NPSO 2022 Annual Meeting

May 20 - 22     Spirit Mountain Lodge, Grand Ronde, Oregon

Field Trips

Friday May 20, 2022    1 - 4 p.m.                    Field Trip # 7

Difficulty:     Easy  (1 to 2 miles) - Some moderate slopes on grass paths.

Elevation:     200 feet elevation gain/loss

Group Size Limit:     12, maximum of three vehicles

Trip Description:     Within sight of the Pacific, walk through a special coastal forest and beautiful meadows. This field trip is a unique chance to explore Grass Mountain, the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology's newly acquired 80-acre property, a component of the Cascade Head Biosphere Reserve and sitting within the Cascade Head Scenic Research Area.

For hundreds of years, the only settlements near Cascade Head and the Salmon River were indigenous peoples. The Walls family staked a claim for the property in 1905 and used it for farming and forestry until 2011, when it was acquired by the Sitka Center. They called the property Grass Mountain because of its open meadows; the name was also used to describe Cascade Head itself. Predominant species include Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), red alder (Alnus rubra), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and sword fern (Polystichum munitum).

Sitka is determining how the property will be used and developed, which may include residency programs, workshops, and events that promote stewardship and deepen an understanding of ecology through art, science, and attention to this remarkable place. NPSO participants are welcome to provide their input to this process during the tour and are encouraged to help develop a plant species list of the property. This site is not generally open to the public.

Appropriate Clothing and Footwear:     Sturdy walking/hiking shoes, hiking poles optional.

Meeting Place and Time:     Trip # 7 leaves at 1 p.m. from Spirit Mountain Lodge entrance. Plan to arrive 30 minutes before departure time to meet your group and arrange carpools.

Alternate Meeting:     Participants may also meet the trip at 1:45 p.m at Sitka Center for Art & Ecology, 56605 Sitka Drive, Otis, Oregon. If you choose this option, be sure to notify your trip leader in advance.

Driving Miles and Time from Spirit Mountain Lodge:     26 miles, 35 minutes. Paved roads; one mile of good gravel road from Sitka Center to Grass Mountain site.

Driving Directions:     Trip leader will provide detailed driving instructions.

Leader:       Alison Dennis

Director, Sitka Center for Art and Ecology.

Plant Lists and Other Information:     Clink on the links below for more information about this trip.

A Grass Mountain meadow affords a view of the ocean in the distance.