Do you love to nerd out about plants? Do you like to volunteer? Do you like to backpack and hike? If yes, consider joining Ascend during our Adult Botany Trip where you’ll get to learn from field experts and help collect data for a Klamath Mountain Botany Survey in the Kangaroo Lake Botanical Area of the Klamath Mountains.
Date: August 9-13
Location: Kangaroo Lake Botanical & Geologic Areas, Pacific Crest Trail
Apply HERE
Hiking With a Purpose:
The Klamath Vegetation Mapping Program is a partnership between:
- California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (CPH)
- California Native Plant Society (CNPS)
- California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW)
- Bigfoot Trail Alliance
CNPS formed a vegetation sampling team with funding from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It includes CNPS staff, Michael Kauffmann from the Bigfoot Trail Alliance, Cal Poly Humboldt Professors Lucy Kerhoulas, Rosemary Sherriff, Erik Jules, and many students.
The goal is to inventory and map plant communities in the Klamath Mountains to help fill critical data gaps about vegetation types and biodiversity. This work also supports future life form classification and wildland fuels mapping, vital for fostering climate resilience in one of California’s most ecologically important regions.
During this Ascend Adult Botany Trip, guest botanist, Liz McGee Houghton, and Ascend Wilderness Guide, Andrew Nelson, will lead the group in botany exploration as well as meet up in the field with project partners and field scientists.
For more information click here.
Kangaroo Lake – Overview
Location:
Kangaroo Lake is located in Klamath National Forest, in Siskiyou County, Northern California. It sits within the Scott Mountains, a subrange of the Klamath Mountains, and is easily accessed via a forest road or by hiking along the Pacific Crest Trail. This location is in one of the most botanically unique areas of the Klamath National Forest with multiple designated Botanical and Geologic Special Interest Areas all within walking distance.
Camping:
There’s a small developed campground at the lake with picnic tables, toilets, and fire rings, as well as dispersed backcountry sites for those seeking a wilder experience.