Alaska - The Last Frontier

My Aunt Char and I decided to visit Juneau, Alaska in early May to see my folks, my brother Dave, and sister-in-law Karen. It had been almost five years since we were all together in Alaska (see Bears and Unbirthdays and Eagle River and the Crab Feed) and just over three and a half years since some of us were together in the San Francisco Bay Area (see Thanksgiving Fun and Filoli at Christmas). Two and a half of those years were spent in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. With encouragement from Dave, Aunt Char and I made our plans to travel and booked our flights.

Neither of us had been on a plane for several years, so our travel skills were a little rusty. Plus, we'd heard so many harrowing tales of fights breaking out on planes over masking, crowded seating, and frequently-cancelled flights, so weren't sure what to expect. My husband dropped us off at the Oakland International Airport and we started our journey. Our flights turned out to be uneventful, and my brother and sister-in-law met us at the airport. They helped us with a car swap and quick "hello" at my folks place, and then we checked into our Extended Stay America hotel (within walking distance of the Juneau International Airport) and settled in.

Alaska Airlines - ready to fly

Our first outing was to Mendenhall Glacier about 12 miles "out the road" with Dave and Karen. The glacier has been receding for the last 70 years since our family arrived in Juneau, and the vegetation growing up during that time. It's been a wonderful lesson in natural history and plant succession, and always interesting to look for changes each visit. Cruise ships were scheduled to start arriving the next day, so the Visitor Center was closed and we had the glacier to ourselves. We walked out to the Scenic Overlook to snap some pictures and enjoy the beauty under overcast skies. We finished the day at my folk's place with a home cooked pot roast (one of Mom's delicious specialties); French vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate syrup, a splash of brandy, or both; and great conversation.

Walking the serpentine path to the Scenic Overlook

Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls

Taking pictures like a pro

Selfie at the Scenic Overlook

Visitor Center at Mendenhall Glacier

The next day Aunt Char and I headed to Overstreet Park to see the Tahku whale sculpture and walk on the Seawalk along Juneau's Waterfront. We caught the tail end of a celebration for the 30 new totem poles that are being installed along the Kootéeyaa Deiyí (Totem Pole Trail) leading to downtown Juneau. The sun came out, the mood was festive, and the totem poles were stunning. Some had motifs that I didn't recognize, which made me curious about their origins (perhaps from a different part of Alaska, or modern designs mixed with traditional). We could see three cruise ships down channel, including one arriving, and another leaving. We all regrouped at my folk's place for dinner, conversation, and a look at Ancestery.com (along with a bowl of French vanilla ice cream and toppings). Back at the hotel, Aunt Char and I reflected on the day and read our novels.

Tahku appears to leap out of the channel

Festive crowd at Overstreet Park

Haida Raven Pole
(Carver: TJ Young, Haida Master Artist, Hydaburg)

Tsimshian Pole
(Carver: David R. Boxley, Tsimshian Master Artist, Metlakatla)

Ishkahittaan Pole - detail of a frog
(Carver: Jon Rowan, Tlingit Master Artist, Klawock)

Lots of cruise ship activity in Juneau, Alaska (I count three)

On another day, Aunt Char and I did a few errands and then headed for town to visit my brother and sister-in-law. They've been enjoying afternoons around the fire pit, so we were glad to get in on that. We visited with son Richard and his dog Rex, swapped stories and memories, and watched for wildlife (a raven came around hoping for a handout). Back at my folk's house we enjoyed delicious takeout from Canton Asian Bistro, ice cream with toppings, conversation, and then watched a couple of episodes of Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators. At the hotel, Aunt Char and I finished the day companionably reading our novels.

Fireside reflection

A hopeful visitor

On our last day in Juneau, my Dad recommended we drive up to Eagle Crest, the local ski resort on Douglas Island. After a few errands, Aunt Char and I drove out Douglas Island to see the grand sweeping views of the Chilkat Mountains. On our way back we drove up to Eagle Crest, enjoying the tail end of the snow season. The resort was closed for the day but we could still see the two main ski lifts and the paths down the mountain. We picked up Mexican food from Mar y Sol in downtown Juneau, and regrouped at my folks' place for a delicious dinner, margaritas, ice cream and toppings, and conversation on our last evening together. Back at the hotel, Aunt Char and I packed up in preparation for an early morning departure (but still found time to read our novels)!

View of the Chilkats from Douglas Island

Kayaks

Selfie on Douglas Island (Mendenhall Glacier in the distance on the right)

Eagle Crest Ski Resort on Douglas Island

Still some snow on the mountains

Family fun and fabulous Mexican food from Mar y Sol

Aunt Char and I made our early morning flight with no problems. We simply walked across the street to the airport (I've never done that before), checked in, and then ate breakfast at Tailwind Concession (avocado toast for Aunt Char and a breakfast sandwich for me). We enjoyed our flights and brief stops at the Seattle and Portland airports, and then seeing my husband at the Oakland International Airport when we arrived. It was difficult to say goodbye to my family and beautiful Juneau, Alaska, but it was so good to be together after such a long separation. I have so many wonderful memories of our reunion and look forward to the next one!

The house that Mom and Dad built

View from the yard (notice the island flower bed to the right of the stairs)

Skunk cabbage poking up through the ground

Fiddleheads on Mom's favorite stump

The woods in the side yard

The trip boosted our confidence and desire to travel further afield again. Aunt Char booked another trip as soon as we returned home, this time to Phoenix, Arizona to see family!

Rainforest Plant Wrapup

One of the great payoffs of all the rain in Southeast Alaska is all the green and all the beautiful flowers.

Here is a gallery of some of the flowers I saw while taking walks in damp, green Southeast Alaska. Some are native, others have escaped. All are beautiful. You can see more flowers in Wildflowers of the National Forests in Alaska,

Fireweed	Goldenrod
Alaskan daisies	Wandering fleabane.
Raspberries	Red scabiosa
Wild celery gone to seed	Dandelion
Wild rose	Rose hip

Poison Gardens – Stinging Nettle

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica spp. holosericea) is an herbaceous perennial flowering plant that is found all over the Western United States. It grows from 3 - 6 feet tall; leaves are 1 - 6 inches long, ovate, and serrate; flowers are tiny and grow in clusters; and the fruit is an achene. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the plant thrives in oak woodlands, riparian zones, and in nutrient rich soil.

Stinging Nettle. Photo by Júlio Reis, image released  under
the GNU Public Documentation License.

Tiny, stinging hairs cover the stems and leaves, and cause temporary skin irritation when touched; and pollen may cause hay fever. However, stinging nettle may be tolerant of heavy metals and useful for rehabilitating contaminated soil.

California native people brewed a tea for treating sores and hives, and boiled the leaves to eat. Western settlers used the fibers to weave cloth.

To learn more:

• http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/urtdio/all.html
• http://www.plantsofcalifornia.com/stinging-nettle-urtica-dioica/

Poison Gardens – Poison Oak

Western poison oak (Toxicodendron diversiloba) is a shrub, which can grow like a vine. It is native to the Western United States, from British Columbia to Baja, California, from the mountains to the coast. Poison oak is the counterpart to the East Coast poison ivy. Its leaves are pinnately trifoliate, each leaf with multiple lobes; the greenish-white flowers grow in panicles; and the fruit is a drupe. Leaves turn red or pinkish in fall, so they are sometimes used in landscaping for fall color. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the plant thrives in the redwood forest, mixed evergreen forests, oak woodland, and chaparral plant communities, and in riparian zones. As the common name suggests, it frequently grows near oak trees, and its leaves resemble oak leaves, especially live oaks, such as Quercus agrifolia. Deer and livestock browse poison oak, which contains high levels of phosphorus, sulfur and calcium.

Poison oak leaves resemble oak leaves.
Photo by Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database 
(http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=TODI&photoID=todi_007_ahp.tif).

Poison oak causes skin irritation for most people, and can cause serious respiratory inflammation if inhaled while burning. Some people report they have no reaction upon first exposure, then immediate and painful reactions on subsequent exposure. A few people report no reaction, but this seems rare.

California native people groups, such as the Ohlone, ingested small quantities of the leaves to prevent the rash, and to prevent colds. They made baskets of the long fibers, and used the leaves to wrap corn meal for baking in hot coals.

To learn more:

• http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/vine/toxdiv/all.html 
• http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0802.htm

Poison Gardens - California Buckeye

California buckeye (Aesculus californica) is a large shrub, or small tree, that is endemic to California and used in landscaping. Its leaves are palmately compound; flowers are panicles with many tiny, cream-to-pale-pink blossoms in spring; seeds are large, pear-shaped, and ripen in late fall. California buckeye grows on dry slopes, in canyons, near water, in open grassland, or in the forest understory. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the shrub thrives in the redwood forest, mixed evergreen forest, oak woodland, and chaparral plant communities.

California buckeye spring blossoms in Leona Canyon.

California buckeye is toxic – its bark, leaves, stems, fruits, and seeds contain glycosidal compounds, which depress the central nervous system when ingested. This can cause harm to wildlife, livestock, non-native bees, and people. Even with this toxicity, many creatures eat the leaves, flowers, and shoots. The seeds are high in carbohydrates, and include protein, fat, and fiber.



California buckeye poisonous fruit in the fall.
Photo by Eugene Zelenko, used under Creative Common license (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aesculus_californica-28.jpg).

California native peoples used the seeds as a food source. They developed methods of roasting, mashing, leaching, and cooking the seeds to remove the poison. California natives also used the seeds in streams and ponds to partially paralyze fish, making them easier to catch, without poisoning the fish or water.

To learn more:

• http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/aescal/all.html
• http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/aesculus-californica

Oaks in California

Several species of oak are native to California. I have been trying to learn more about them, and learn how to identify them. Identification is still tricky; some species are distinctive, others seem very similar to each other. Here are a few native oaks that I’m learning to recognize:

• Quercus agrifolia – also called Coastal Live Oak, California Live Oak, and California Field Oak. This evergreen tree thrives in coastal conditions, within 50 miles of the ocean, and in a forest setting. Leaves are slightly elliptical, 1-2 inches long, glossy dark green on the upper side, and serrated. Bark is smooth and dark gray. Male flowers are catkins; female flowers are flowered spikes. The cap of the acorn encloses 1/4 to 1/3 of the nut. Trees can reach 70 feet in height.
• Q. chrysolepsis – also called Canyon Live Oak, and Canyon Oak. This evergreen tree is native to foothills, mountain slopes, and canyons. Its range is the entire length of California, from sea level to 9,000 feet. Yosemite has groves of Canyon Oak. Leaves are elliptical, 1-4 inches long, glossy green on the upper side and grayish and felt-like underneath, serrated when young, then smooth when old. Bark is pale gray and furrowed. Flowers are similar to Q. agrifolia. The cap of the acorn encloses 1/4 of the nut, and the acorn is small and egg-shaped. Trees can reach 60 feet in height.
  
• Q. garryana – also called Garry Oak and Oregon Oak. This deciduous tree thrives from British Columbia to the Santa Cruz Mountains in California. Leaves are lobed, 3-6 inches long, dark green glossy above (turning reddish brown in fall), and downy underneath. Bark is gray, scaly, and checkered. Flowers are similar to Q. agrifolia. The cap of the acorn encloses 1/3 of the nut. Trees can reach 90 feet in height.
  
• Q. kelloggii – also called California Black Oak and Kellogg Oak. This deciduous tree thrives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and in the Coast Ranges, but away from the coast. Leaves are oblong, to 6 inches long, divided into dentate lobes, glossy green above (turning to yellow or yellow orange in the fall), and pubescent underneath. Bark is dark, furrowed, and checkered. Flowers are catkins. The cap of the acorn encloses 1/3 to 1/2 of the nut or more. Native people groups used the acorn as a staple food. Trees can reach 80 feet or more in height.
  
• Q. lobata – also called Valley Oak, California White Oak, and White Oak. This deciduous tree is native to California’s Central Valley and foothills away from coastal influences. It prefers rich, well-watered bottom land. Leaves are deeply lobed, 3-4 inches long, dark green above and paler gray-green and felt-like underneath. Flowers are catkins. The cap of the acorn encloses 1/4 of the nut, and the acorn is elongated. Native people groups used the acorn as a staple food. Trees can reach 80 feet in height.

Q. lobata at The Ruth Bancroft Garden is 350 years old.

Q. lobata leaves are lobed. Leaf shape, bark, flowers, and fruits are used collectively to identify a tree.

HTML Tables

These descriptions have been compiled from: Hortus Third (Bailey), Plant Life in the World’s Mediterranean Climates (Dallman), and The Western Garden Book (Sunset).

Quercus – Fine Trees

Oak trees are quintessential California. The image of a massive oak set apart on a rolling, golden hill is iconic. In California, oaks appear in the landscape from the foggy coast, to chaparral canyons, to the hot Central Valley, to the hills and foothills of the Sierras. Each type is especially adapted to the soil and microclimate of the area.

Oak woodland in Sonoma County

Oak trees are categorized in the Fagaceae family, in the Quercus genus. The origin of the Latin word quercus is thought to be derived from the Celtic for “fine” and “tree”. Within Quercus are about 500 species. Some are deciduous (drop their leaves) and others are evergreen. Some of the evergreens are summer- or drought-deciduous, meaning they drop some leaves during the dry season or drought as a water conserving strategy. The common name “live oak” refers to evergreen oaks.

Graceful limbs of Quercus agrifolia close to the coast

Leaves may be lobed or serrated (little teeth); flowers are catkins (slim, cylindrical flower clusters), and the fruit is the acorn. They are long-lived; some may grow to be 350 – 400 years old with the right conditions. Some species thrive in a forest setting, others require lots of space and deep soil. Oak trees may be host to many birds, animals, and insects, making them an important part of the environment.

Leona Canyon Preserve

May is a great time to hike in the Leona Canyon preserve, which is located in the Oakland Hills. The canyon and hills are green from winter rains, and the wildflowers are blooming. The preserve is part of the East Bay Regional Park District’s network of parks and open space preserves. We took a short hike starting from the Merritt College trail head, but didn’t make it all the way down the canyon.

Lush vegetation on the Leona Canyon trail, near
the Merritt College trail head.

An interesting aspect of the trail is that to the East, the hillside resembles chaparral, and to the West, woodlands. This is typical of the San Francisco East Bay, where sunny facing slopes are dry with sparse vegetation, and shaded slopes, which are shrouded in coastal fog for longer periods, support lush vegetation.

Taking a breather to enjoy the canyon view. You can see
the difference in vegetation between the hill on
the left and the one on the right.

I am interested in seeing native plants in their environment, to learn more about what grows naturally in the area, and to consider what might be adapted to my shady garden. The brochure at the trail head is very informative about native plants, and their uses by the Ohlone people who lived in the area. The trail has corresponding markers for the information described.

To learn more about the East Bay Regional Park District: https://www.ebparks.org. To learn more about the Leona Canyon Regional Open Space Preserve, see the Teacher’s Trail Guide publication on Leona: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/leona-canyon.

To get to the Preserve:
There are two trail heads – one from the Merritt College campus, and one from Oaks Canyon Drive off Campus Drive.