Boulder Field Ecology Course (ENVS 3100) Spring 2023s Dagbok

Met at ~ 1:30 at the Rabbit Mountain Open Space Trailhead
Weather: Clear skis, minimal breeze, mid-40s F.
Mckinley couldn't join but Hector joined again.

Ground still mostly snowcovered (on average ~6 inches deep off trail with lots of variation).
The trail up to the lookout on NW of rabbit mountain mostly follows a mellow E-facing slope. West slopes visible from where we were, were mostly snow-free showing layers of grey and red sedimentary rock and soil (limestone, shale, sandstone). Lots of ponderosas which were a bit smaller and more gnarly/twisted than other places we've seen them.

Highlights:

• Exploring off trail
• Woodrat nest in juniper
• Adriana gave talk on hibernation and torpor
• Ben gave talk on Flickers

Route URL: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=14.4/-105.2292/40.2480&pubLink=fvosFHF9zffVFsmrZW3umzgy&trackId=4ea3a0f3-8eb6-475d-b4bb-b20c2e515e0e

Started at the Lion's Lair Spur Trailhead and hiked 4.1 miles to Mount Sanitas (810 feet elevation gain). It was a sunny day but slightly windy. There was snow coverage in some areas but very patchy and sparse.
As a group, we practiced good hiking etiquette and utilized the game telephone to let everyone know if a hiker or running was approaching. Around 3 pm, a few people turned around about a mile or two from the summit because they had to leave. But the rest of our group ventured on to the summit where we had great visibility of Boulder.

Started at the Lion's Lair Spur trailhead around 1:15pm. Sunny day with light wind and a high around 50 degrees. Surrounding area was ponderosa pine forest. Relatively clear understory. Understory vegetation cover consisted mostly of grasses with ground covered in ponderosa pine needles. Larger shrubery was present in openings in the canopy cover that allowed more sunlight. Surrounding forest area was sloped hillside. No snow had fallen recently; there were some patches of snow present in shaded areas and the trail was mostly clear. Along the trail we talked about two species of lichen; Xanthoria parietina and Pleopsidium. A couple of witches brooms were seen on ponderosa pines and an unidentified species of woodpecker was seen in a tree near the summit. Additionally, we noticed black knot on a bush and mullen along the side of the trail.

In true classic Colorado weather, it was sunny, windy, and there were some snow flurries. We met at Boulder Valley Ranch at 1:30 it it was about 40 degrees. We started from the parking lot and worked our way off trail to view Yucca. Prairie Dog City out there- mounds, and even a skull and other skeleton pieces. It was a great day for birding, as we saw all kinds of small, colorful, or large birds. After that walk, we walked a loop and noticed rock formations, Yucca flowers, Bluebirds, and Ant mounds. Finally, we watched a juvenile Bald Eagle get into a bit of a tussle with a Red Tailed Hawk. Both got pretty close to us, and we all noticed how BIG their wingspans are.