6/17/2011 From the Coloradoan: “Project Pine Cone is a display of pine cones from around the world in a celebration of our “lowly” or “everyday” pine. It is a hands-on, educational exhibit assembled by local professional botanist, Renee Galeano-Popp. The goal is to share the beauty and diversity of pines while stimulating interest in botany, forestry and ecology. Colorado State University Herbarium is hosting PPC this summer in hopes that local school teachers will incorporate PPC as a learning tool into their science curricula.”
June 16 Garden Work Day
6/10/2011 From Susan: “The spring work day for the demonstration garden is set for Thursday, June 16, at 8:00 AM. For new comers, the garden is located across the road from the GVM office. We welcome any and all who would like to stop by the garden to check it out or join us in pulling a few weeds, pruning bushes, planting new vegetation, etc. It’s a great way to get your hands dirty and meet some new folk! Don’t forget sunscreen, hats, and water bottle.”
Easter Daisy near Gate 13
4/9/2011 Jim E. found the beautiful early-bloomer Easter Daisy, Townsendia hookeri on his hike today along the North Rim Road (aka Gate 13). He keyed it out using his microscope and wrote that this species can be distinguished from and similar species, T. exscapa, by the: “tuft of tangled cilia” at the tips of the phyllaries (bracts) below the head of flowers. He also sent this description from Weber & Wittmann “Blooming in early spring in open, rocky sagebrush. Widespread on the plains and outwash mesas of the Front Range.” Thanks, Jim, for sending the beautiful photo.
Maroon Bells Trail
Last Friday (4/1/2011) I hiked part of the Maroon Bells Trail and was impressed by the improvements made by the GVM Trails Committee. Here’s a photo of my nephew’s foot next to one of the newly painted orange trail markers. Thanks, Trails Committee!
Log Cabin Rd vs. Boy Scout Rd
4/3/2011 In the previous post, Jim accessed the new Elkhorn Creek Trail from the Log Cabin Rd. I asked him if that was the same as the Boy Scout Rd. He emailed: “Log Cabin Road and Boy Scout Road (CR 68C), the same, although the latter name appears in Among These Hills: A History of Livermore, Colorado. The former stems from the Log Cabin Hotel, post office, and stage stop at the T juncture of CR 68C with the Red Feather Lakes Road (CR 74E). One can still see the concrete foundation of one of the buildings.” Thanks for the clarification and history lesson, Jim.
Jim sent additional information from that book on p. 26 : “The two-story [hotel] structure was originally built at the Ashley Grange, a place for training young English ‘remittance’ men how to become ranchers. It had been moved several miles north to this site in 1888 . . ..” Jim added “Such men appear to have been not a rarity in the Livermore region.”
Glacier View Meadows Ecology 