Date: Saturday July 19, 2025
Meet 8:00 or 9:00 AM (see below which location works best for you and RSVP instructions). We will return to the trailhead by 3:00 PM.
Location & Description:
This walk will include a wide variety of ecosystems and plant communities. We will visit Umatilla NF in Oregon at about the 5,000-foot level between Tollgate and Jubilee Lake, while making our way to a huge montane wetland “complex”. We’ll visit mosses, flowers, shrubs, and trees, including a small stand of western white pine. At the wetland, we will see firsthand how varied these ecosystems can be, including seasonally wet meadows, perennially wet meadows, fens, and riparian zones. The plants we’ll see will shift from upland and generalist species to “obligate” wetland species.
Meeting Place: (we will carpool as much as feasible given individual needs and try to keep the caravan at a minimum).
Walla Walla-area attendees will depart at 8:00 AM from the Harper Joy Theater parking area at Whitman College. Attendees from other areas can meet us at 9:00 AM at the Morning Creek Sno-Park parking area off HWY 204 just east of Langdon Lake (near rest rooms.)
Registration:
The field trip is free. BUT - please RSVP to Emil Doyle at: emildoyle@gmail.com I need to know how many people will be in attendance, and where we will meet you. ALSO - Indicate if you want to purchase the booklet (see below).
Degree of Difficulty:
Walking/hiking on mostly flat, gravel USFS roads with gradual grades, which are no longer maintained for vehicle travel, so expect some minor detouring around fallen snags. After 1.4 miles we will leave the road and carefully walk through about 50 yards of forest while occasionally stepping over some downed trees, until we reach the wetland edge and our lunch break. We’ll also wander a bit along the forest edge.
Total Round-trip distance: about 3.25 miles (about 2.75 miles on gravel road, about 0.5 offroad) Net Elevation gain/loss: +40 ft/-80 ft with some ups/downs both in and out.
Age Suitability: 14 to 100, if the difficulty rating above is not an issue.
What to bring: 2 liters water, snacks/lunch, hiking shoes (may get a little damp but not soaking wet), long pants, rain gear, walking sticks, hat, insect repellant, 10x hand lens if you have one (instructor will have some to loan.)
CLASS BOOKLET: The trip leader has written a 55-page color booklet covering much of the material that will be covered in the field trip. $20 must be charged to cover printing costs. There will also be a set of free handouts to carry on the walk (do not need to carry the booklet.)