Station 1-2
 Plants
Soils
Station 3-5
Management
Litter Hurts
Rotten Log
Station 6-8
Plant Succession
The Living Forest
Witches Broom and Bark Beetles
Station 9-11
Effects of Trailing
Wildfire
Radio Viewpoint
Station 12-14
Forest Habitat
Abandoned Prospect
Columbus Tree
Station 15-16
Douglas-Fir Stand
Summit
Station 17-19
Pit Excavations
Fire Scar
Habitat Contrast
Station 20-22
Snags
Root System
Silver Tip Viewpoint | 
Douglas Fir StandStation 15
Did you notice a change in the vegetation upon arriving at this station? This is typical of a Douglas-fir forest stand. Obviously, there has been a change in environmental factors that favors Douglas-fir. What major factor is different? This site is more moist and the soil is deeper so it can hold more water. Also, its exposure is not as directly south as the areas you were just in. There is less sunlight and wind here, so there is less evaporation. Also, since Douglas-firs have become established and they grow in a more dense stand than ponderosa pine, the area is more shaded. This makes it cooler, further reducing the amount of sunlight and slowing evaporation. What can you tell about plant succession on this site and what is the site’s probable climax plant species? There are both ponderosa pine and Douglas- fir here. However, notice that the larger, older trees are pines and the younger, more abundant trees are Douglas-fir. Do you see any pine seedlings? Probably not, since ponderosa pine do not reproduce well in shaded areas. Notice that the shade also limits the amount of understory vegetation. Douglas-fir is the climax tree species here. SummitStation 16
This is the summit of the Mineral Ridge Trail (please see map). You have climbed to an elevation of 2,800 feet, a rise of 660 feet from the parking lot. The main loop trail continues to the west and returns to the parking lot. The Wilson M.M. & M. trail to the east connects with the Lost Man Trail. The total length of these two trails is less than one mile. However, they do not form a loop and dead end where the Lost Man Trail intersects the Elk Mountain Road (Forest Service Road Number 1575). Along these spur trails are two view points of Wolf Lodge Bay, Wolf Lodge Creek and the surrounding Coeur d’Alene Mountains. The trails traverse slopes with northerly exposures with moist and cool grand fir, hemlock and cedar habitat types. You can also see a soil profile of the north slope of Mineral Ridge. This cut is much deeper than the first one you looked at. It also has a thick topsoil layer that is formed in weathered volcanic ash. This ash originated from Mt. Mazama over 6,000 years ago. A huge volcanic eruption blew the top off the mountain to form present day Crater Lake in Oregon. The ash was wind blown hundreds of miles to its present resting place. Because it is light and fluffy, it helps this soil absorb much more water than it would without it.
The rewarding view from the summit of Mineral Ridge trail.
|
>
