NMMS 2oo6 Foray - Field Trip Descriptions

Friday
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Foray 1 - Pajarito Ski Area
• Elevation: 9000-10,000 ft.
• Fir/Spruce/Aspen
Note: We visited this area both Friday and Saturday (Foray 11).

1-a - Ski Hill - Moderate to Strenuous
• Walk up & down ski runs (steep); alternating grass slopes and thick woods.

1-b - Quemazon Trail - Easy to Moderate
• Walk along maintenance road with slight elevation changes. In other good years, this walk has produced 30+ species right along trail.

1-c - Camp May - Moderate
• Look around Camp May and/or park at end of road and investigate the surrounding slopes.

Foray 2 - Valles Caldera Preserve
• 2 Trails open for hiking (and collecting).
  · 2-a - Valle Grande Trail - 2 miles
  · 2-b - Coyote Call Trail - 3 miles
Link to Valles Caldera Map

Foray 2.5 - American Spring Turnoff
• This area is a good short stop to combine with other field trips heading west from Los Alamos.
• Elevation: 8200 ft.
• Vegetation mostly Ponderosa pine.
• Turn north into the parking area just off NM 4 and walk around.
• Frequently find Hypomyces lactifluorum and occasional Boletus barrowsii.
• Near parking area are remnants of hay bales used for re-seed and erosion control after Cerro Grande burn. Check these for interesting specimens.
• South side of NM 4 is Bandelier National Monument property, which is an area included in Jarmie/Rogers and subsequent post-Cerro Grande studies.

Foray 3 - FR 376 South - mostly car hopping
• Elevation around 8500 ft.
• Vegetation primarily Ponderosa with some Aspen stands.
• About 4 miles west of La Cueva, turn south on 376.
• After a couple of miles, head east on FR 604.
• Healthy stands of Aspen for those who must have Leccinum, and a nice drainage micro-habitat along first stretch of FR 604 (just before sharp curve overlooking tent rocks).

Foray 4 - FR 144 North - mostly car hopping
• Elevation around 8700 ft.
• Vegetation mixed conifer: transition from Pp to fir/spruce.
• About 6 miles west of La Cueva, turn north on 144. (Watch for Boletus barrowsii along road as you top Fenton Hill.)
• This area offers a variety of habitats and usually yields numerous species.
• Typically lots of Coprinus comatus along road--Remember to save picking them for the trip back.

Foray 5 - Telephone Canyon - Easy walking with probable stops along way.
• This area is a good distance from Los Alamos and may not be practical for a field trip.
• Elevation: 8300 ft.
• Vegetation mixed conifer.
• East west drainage offers north- and south-facing slopes in close proximity.
• Has yielded a nice assortment of species in past.

Foray 6 - Other Forest Roads south of NM 4 - car hopping
• A lot of territory south of NM 4 is accessible on various Forest Roads. Perhaps someone who knows and wants to visit some of this area will opt to lead a group.

Foray 7 - Santa Clara Peak - car hopping
• This area is a good distance from Los Alamos and may not be practical for a field trip. It will require as early a start as possible.
• Addendum March 2023: Reports from last year describe the road as very rough, and high-clearance vehicles are preferable.
• Elevation: 6000-11,000 ft.
• FR 144 heading west from Española travels through Piñon and Ponderosa habitats and tops out in wonderful fir/spruce forests. Highest elevation of any of the listed field trips.

Saturday
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Foray 10 - Mycophagy Foray
• Probably plenty of edibles will return from Friday's field trips. However, a group may go out and return early with choice, clean specimens for the Mushroom Tasting.
• Destination(s) up to leader(s).

Foray 11 - Pajarito Ski Area
• Elevation: 9200-10,000+ feet.
• Vegetation fir-spruce on north-facing slopes.
• The ski lifts began running at 10:00. Cost per person was $5. (2006)
• Allows forayers to visit higher elevations without a long drive or a strenuous uphill hike.

Foray 12 - Independent Excursions
• Some folks will probably want to head out on their own--either to return to some of Friday's sites or to visit somewhere not listed.
• Please inform Field Trip Coordinator (David Wallis) of proposed destinations and other details: who's going, which vehicles, etc.
• Also, please get as much data as possible on collected specimens: location (including elevation), habitat, etc.
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www.MycoWest.net/forays/fnm~6/fnm~6-ft.htm
dmw . 2o23-o3-1o