Introduction and Explanation of Plant Trail Guides
Introduction
Highlights of This Trail
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time
Botanical Trip Reports
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species
Introduction The Alcoholic Pass Trail traverses Coyote Mountain in a cross-section from its south side to its north side, from Coyote Creek to Clark Valley. Coyote Mountain has a very odd profile here, with a steep southern slope, an almost flat top, and a long very gentle northern slope. In contrast, in the area of the peak of Coyote Mountain, the profile is nearly symmetric. The complex profiles are undoubtedly due to Coyote Mountain itself being an uplifted block between two strands of the San Jacinto Fault, and therefore subjected to considerable stress and strain. The topography here is also heavily influenced by the West Coyote Mountain Fault, which goes through the saddle here and separates the Ocotillo Formation on the west from the basement rocks on the east.
The trailhead is on the main Coyote Canyon dirt road, 2.5 miles north of the end of the pavement on DiGiorgio Road in Borrego Springs. Except after heavy rains, or when Coyote Creek has a lot of water, the dirt road is usually passable with careful driving by passenger cars. Wallace Tucker drove his Prius to the trailhead with no problems on 2/23/10, and we've seen mini-vans parked at the trailhead before.
The hike begins on the north edge of Coyote Creek Wash at a signed trailhead. At mile 0.16, you begin ascending a steep slope and gain 500 feet of elevation in the next 0.48 miles, a punishing rate of 1000 feet per mile that is made trivial if one is going at a slow botanizing pace. The trail then is essentially level for the next 0.27 miles. The trail then descends at the very gentle rate of 220 feet per mile for the 2.7 miles down to Rockhouse Canyon Road.
Highlights of This Trail The following histogram gives the number of trails in our database that contain each taxon on this trail. We had 191 of our trails and floras in our database when this histogram was made; 53 of those trails and floras, including this one, are in Anza-Borrego State Park. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found only on this list, among all the trails in our database.
Number of Trails
Containing A TaxonNumber Of Taxa
On This Trail% of Taxa
On This Trail1 2 2% 2 1 1% 3 2 2% 4 1 1% 5 1 1% 1-5 7 8% 6-10 8 9% 11-15 11 12% 16-20 7 8% 21-25 10 11% 26-30 9 10% 31-35 8 9% 36-40 4 4% 41-45 3 3% 46-50 7 8% 51-55 7 8% 56-60 5 6% >60 3 3% Total Taxa 89 100% We found 1 additional taxon not in the above table, since it has not been fully identified yet. The unidentified ones are marked with ?, sp or ssp in the id? column in the guide, and have no entries in the #all column.
The taxa that are unique to this trail, or found on only four or fewer other trails or floras that we have done (up to five total trails including this one), out of all 191 plant trail guides throughout southern California, as of 26 February 2010, are:
# trails / floras Scientific Name Common Name 1 Cryptantha nevadensis Nevada cryptantha 1 Linanthus jonesii Jones' linanthus 2 Calycoseris parryi yellow tackstem 3 Filago depressa dwarf filago 3 Cryptantha decipiens gravel cryptantha 4 Langloisia setosissima ssp. setosissima bristly langloisia 5 Loeseliastrum matthewsii desert calico
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time The following table gives the dates the trail was walked and taxa recorded. After each visit, the table gives the total number of taxa on the list and the breakdown of the taxa without positive identification. See Explanation of Plant Trail Guides to understand the symbols below.
Visit Date Visit # # taxa # "?" # "sp" # "~" # "ssp" 12/22/2007 1 40 2 5 10 0 12/27/2007 2 43 2 4 9 0 3/21/2008 3 89 1 3 5 0 2/23/2010 4 90 1 0 3 0 Note what a difference it makes covering the trail in December or in March! The number of reliably-identified taxa more than doubled.
The trail was only covered to mile 2.93 on 2/23/10; 2.55 on 12/22/07; and mile 1.41 on 3/21/08. Just the lower two miles were covered on 12/27/07.
We thank RT Hawke and Wallace Tucker for assistance with the 2/23/10 fieldwork.
Botanical Trip Reports
The Plant Guide This is a working list, about which we make no guarantees at all until we officially release it. Use at your own risk!
The mileages have been obtained by a GPS recording for most of the species, with the route then drawn using Topo!. The relative mileages are probably accurate to ~0.02 miles, with the absolute accuracy somewhat worse.
Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (4 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (1 double-sided page). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)
See Explanation of Plant Trail Guides for an explanation of the column headers.
mile s # id Common Name Latin Name #here #all 0.00 The following annuals, given in alphabetical order by scientific name, are within ~100 feet of the trailhead; no "trail side" is given for them: 0.00 1 frost mat Achyronychia cooperi 10 / 2 9 0.00 2 *Asian mustard Brassica tournefortii 99 / 9 49 0.00 3 sand cress Calyptridium monandrum 1 / 1 21 0.00 4 California suncup Camissonia californica 99 / 9 64 0.00 5 brown-eyed primrose Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii 99 / 9 26 0.00 6 pale sun-cup Camissonia pallida ssp. pallida 10 / 2 12 0.00 7 Fremont pincushion Chaenactis fremontii 99 / 9 14 0.00 8 brittle spineflower Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu 99 / 9 32 0.00 9 narrow-leaved cryptantha Cryptantha angustifolia 99 / 9 21 0.00 10 bearded cryptantha Cryptantha barbigera 10 / 2 22 0.00 11 purple-root cryptantha Cryptantha micrantha 20 / 5 21 0.00 12 papillate dodder Cuscuta californica var. papillosa 50 / 9 13 0.00 13 spectacle-pod Dithyrea californica 10 / 1 9 0.00 14 whispering bells Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora 5 / 5 26 0.00 15 small-flowered poppy Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora 99 / 9 17 0.00 16 Parish's poppy Eschscholzia parishii 20 / 5 17 0.00 17 dwarf filago Filago depressa 10 / 1 3 0.00 18 star gilia Gilia stellata 50 / 9 13 0.00 19 hairy-podded pepper-grass Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum 30 / 9 33 0.00 20 desert calico Loeseliastrum matthewsii 30 / 9 5 0.00 21 ~ strigose lotus Lotus strigosus 1 / 1 54 0.00 22 Arizona lupine Lupinus arizonicus 99 / 9 27 0.00 23 desert dandelion Malacothrix glabrata 99 / 9 19 0.00 24 desert needle Palafoxia arida var. arida 5 / 1 26 0.00 25 curvenut combseed Pectocarya recurvata 99 / 9 13 0.00 26 Emory's rock-daisy Perityle emoryi 5 / 2 32 0.00 27 little-flowered heliotrope phacelia Phacelia crenulata var. minutiflora 30 / 9 19 0.00 28 desert plantain Plantago ovata 99 / 9 35 0.00 29 desert chicory Rafinesquia neomexicana 40 / 9 28 0.00 30 *Mediterranean schismus Schismus barbatus 99 / 9 53 0.00 Begin guide at sign "Alcoholic Pass"; elevation 930 feet (283 m). 0.00 r 31 ocotillo Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens 99 / 9 53 0.00 l 32 burroweed Ambrosia dumosa 99 / 9 51 0.00 r 33 Gander's cholla Opuntia ganderi 99 / 9 43 0.00 r 34 indigo bush Psorothamnus schottii 40 / 9 47 0.00 r 35 creosote bush Larrea tridentata 99 / 9 57 0.00 l 36 cheesebush Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola 99 / 9 46 0.02 b 37 teddy-bear cholla Opuntia bigelovii 99 / 9 36 0.02 l (California fagonia, Fagonia laevis; Bigelow's desert four-o'clock, Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa) 0.02 38 hairy sand-verbena Abronia villosa var. villosa 1 / 1 10 0.02 r 39 wire-lettuce Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora 4 / 2 54 0.02 l 40 desert trumpet Eriogonum inflatum 3 / 2 40 0.02 r 41 pebble pincushion Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia 99 / 9 14 0.02 l 42 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium 99 / 9 86 0.03 r 43 narrowleaf ditaxis Ditaxis lanceolata 30 / 9 36 0.04 r 44 big galleta Pleuraphis rigida 30 / 9 47 0.04 r 45 brittlebush Encelia farinosa 99 / 9 56 0.05 r (beavertail cactus, Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris) 0.05 r 46 desert lavender Hyptis emoryi 99 / 9 48 0.05 l 47 small-seeded spurge Chamaesyce polycarpa 30 / 9 56 0.08 l 48 beavertail cactus Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris 20 / 9 51 0.09 r 49 California fagonia Fagonia laevis 30 / 9 25 0.12 r 50 Thomas' buckwheat Eriogonum thomasii 30 / 5 21 0.13 r 51 Bigelow's desert four-o'clock Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa 20 / 9 32 0.14 r 52 chia Salvia columbariae 10 / 3 56 0.15 r (Bigelow's monkeyflower, Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii) 0.16 Leave wash and go onto steep slope 0.17 Switchback right 0.17 r 53 Booth's evening primrose Camissonia boothii ssp. condensata 3 / 2 26 0.17 r Check for Chorizanthe rigida 0.18 Switchback left 0.18 r (Palmer's coldenia, Tiquilia palmeri) 0.27 r 54 ? *knapweed or thistle Centaurea or Cnicus sp. 1 / 1 0.29 r 55 trailing four o'clock Allionia incarnata 1 / 1 12 0.29 r 56 Pima rhatany Krameria erecta+ 40 / 9 17 0.45 Elevation 1350 feet (411 m) 0.47 b 57 rock hibiscus Hibiscus denudatus 4 / 2 29 0.63 b 58 Nevada cryptantha Cryptantha nevadensis 30 / 5 1 0.64 End steep climb at minor local high point; elevation 1500 feet (457 m) 0.71 r 59 California trixis Trixis californica var. californica 3 / 3 33 0.71 r (star-flowered bedstraw, Galium stellatum var. eremicum; San Felipe dogweed, Adenophyllum porophylloides; California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus) 0.76 b 60 sweetbush Bebbia juncea var. aspera 20 / 9 57 0.77 r (gravel cryptantha, Cryptantha decipiens) 0.78 r 61 California barrel cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus+ 2 / 2 46 0.79 l 62 bristly langloisia Langloisia setosissima ssp. setosissima 10 / 1 4 0.80 Sign in sheet "Summit Register"; elevation 1560 feet (475 m); trail is flat now 0.80 b 63 desert lily Hesperocallis undulata 5 / 2 15 0.80 l 64 ~ yellow tackstem Calycoseris parryi 1 / 1 2 0.91 Start downhill; view of Clark Valley; elevation 1560 feet (475 m) 0.93 l (California filago, Filago californica) 0.93 r (woolly lipfern, Cheilanthes parryi) 0.94 r 65 star-flowered bedstraw Galium stellatum var. eremicum 2 / 2 21 0.96 r 66 eucrypta Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida 20 / 2 7 0.96 r 67 Mojave ragwort Senecio mohavensis 20 / 9 20 0.96 r 68 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens 5 / 1 89 0.96 r 69 *brome fescue Vulpia bromoides 5 / 1 9 0.96 r 70 Jones' linanthus Linanthus jonesii 10 / 2 1 0.97 r 71 woolly lipfern Cheilanthes parryi 20 / 2 32 0.97 r 72 wing-nut cryptantha Cryptantha pterocarya 10 / 2 9 0.97 r 73 threadstem Pterostegia drymarioides 20 / 1 50 0.98 r 74 Mormon tea Ephedra aspera 3 / 1 9 0.99 r 75 gravel cryptantha Cryptantha decipiens 5 / 1 3 1.00 r 76 San Felipe dogweed Adenophyllum porophylloides 2 / 2 14 1.00 r 77 jojoba Simmondsia chinensis 10 / 2 32 1.00 r 78 common phacelia Phacelia distans 99 / 9 41 1.03 r 79 arrow-leaf Pleurocoronis pluriseta 3 / 1 28 1.03 b 80 Vasey's sage Salvia vaseyi 10 / 3 23 1.09 l 81 catclaw Acacia greggii 50 / 9 51 1.19 l 82 devil's spineflower Chorizanthe rigida 1 / 1 12 1.22 l 83 Bigelow's monkeyflower Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii 20 / 5 13 1.26 l Some 7' tall Vasey's sage, S. vaseyi 1.31 r 84 Engelmann's hedgehog cactus Echinocereus engelmannii 3 / 3 27 1.32 r 85 ~ desert woolly-star Eriastrum eremicum ssp. eremicum 2 / 2 23 1.40 86 smooth western tansy-mustard Descurainia pinnata ssp. glabra 10 / 2 10 1.41 r 87 smoke tree Psorothamnus spinosus 20 / 5 24 1.60 r (fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria dioica) 1.62 Elevation 1400 feet (427 m) 1.90 l 88 white rhatany Krameria grayi / 39 2.18 r 89 pencil cholla Opuntia ramosissima 3 / 1 20 2.42 Elevation 1200 feet (366 m) 2.93 r 90 desert mistletoe Phoradendron californicum 2 / 2 42 3.30 Elevation 1000 feet (305 m) 3.59 End trail at Rockhouse Canyon Dirt Road; elevation 960 feet (293 m)
Comments On Specific Species Krameria erecta. There were no fruit or flowers on the first plants on the trail, so their determination is not 100% positive; the identification comes from a plant at mile 0.37 that had fruit.
Ferocactus cylindraceus. The varieties are not recognized in the Flora of North America treatment for the excellent reason that they don't actually exist.
Go to:
Copyright © 2007-2010 by Tom Chester and Wayne Armstrong
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
http://tchester.org/sd/plants/guides/anza_borrego/alcoholic_pass.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester | Wayne Armstrong
Last update: 26 February 2010.