Adventures for Wilderness, Alpine Adventures – Jul. 22, 2023

July 22, 2023

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Photos and text by Kennedy Halvorson

Led by Isaac Peetoom Heida

 

While meadows awaited us 420 m higher at the summit of Jumpingpound Mountain, volunteer expert Isaac Peetoom Heida sweetened every switchback with hydrology and forest facts; for instance, basic tree IDs are easy if you remember, “fir needles are flat, (lodgepole) pines come in pairs, and spruce are square”. Armed with this new mnemonic device, the hiking crew could clock the forest composition changing with increasing altitudes, with spruce and fir most common at the wetter trailhead and drought-tolerant and fire-adapted pines dominating near the peak.

The forest floor itself was rife with opportunities to explore and participants were eager to point out free-standing fungi. Isaac revealed that different types of fungi were also responsible for two common types of wood decay, brown rot and white rot. Fallen logs with brown rot break apart in tactile cubes, fungi digesting the cellulose and hemicellulose present, while white rot causes wood to pull apart in shredded tendrils, as it breaks down the lignin as well.

The big reveal came as the canopy gave way to more and more sunlight – suddenly the forest opened up into the alpine meadows, dotted playfully in pinks, purples, reds, blues, and yellows. Blooms of arnica, camas, fireweed, harebells, red paintbrush, shrubby cinquefoil, and yarrow welcomed our group, and Isaac’s current research interest, the Rocky Mountain Parnassian and its host plant, yellow sedum also made an appearance.

Experts anticipate a warming climate will challenge the survival of this specialist butterfly, which relies on deep snowpacks to protect its eggs as it overwinters on sedum leaves throughout the coldest months. Researchers like Isaac are working to better understand and document both these and other alpine species ecosystem interactions. If you are interested in following their progress, be sure to check out Changing Rockies for more information and updates!