigned trail exactly at Dawson Saddle, SR2 (7903 feet). Instead, head east on SR2 to the new trailhead, about 0.04 miles beyond (east) of Mile Marker 69.59, signed simply as "Trail".
				Plants at trailhead, in order from west (on the right) to east, beginning at the Jeffrey pine 5 steps to the right of the trailhead.
0.00	r	1		Jeffrey pine (young tree)	Pinus jeffreyi	99 / 9	15
0.00	r	2		giant blazing star	Mentzelia laevicaulis	20 / 1	4
0.00	r	3		rock buckwheat	Eriogonum saxatile	50 / 5	5
0.00	r	4	ssp	San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush	Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus⁺	10 / 3	11
0.00	r	5		Grinnell's beardtongue	Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii	99 / 9	11
0.00				The trailhead
0.00	l	6		California squirreltail	Elymus elymoides ssp. californicus	30 / 4	3
0.00	l	7		California brickellbush	Brickellia californica	2 / 2	19
0.00				Begin hiking trail
0.00		8		one-seeded pussypaws	Calyptridium monospermum	10 / 1	3
0.00	l	9		silky lupine	Lupinus elatus	99 / 9	5
0.01	r	10		green-leaf manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula	99 / 9	6
0.01	r	11		Davidson's lotus	Lotus nevadensis var. davidsonii	2 / 2	7
0.01	r	12		groundsmoke	Gayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum	50 / 5	12
0.01	r	13		santolina pincushion	Chaenactis santolinoides	10 / 3	6
0.01		14		white catch-fly	Silene verecunda ssp. platyota⁺	2 / 2	7
0.01	l	15		white fir	Abies concolor	99 / 9	15
0.02	r			Big Jeffrey pine.
0.02				Switchback to right; sign: "Dawson Saddle Trail. Built by boy scouts the summer of 1982 to commemorate the 75th year of world scouting. Total volunteer hours 3540. Elevation 7903 feet. USFS". Sign was listing at about 30° in August 2002.
0.05	r	16	~	Davidson's phacelia	Phacelia davidsonii	6 / 2	5
0.06	l	17		sugar pine	Pinus lambertiana⁺	99 / 9	8
0.08	r	18		mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	99 / 9	11
0.09				Switchback to left; jct. old path to right that leads now to a steep dropoff in 6 paces.
0.18	b	19		curl-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus	99 / 3	6
0.19	b	20		one-sided bluegrass	Poa secunda ssp. secunda	20 / 2	19
0.19				Switchback to right.
0.20	l	21		Parish's needlegrass	Achnatherum parishii	20 / 3	2
0.20	l	22		alpine sulfur-flowered buckwheat	Eriogonum umbellatum var. minus	20 / 3	2
0.25	l	23	~	wax currant	Ribes cereum var. cereum	20 / 4	8
0.28	l	24		pine lousewort	Pedicularis semibarbata	99 / 9	9
0.30	r			Jct. with old trail from Dawson Saddle. The old trail has poor footing in several spots, including one switchback that now has to be cut steeply due to a fallen tree.
0.31	r	25		lodgepole pine	Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana	99 / 9	2
0.32	l	26		beaked penstemon	Penstemon rostriflorus	20 / 4	8
0.33	l	27	?	unk Carex or Juncus.	Juncus orthophyllus?	1 / 1
0.34	l			Check for leafy daisy, Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus.
0.34		28	sp	goosefoot	chenopodium sp.	1 / 1
0.35				Begin open area.
0.36		29		Burlew's onion	Allium burlewii	50 / 3	2
0.36		30		San Bernardino Mountain onion	Allium monticola⁺	20 / 1	2
0.37	l	31		southern alpine buckwheat	Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum	99 / 5	2
0.38				Now on ridge for first time. The trail will stay close to the ridgeline for the next 0.4 mile.
0.38	l	32		Sierra mousetail	Ivesia santolinoides	20 / 1	1
0.38		33		woolly mountain-parsley	Oreonana vestita	99 / 3	1
0.39	r	34		Peirson's lupine	Lupinus peirsonii	50 / 2	2
0.39				From right to left, view of the three peaks of Williamson Peak with the South Fork Trail below, Waterman Mountain, Strawberry Peak, Twin Peaks, Throop Peak, and Mt. Burnham.
0.44		35		snow-plant	Sarcodes sanguinea	2 / 2	3
0.44		36	~	broad-seeded rock-cress	Arabis platysperma⁺	5 / 1	1
0.49				Trail leaves ridge, now on east (left) side slightly below the ridge.
0.52	r			(Tehachapi ragwort)	(Senecio ionophyllus)⁺	2 / 1	2
0.59				Jct. faint trail that merges from the right that leads to ridge.
0.60	r			(bitter root)	(Lewisia rediviva)⁺	20 / 3	2
0.63				Back on ridge.
0.72				Trail leaves ridge and is just below ridge on east side.
0.77				Trail now goes farther below the ridge. An old trail, in disrepair, is on the ridge.
0.85	r	37		bush chinquapin	Chrysolepis sempervirens	99 / 9	5
0.89	l	38		San Bernardino beardtongue	Penstemon caesius	50 / 5	2
0.91				Cross small drainage with lots of lodgepole pine
0.95		39		pinedrops	Pterospora andromedea	5 / 3	2
0.97				Cross small drainage with lots of lodgepole pine
1.02				Deep bear clawmarks on lodgepole pine, 6.5 feet above ground, in August 2002.
1.05				Cross small drainage.
1.11				Mt. Baden-Powell now visible, beyond Mt. Burnham.
1.17				First small area burned in 2002 Curve fire. Only spot fires occurred along the rest of the trail, beyond the edge of the main fire.
1.20				Saddle with view of Mt. Wilson, San Gabriel Peak, Mt. Islip, Twin Peaks, Strawberry Peak, and Mt. Waterman. Trees have numerous bear claw marks. Trail heads back to east side of ridgeline.
1.20	r	40		limber pine	Pinus flexilis	10 / 3	1
1.38	r			Note the closed depression, perhaps caused by the knockdown of a large tree.
1.39				The final saddle on the trail. The trail now leaves the ridgeline and traverses the north slope of Throop Peak.
1.44	r	41	~	mountain gooseberry	Ribes montigenum	1 / 1	2
1.45				Cross drainage. Many lodgepole pines here.
1.54				Cross middle of three small drainages that join below the trail.
1.62				Cross drainage.
1.67				Cross drainage that is a limber and lodgepole pinecone graveyard.
1.72				Cross drainage.
1.79				Jct. PCT. Sign: "(left) 2 mi Mt Baden-Powell; (right) Little Jimmy Campground 2.5 mi; (right) Throop Peak. Turn right on PCT, back toward Throop Peak.
1.79	r			Sign: "Dawson Saddle 2 mi (pointed back to way you came)".
1.80	l			PCT post.
1.81				Y-Jct. A new, direct, steep path to Throop Peak is on right; stay left on PCT.
1.83				Good view of Mt. Burnham and Mt. Baden-Powell; Pine Mt., Dawson Peak and Mt. Baldy; Cucamonga and Ontario Peaks; and Santiago Peak.
1.85	r	42		volcanic gilia	Gilia ochroleuca ssp. vivida	50 / 3	3
1.86	l	43		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	5 / 1	27
1.87	r	44		little-leaf creambush	Holodiscus microphyllus var. microphyllus	1 / 1	4
1.88	r	45		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum⁺	10 / 1	7
1.88	r	46		red-rayed hulsea	Hulsea heterochroma	1 / 1	1
1.89	b			Forest of chinquapin.
1.89	r	47		coyote tobacco	Nicotiana attenuata⁺	10 / 1	2
1.93	r	48		spineless horsebrush	Tetradymia canescens⁺	5 / 1	3
2.07				Jct. "new" shortcut trail to Throop Peak, which goes up very steeply. The trail was not visible in 2003, perhaps eliminated in the post-fire repair work. The next species was found only on that trail in another 0.05 miles. Stay on the PCT.
				(white hawkweed)	(Hieracium albiflorum)	1 / 1	2
2.23				Jct trail back to Throop Peak from the south. Turn right on it.
2.25	r	49		twiggy wreath plant	Stephanomeria virgata	2 / 2	11
2.40				Trail becomes indistinct, but goes steeply uphill.
2.44				Jct with the new trail from mile 1.81. Go left, uphill.
2.47				Throop Peak. Marker plaque: "Throop Peak 9138', in honor of Amos G. Throop, founder of Throop University in 1891, now known as the California Institute of Technology; May 13, 1992.
				The following species was seen just to the south on the old trail, but does not yet have a positive identification:
			?	*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	99 / 1	19
				Return via any of the three possible trails from the peak. No new taxa were found on the new trail heading north, but it does have a lot of one-seeded pussypaws, Calyptridium monospermum, near the top.