Notice:

This year the Palm Springs

Aerial Tramway will be

closed for maintenance

from August 10 to 30.

Plan ahead.

sediment runoff into the Long

Valley meadow and creek.

Crews installed new bridges

this season, although some of

the bridge head abutments and

trail extensions and realign-

ments won’t be built until next

season. Due to the complexity

of some of the proposals in the management plan, no comple-

tion date has been determined

yet for Long Valley.

Crews worked in Round Valley

for the second consecutive

season improving the trace

trails that lead from the main

trails to the campsites. Most of

the work so far has been on

the north and west side of the

Round Valley meadow. A cou-

ple of new outhouses were

placed in service recently. Like

the work in Long Valley, the

purpose of the work in Round

Valley is to reduce erosion and

sediment runoff into the Round

Valley meadow.

Continued on Page 4

This year’s trail work

season marked the third consecu-

tive year that trail crews from the

California Conservation Corps and

the California State Parks State-

wide Trail Crew worked at Mount

San Jacinto State Park. Work began

in Long Valley in May as the last of

the snow was melting off and work ended the last week of October as

the last of the volunteer mule

teams from the Backcountry

Horsemen of California hauled the

final loads of tools and equipment

out of Fuller Ridge.

The California Conserva-

tion Corps brought backcountry

trail crews from Yosemite, Stanis-

laus, and Klamath. Each of these

crews, which are also affiliated

with the federal AmeriCorps pro-

gram, spent about 6 to 8 weeks working on our trails. Local CCC

Corpsmembers from the Inland

Empire centers in San Bernardino

and Pomona also rotated through

during the entire summer. Each

crew averages 13 to 15 Corps-

members. Most of the season we

had two to three crews working.

The CCC crews were mentored

by the State Parks Statewide Trail

Crew which managed each job

site, assigned daily tasks, and su-

pervised construction while pro-

viding one to five laborers per

site. The State Park’s crew is

managed by Staff Parks and Rec-reation Specialist Lori Turner, and

she is assisted by Laborers James

Silvia and Gardner James.

Trail crews worked in

four areas of the park: Long Val-

ley, Round Valley, Fuller Ridge

and the Hidden Divide Preserve.

In Long

Valley, crews

started the trail

improvements

outlined in the

Long Valley Man-

agement Plan

which was pub-

lished this last

spring. This project

will make most of

the Long Valley

trail system acces-

sible

to those with mobil-

ity needs, and the

new trails will be

more sustainable in

handling increased visitor capacity.

Drainage is improved

by using modern trail

construction tech-

niques such as single

and double-sided

causeways, which

reduces erosion and

Mt. San Jacinto Natural

History Association

A Non-Profit Corporation

Serving Mt. San Jacinto State

Park and Wilderness since

1979

Winter 2013 Volume 33, Number 1

In this Issue: ….

2012 Trail Work Season

overview ……………..Page 1

NHA Board of Director’s

Update………………..Page 2

Photo Contest 2012 Win-

ners…………………...Page 3

Natural History Corner

……………………. . Page 5

Annual Picnic Report Page 6

Membership ………Page 7

Preventatiive Search and

Rescue Program…… Page 8

Holiday Banquet Re-

port………………….Page 9

Bulletin: Goldspotted Oak

Borer alert…………. Page10

PEAKS is the newsletter of

the Mt. San Jacinto Natural

History Association. pub-

lished for the members and

other interested parties. To

receive the newsletter please

provide an email address.

Newsletter Editor:

Joe Migliore

2012 Trail Work Season Wraps Up Improvement work will resume when the snow melts at

Long Valley, Round Valley, Fuller Ridge and the much anticipated Hidden Divide

Preserve. From Supervising Ranger Bart Grant

Page 2 PEAKS Winter 2013

Iona Scapple President 2013-2015 Kurt Leuschner Vice President 2012-2013 Robert Pellenbarg Treasurer 2012-2014 Marsha Hansen Secretary 2013-2015 Peter A’Hearn Director 2013 –2015 Maureen McCarty Director 2012-2013 Joe Migliore Director 2013-2015 Dennis Schirmer Director 2012-2014 Elize Van Zandt Director 2012-2013 State Park Liaison Garratt Aitcheson Park Superintendent Bart Grant Supervising Ranger Robert Howard Park Interpreter John Beringer Park Aide

2013 Board of Directors From the President, Iona Scapple

Thank you to volunteers for all the work that you

have done this year. Someone once said that volun-

teers are not paid, not because they are worthless

but because they are priceless. Without the volun-

teers, the Visitor Center would not be open. With

the help of John Beringer, the Visitor Center is now

operating seven days per week. John, our VC Man-

ager/Park Aide, has given much more of his time than

what he is paid.

Thank you Board Members, Joe Migliore has opened

his home to the Board for all of the meetings and he

has worked tirelessly to keep the Board moving in

the correct direction. Joe, our PEAKS publisher has

rewritten the NHA brochure with the help of Kurt

Leuschner, Maureen McCarty and our editor Elize

Van Zandt. Maureen is also our webmaster. Marsha Hansen, our secretary, has done more

than her share of work by doing many of the jobs usually done by the president. Bob Pellen-

barg, our treasurer, is doing a good job with the numbers, keeping our bills paid. Dennis

Schirmer, our science collaborator, is a man of many hats, doing whatever is asked of him. Our current slate of Board Members, along with a new member, Peter A’ Hearn, are looking

forward to an exciting new year of service to our State Park. John Muir once remarked that

“the view from Mount San Jacinto was the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on

earth”. Our hope is to help our State Park visitors share John Muir’s view.

Welcoming a New Director of The NHA Board

Peter A’Hearn

Peter and his wife Rochelle attended the

annual NHA banquet on December 8 at

which time Peter was unanimously

elected by the membership to the Board

of Directors. A welcome addition in-

deed!

Peter is K-12 Science Specialist at Palm

Springs Unified School District.

As the district science coach, he works

with teachers through lesson study, one-

on-one coaching, consultation, workshops and summer institutes, teaching science lessons

and working with teachers at all levels from Kindergarten through College Board Advanced

Placement Physics.

He is also a Board member of the Region 4 California Science Teachers Association and co-

chair of the 2013 California Science Education Conference in Palm Springs.

There’s more, but you get the idea.

“if you want something done ask a busy person” so the saying goes.

Welcome Peter

To Russell Anderson

Mary Wilson

&

Kim Clark

For all that you have

done while serving as

members of the

NHA Board of Direc-

tors,

With our sincere

appreciation!

PEAKS Page 3 Winter 2013

The Winners of the 2012 3rd Annual NHA Photo Contest

Thanks to all of you who submitted photos for the 3rd annual contest. The judges had some diffi-

cult decisions to make in selecting just the best seven photographs out of many fine entries. We

will add an honorable mention category for the upcoming contest to recognize at least a few of

the excellent entries in each category that did not make the final cut. The 2013 contest gets un-

derway on April 1st. Check out the website for further information and rules at msjnha.org

2nd Place, Scenic

Aleta Walther

San Clemente, CA

Grand Prize

Peter Lapner

Port Richey, FL

1st Place, Scenic

Tom Gallagher

Redding, CA

1st Place, Plant

Sharon Mattern

Palm Desert, CA

2nd Place, Plant

Kurt Johnson

Palm Springs, CA

1st Place, Wildlife

Aleta Walther

San Clemente, CA

2nd Place, Wildlife

Kurt Johnson

Palm Springs, CA

Page 4 PEAKS Winter 2013

2012 Trail Work Season Wraps Up continued from Page 1

Bart Grant

Supervising Ranger

“The eagerly anticipated trail project taking place in Hidden Divide is well under-way. We anticipate this pro-ject will be completed in 2013.”

really nice rock work the crews have done

near the North Fork San Jacinto River

crossing. Crews are also realigning

a section of this trail, removing 19

of 21 switchbacks. There are about

2 more seasons worth of work to

complete.

The eagerly anticipated trail pro-

ject taking place in Hidden Divide

is well underway. Once completed,

there will be a way for the public

to legally access the features of this

area that are currently not adja-

cent to trails while still protecting

the most sensitive features of this

preserve, such as the endemic and

threatened San Jacinto Blue Curl. We an-

ticipate this project will be completed in

2013.

Looking into the future, we anticipate that

there is sufficient proposition 84 funding

available to continue trail improvements

during the 2013 and 2014 seasons at the

same level as this year. It is likely that pro-

jects will continue in 2015 but at a reduced

level as funding shifts to local sources.

For more information or to review maps

and documents about each project, stop by

either the Long Valley Ranger Station or

park headquarters in Idyllwild. The Long

Valley Management Plan may be reviewed

on line. See link at bottom of page.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge the trail work

done by the wilderness Park Aides, Boy

Scouts and Volunteers.

This season we had up to 5 park

aides assigned at Long Valley.

Park Aides handle the routine

maintenance of the existing

trails rather than reconstruc-

tion. Park Aides clear obstacles

on trails such as logging out

fallen trees, keep the wilderness

campgrounds and trails clean,

maintain the outhouses, trim

brush, and make and maintain

the trail signage. State Park vol-

unteers occasionally help the

Park Aides and have stayed overnight at the

wilderness campgrounds as camp hosts. Boy

Scouts performed projects in Little Round

Valley, the Low Trail and Stone Creek area

this summer including improving a

switchback section of trail and widening a

narrow steep section of trail by rebuilding a

retaining wall.

There are plenty of volunteer opportunities

working on the trails in the park. Most of the

work I save for the volunteers is of the eas-

ier, less technical nature that is still impor-

tant, such as brush trimming, clearing trail

alignments and logging out fallen trees with

crosscut saws. We are also interested in

having volunteers serve as camp host in the

backcountry campgrounds next summer,

Some realignment of the trails is taking

place to reduce impacts on the meadow.

There are about 2 or 3 more seasons’

worth of work to complete.

At Fuller Ridge, a third season of work

took place on the Pacific Crest Trail.

This was the most remote work site for

the crews. Volunteer packers and their

mule teams from the Backcountry

Horsemen of California kept this crew

supplied with weekly runs up the Deer

Springs Trail. Each mule carried about

120-130 pounds of equipment per trip.

The goal of this once dangerous section

of the PCT is to bring it to the eques-

trian standards set for the PCT.

If you get a chance, go and check out the

Management Plan: http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/795/files Long_Valley_Mngmnt_Plan_FINAL_1_2012web.pdf

Large-blotched

Ensatina Salamander Ensatina escholtzii klauberi

Rob Howard, Park Interpreter

“Ensatinas have been seen on the ramp lead-ing to the tram, so when people pick up pieces of bark or wood next to the walkway, they could potentially disturb a salamander’s

home.”

Natural History Corner by Rob Howard, Park Interpreter, San Jacinto State Park

One of the few amphibians known to oc-

cur in Mount San Jacinto State Park is the

Large-blotched Ensatina Salamander

(Ensatina eschscholtzii klauberi). An adult

Ensatina measures 3 - 6 inches in total

length, with a large head and eyes, long

legs, and a relatively short body. The col-

orful blotches ranging from orange to light

cream or yellow on its back make it one

of California’s most beautiful salamanders.

The tail is

rounded

and con-

stricted at

the base,

which helps

differentiate

this sala-

mander

from other

salamanders

in the area.

This unusual salamander is found through-

out the Peninsular Ranges of southern Cali-

fornia from the San Jacinto Mountains to

northern Baja California. Within Mt. San

Jacinto State Park they range from Long

Valley to Idyllwild, inhabiting moist, shaded

pine forests and oak woodlands. They can

be found under rocks, logs, and woody

debris, especially bark that has peeled off

and fallen beside logs and trees. Ensatinas

have been seen on the ramp leading to the

tram, so when people pick up pieces of

bark or wood next to the walkway, they

could potentially disturb a salamander’s

home.

The Large-blotched Ensatina is a member of

the family of Lungless Salamanders. Because

these salamanders lack lungs they breathe

through their skin, which requires them to

live in damp or moist environments to keep

their skin permeable for gas exchange. En-

satinas are fully terrestrial and do not need

to return to water to breed. Breeding usu-

ally occurs from November to March. After

several hours of an elaborate courtship,

involving the male rubbing his body and

head against the female, the male deposits a

gelatinous mass of sperm, or spermato-

phore, which is then picked up by the fe-

male’s cloaca and used to fertilize her eggs.

In late spring, females will lay a single clus-

ter of about 8 eggs. Most Lungless Salaman-

ders lay eggs in moist places on land, such

as in rotting logs

or beneath bark,

and may “brood’

the eggs by secret-

ing large amount of

mucus to prevent

egg desiccation.

The eggs usually

hatch after four to

five months. Unlike

most other types

of salamanders,

frogs, and toads

that have aquatic larvae that must hatch into

water, the young Ensatinas hatch directly from

the egg into inch-long terrestrial salamanders

with the same body form as an adult. This is

because the eggs are fluid-filled capsules—each

larva floats in its own personal aquatic envi-

ronment until it matures. Longevity has been

estimated at up to 15 years.

These salamanders are most active during

summer thunderstorms and on rainy or wet

nights when temperatures are moderate. They

stay underground in relatively cool, moist

places during hot and dry periods where they

avoid dehydration. High-altitude populations

also hibernate or become inactive during se-

vere winter cold. They may be active and feed

underground during the hot, dry summer

months. Food includes a wide variety of inver-

tebrates, including worms, ants, beetles, spi-

ders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, sow

bugs, and snails. A salamander will thrust out a

long sticky tongue to capture prey, crushing

the prey in its mouth before swallowing. Typi-

cally feeding is done using sit-and-wait ambush

tactics, but sometimes Ensatinas will slowly

stalk their prey.

An Ensatina has a number of tricks to avoid or

repel predators. When disturbed, an Ensatina

will stand tall in a stiff-legged defensive posture

with its back arched and its tail raised and

secrete a milky white substance from the poi-

son glands located on the tail. This noxious

substance often repels predators. However, if

an Ensatina is caught, it is able to lose its tail to

distract a predator. The wiggling tail will at-

tract the predator’s attention so the salaman-

der can crawl away to safety. The tail can then

be re-grown. The Ensatina can also emit a

hissing sound, similar to a snake, to discourage

predation.

Due to habitat loss and fragmentation it is

listed as a California Species of Special Con-

cern by the California Department of Fish and

Game.

Page 5 PEAKS Winter 2013

Page 6 PEAKS Winter 2013

The NHA Annual Summer Picnic, The NHA Annual Summer Picnic, San Jacinto State Park Headquarters, IdyllwildSan Jacinto State Park Headquarters, Idyllwild

What could be better? A picnic in the park of course. On August 25th we all gathered at the Idyllwild Park Headquarters campground

for our annual picnic. The weather was perfect. We all brought some great side dishes and Garratt Aitchison, our State Park Sector

Superintendant and his crew provided hamburgers and hot dogs with the all the trimmings. The best part was making and renewing

friendships. We had more than 30 members and staff in attendance but, alas, our official photographer who shall not remain unnamed,

Rob Howard, didn’t get the traditional group shot. A great time was had by all.

If you missed this one join us the next time around!

Front to back: John Beringer, Jan Welch, Robert

Peek, Jenny Adamson loading up while it lasts.

Left to right:

Kurt Leuschner

chats with

Cecilia Fischer

Vicky Schulke

John Beringer

and

Jeff Schulke

Left to right: Bob Pellenbarg and John

Beringer are smiling. Could they be talk-

ing about the Visitors Center?

Ranger Robert Peek is giving the boss a hand

Superintendant Garratt doing double duty as chef

New friends: Maureen McCarty on right sharing tales with Jeff and Vicky Schulke

Serious talk? Gene Rojek and Maureen

McCarty

Membership by Maureen McCarty, Membership

Page 7 PEAKS

Mail to: Mt. San Jacinto NHA

255 N. El Cielo, Suite 140, #141

Palm Springs, CA 92262

Check the type of membership you would like to join or renew, fill in

your mailing information and return this form with your dues. Make

your check or money order payable to: MT. SAN JACINTO NHA.

Name ________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________

City ____________________ State______ Zip code ___________

New Membership Application or Renewal Form

Dues Schedule

Senior $15

Student $15

Individual $20

Family $25

Supporting $30

Life $150

Endowment Fund Contribution

$__________

Please check here if you do not wish to have your name published on line or in Peaks as recognition for your member-ship and contributions to the

NHA.

links to many related park and institu-

tional sites. It is a living document and

we welcome comments to improve

function and add content. Whatever it

is, please feel free to email us at postmaster@msjnha.org.

We are trying to be as “green” as we

can. Please help us by keeping

your information current.

If you are getting this issue of PEAKS in

a paper form that means that we do not

have a current or correct e-mail address

for you. Just take a moment and send

your current e-mail address to

postmaster@msjnha.org. Help save a tree!

Happy New Year from the Board.

Our membership is growing but the

more we have the more we get done.

It would be wonderful if each of you

could get us just one new member.

This could be a “New Years Resolu-

tion” that would be easy to keep.

Joining and renewing is easier than

ever. This can now be done from our

NHA web-site www.msjnha.org . After you have logged in, find the big

green box on the home page. Click it

and you will be taken to a form to fill

out. You can, off course, print the

form and mail it to us at the address

given but you are just a click or two

away from doing it on line.

I encourage anyone that has not had a

chance to check out our redeveloped

website to please do so. There is a

wealth of information about park his-

tory, resources and planning as well as

VOLUNTEER NOWVOLUNTEER NOW

Winter 2013

Page 8 PEAKS Winter 2013

nature's warning signs, much less the signs

of their own health and well-being.

Developing a keen sense of awareness

regarding your surroundings and environ-

mental conditions are key points for a

successful hike that often get overlooked.

Dan Bass, Preventative Search and

Rescue volunteer at Mount San Jacinto

State Park and Wilderness is ready to

educate new hikers and visitors on wil-

derness safety and awareness. Behind

him is an educational panel describing

the 10 essential items to carry when

traveling in the wilderness. PSAR volunteers are dedicated to provid-

ing protective measures through education

and stewardship programs. They are

trained in the 10 essential systems, daily

weather and trail conditions, seeking pro-

tection from lightning, avalanches, proper

hydration, trail recommendations and park

rules. They can also answer questions

about snakes and wildlife concerns often

addressed by visitors.

PSAR volunteers patrol six zones

in the park year around. PSAR vol-

unteers carry maps, extra water

and whistles to provide to hikers.

On busy weekends, SPAR has a

presence on the ramp to the tram

where many new hikers pass. Ad-

ditionally the park switched from a

self-permitting system to a system

requiring visitors to get

their permit at the ranger

station where they have

direct contact with park

staff. Staff can inform

visitors about trail condi-

tions, equipment needed,

and weather forecasts, i.e

winds, snow. A state trail

map for the unit is avail-

able free or visitors may

purchase topographical maps.

In the last 18 months, we reduced our

medical responses and SAR events by 85%.

Although still too early to tell if PSAR is

having an effect on these numbers, it will be

worth keeping an eye on as the program

progresses.

“PSAR volunteers are extremely

proactive in approaching visitors

and providing them with informa-

tion about how they can be better

prepared and more self-reliant

when faced with an emergency in

the wilderness.”

Note: Sue Neary has transferred to

Seacliff State Beach near Santa Cruz.

She is working on her masters in Emer-

gency Services Admin., specializing in

earthquake preparedness. We wish her

well!

Sue Neary

Park Ranger “Developing a keen sense of aware-

ness regarding your surroundings and

environmental conditions are key

points for a successful hike that often

get overlooked.”

Mt. San Jacinto Volunteers Take A Mission Driven Approach To

Mountain Safety and Preparedness.

By Park Ranger Sue Neary

Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR) is a

relatively new volunteer program at Mt. San

Jacinto State Park and Wilderness designed

to take an educational approach to improv-

ing the experience of new visitors and hik-

ers in the backcountry.

PSAR volunteers are extremely proactive in

approaching visitors and providing them

with information about how they can be

better prepared and more self-reliant when

faced with an emergency in the wilderness.

The program compliments the SAR efforts

of our Department of Parks and Recreation

hasty team and the Riverside County

Mountain Rescue Unit. It encourages a

cooperative effort to educate our visitors

on the potential hazards of recreating in the

wilderness.

PSAR is the expression of a value system.

Many visitors, both returning and new, are

goal driven to reach the peak in record

breaking speed, but have developed little

appreciation for the value of recognizing

Page 9 PEAKS Winter 2013

NHA Annual Holiday Banquet

December 8th in the Crocker Room at the Tramway Mountains Station

The NHA Banquet is open to all members with a guest, and park staff. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway graciously provided free

passes for members and their guest and use of the Crocker Room. Tramway staff was, as always, very helpful with the banquet room

set-up and the staff of Aramark , under the direction of Peaks Restaurant Manager Kaitlyn Tinsley did a wonderful job decorating the

room and setting very attractive tables out for us, including Christmas Holiday decorations. The dinner was served buffet style including

cheese and cracker tray with dried fruit, ceasar salad, two entrees ( chicken and fish) and delicious side dishes finishing with chocolate

cheese cake and bread pudding. Of course wine and drinks were also available. What more could we ask for?: A great turnout of 43

members & guests including park staff, our Inland Empire District Superintendant Ron Krueper and his wife Millie and our past Park

Interpreter Ellen Absher and her husband Jim. The guest speaker from the Bureau of Land Management ,Greg Hill, gave in inspiring

presentation on the 200th anniversary year of the Public Lands Office and it’s successor the BLM and their roll in preserving for poster-

ity millions of acres of magnificent wild lands in the U.S. Kurt Leuschner was MC, and Ranger Bart Grant gave a short update on park

trail projects. It was by all accounts a great success.

The 2013 Annual Holiday Banquet will be held on December 7, 2013. Put it on your calendar.

Ranger Bart is exuberant talking about our park

NHA President. Iona, visiting with (clockwise from lower left) Sally and Dennis Schirmer, Ann and Wes McNeal, Gene

Rojek & Grete Abele and Regina Landry. Iona is standing.

Aleta Walther and Sharon Mattern show-ing their winning photos

Ron Krueper is passionate about

State Parks’ Inland Empire

Front: Carol and Keenan Barber, Rear: John and Helen Beringer

On the right ,Millie and Ron Johnson

L to R, Jeff Wilson, Vickie and Jeff Schulke, Ron and Alana Krueper

Clockwise from front: the back of park aides Michael and Phil, Kurt Leuschner, Peter and Rochelle A’Hearn, Judi and Robert Peek

Page 10 PEAKS Winter 2013

The Goldspotted Oak Borer, Agrilus coxalis

The goldspotted oak borer (GSOB) was first detected in 2004 in San Diego County, California by the

California Department of Food and Agriculture during a survey for exotic woodborers. In 2008, it was

found attacking coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia, canyon live oak, Q. chrysolepis, and California

black oak, Q. kelloggii, on the Cleveland National Forest and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. GSOB is

playing a major role in on-going oak mortality. GSOB larvae feed under the bark primarily at the in-

terface of the sapwood and phloem on the main stem and larger branches. Larvae kill patches and

strips of phloem and cambium, resulting in limb and branch die back and, eventually, tree death. Be-

cause of host distribution, GSOB has the potential to spread further north in California and cause simi-

lar tree mortality.

From California Parks and Recreation

Do Not Move Oak Firewood Out of Local Areas

Goldspotted oak borer (GSOB) larvae remain in cut oak logs and firewood from GSOB-

killed trees or green infested trees and are a continual threat of further infestation.

Wood from GSOB infested trees should not be removed from local infested areas. We

emphasize that transporting infested firewood is likely the most significant pathway for

introducing GSOB into non-infested areas.

For more information go to http://groups.ucanr.org/GSOB/

BULLETIN:

What is killing the Oaks?

The Goldspotted Oak Borer

By some estimates

more than 80,000

trees have been killed

by this beetle in San

Diego County.