GMP 42:
Season 5 Episode 1 |
Asclepias welshii aka Welsh's milkweed at the Coral Pink Sand DunesDay trip to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes in Utah to seed Welsh's milkweed
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Itinerary
End Of a five day work week. I took a half-day at work and went home on the 30th at 6PM. The alarm came early the following morning.
Wed, Jul 31
05:30
PDT
RNO to LAS
Southwest Airlines 2277, Gate B9
06:45
PDT
Arrive Las Vegas (LAS)
Terminal 1, Gate B14
Confirmation # ......
Pick Up Thrifty Car Rental
Pick-Up: 06:00
7135 Gilespie St Las Vegas, NV 89119-4267 United States
Confirmation # ......
07:30
PDT
Nestor
address redacted ......
07:30 to 08:00
11:30
MST
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
12500 Sand Dune Road, Kanab, UT 84741, USA
11:30 to 15:30
20:00
PDT
Nestor
address redacted ......
19:30 to 20:00
Drop Off Thrifty Car Rental
Drop-Off: 20:00
7135 Gilespie St Las Vegas, NV 89119-4267 United States
Confirmation # ......
21:25
PDT
LAS to RNO
Southwest Airlines 2497, Terminal 1, Gate C22
22:40
PDT
Arrive Reno (RNO)
Gate B7
Confirmation # ......
Wed, Jul 31
05:30
PDT
RNO to LAS
Southwest Airlines 2277, Gate B9
06:45
PDT
Arrive Las Vegas (LAS)
Terminal 1, Gate B14
Confirmation # ......
Pick Up Thrifty Car Rental
Pick-Up: 06:00
7135 Gilespie St Las Vegas, NV 89119-4267 United States
Confirmation # ......
07:30
PDT
Nestor
address redacted ......
07:30 to 08:00
11:30
MST
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
12500 Sand Dune Road, Kanab, UT 84741, USA
11:30 to 15:30
20:00
PDT
Nestor
address redacted ......
19:30 to 20:00
Drop Off Thrifty Car Rental
Drop-Off: 20:00
7135 Gilespie St Las Vegas, NV 89119-4267 United States
Confirmation # ......
21:25
PDT
LAS to RNO
Southwest Airlines 2497, Terminal 1, Gate C22
22:40
PDT
Arrive Reno (RNO)
Gate B7
Confirmation # ......
Email correspondence
Hi Walter Fertig, (DATE UNKNOWN July 26th?)
Re observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/18729627
I am planning to visit Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park on Wednesday. I am interested in observing asclepias welshii which may be in bloom or fruiting. Could you please contact me at growmilkweedplants@gmail.com if you have any information that could help me locate the plant or any other asclepias welshii.
Given your extensive history of studying rare plants in the area perhaps you have some insight to the plants habitat. I will only have about three or fours hours on-site and then drive back to Las Vegas to fly home to Reno. Perhaps there are plants walking distance from the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park parking lot? Would that be to easy?
Thank you,
Brad Grimm
growmilkweedplants@gmail.com
Hello Brad (JULY 28th)
Glad to hear of your interest in Welsh's milkweed. My favorite place to see it is at the far northeast tip of Coral Pink sand dunes on BLM lands north of the state park. Coral Pink State Park is over run by ATVs which can make exploring on foot unpleasant, whereas the BLM land is hardly visited.
If you take the Hancock Road (aka Coral Pink Sand Dunes Scenic Byways) off of Hwy 89 about 7 miles north of Kanab, you can easily access the north end of the dune. The road will fork in about 6 miles right at the north tip of the Coral Pink dunes. The road to the left (south) is packed sand but may not be the best for a rental car. There is a large gravel area at the road junction where you could park. Walking down the road the dune will open up in a quarter mile to your right. Walsh's milkweed occurs at the top and upper slopes of the dunes...the hike up is well worth it!
You can also get to the dunes off the paved road. Not many good places to pull off though until you get to the Ponderosa campground. Again, the milkweed are on top of the dunes mostly or the upper slopes. The veg cover is so bare and the milkweed so tall they are not hard to pick out! It is quite amazing that no one recognized this species until the late 1970s because it is not hard to see at Coral Pink dunes.
I had a student, Elaine Kneller, working on a survey of Welsh’s milkweed in 2003 when I worked at the Grand Staircase. I just found our poster from a 2004 talk and snapped some images. She has a map showing the distribution of plants within the dunes. There are also photos of the two distinct growth phases of vegetative plants. Primary plants have linear, grass-like leaves. secondary plants are small, but have the oval leaves typical of flowering adults.
Late July is getting late to see flowering milkweeds. But they should be starting to make fruits at least.
Good luck with your search. Hope to see some updated photos on inaturalist!
Walter Fertig
McCleary, WA
Walter, (AUGUST 7th 2019)
We went on the dunes in two locations. A turnout with informational signs just north of the state park entrance and the location you indicated on the northeast side. The rain was light at our first stop and increased. Precipitation was probably a blessing at the second stop since I drove the rental Camry beyond its comfort. The compacted sand was easier to navigate.
Blooms were cascading and ideal with fruit at the bottom and closed blooms at the top. Colorful flowers everywhere. Attached are a few photos.
-Brad G.
Growmilkweedplants.Com/podcast
Hi Brad, (August 7th)
Sorry to just be seeing this! Hopefully, you have found the plants. I don't have exact coordinates, but they are pretty easy to find. There is a fairly large pullout before the campground entrance where you can see the plants from the road or very close to the road. Wish I had more specific information. Good luck!
I'll also send this by email.
Mark
Hi Brad, (August 12, 2019)
Hi sorry for the delay. I've been very busy with field work. Did you find A. welshii during your trip? I recall there being a decent sized population off Sand Spring Road North east of Coral Pink Sand Dunes SP.
Do you know about the state's efforts to map Ascelpias in Utah? https://sites.google.com/utah.gov/monarchconservationinutah/home
Cheers,
Meghan McCormick
number redacted ......
The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground. — unknown
The greatest shelf fungus was once a little spore who held its bark. — Pete Letcher
The mind is everything. What you think, you become. -- Buddha
Out of chaos, brilliant stars are born. — I Ching Hexagram #3
Meghan,
Thanks for getting back to me. I had a very successful jaunt on the dunes for about three hours. Saw hundreds of stems! The north east side was a good stop as well as easy access from a turnout north of the state park.
Tomorrow I travel to Tucson to hike in the Sky Mountains in search of Asclepias that grows at elevations above 6,000'
Attached three pictures of Asclepias welshii
Thanks,
Brad Grimm
Growmilkweedplants..com/podcast
https://sites.google.com/utah.gov/monarchconservationinutah/home?authuser=0
Re observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/18729627
I am planning to visit Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park on Wednesday. I am interested in observing asclepias welshii which may be in bloom or fruiting. Could you please contact me at growmilkweedplants@gmail.com if you have any information that could help me locate the plant or any other asclepias welshii.
Given your extensive history of studying rare plants in the area perhaps you have some insight to the plants habitat. I will only have about three or fours hours on-site and then drive back to Las Vegas to fly home to Reno. Perhaps there are plants walking distance from the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park parking lot? Would that be to easy?
Thank you,
Brad Grimm
growmilkweedplants@gmail.com
Hello Brad (JULY 28th)
Glad to hear of your interest in Welsh's milkweed. My favorite place to see it is at the far northeast tip of Coral Pink sand dunes on BLM lands north of the state park. Coral Pink State Park is over run by ATVs which can make exploring on foot unpleasant, whereas the BLM land is hardly visited.
If you take the Hancock Road (aka Coral Pink Sand Dunes Scenic Byways) off of Hwy 89 about 7 miles north of Kanab, you can easily access the north end of the dune. The road will fork in about 6 miles right at the north tip of the Coral Pink dunes. The road to the left (south) is packed sand but may not be the best for a rental car. There is a large gravel area at the road junction where you could park. Walking down the road the dune will open up in a quarter mile to your right. Walsh's milkweed occurs at the top and upper slopes of the dunes...the hike up is well worth it!
You can also get to the dunes off the paved road. Not many good places to pull off though until you get to the Ponderosa campground. Again, the milkweed are on top of the dunes mostly or the upper slopes. The veg cover is so bare and the milkweed so tall they are not hard to pick out! It is quite amazing that no one recognized this species until the late 1970s because it is not hard to see at Coral Pink dunes.
I had a student, Elaine Kneller, working on a survey of Welsh’s milkweed in 2003 when I worked at the Grand Staircase. I just found our poster from a 2004 talk and snapped some images. She has a map showing the distribution of plants within the dunes. There are also photos of the two distinct growth phases of vegetative plants. Primary plants have linear, grass-like leaves. secondary plants are small, but have the oval leaves typical of flowering adults.
Late July is getting late to see flowering milkweeds. But they should be starting to make fruits at least.
Good luck with your search. Hope to see some updated photos on inaturalist!
Walter Fertig
McCleary, WA
Walter, (AUGUST 7th 2019)
We went on the dunes in two locations. A turnout with informational signs just north of the state park entrance and the location you indicated on the northeast side. The rain was light at our first stop and increased. Precipitation was probably a blessing at the second stop since I drove the rental Camry beyond its comfort. The compacted sand was easier to navigate.
Blooms were cascading and ideal with fruit at the bottom and closed blooms at the top. Colorful flowers everywhere. Attached are a few photos.
-Brad G.
Growmilkweedplants.Com/podcast
Hi Brad, (August 7th)
Sorry to just be seeing this! Hopefully, you have found the plants. I don't have exact coordinates, but they are pretty easy to find. There is a fairly large pullout before the campground entrance where you can see the plants from the road or very close to the road. Wish I had more specific information. Good luck!
I'll also send this by email.
Mark
Hi Brad, (August 12, 2019)
Hi sorry for the delay. I've been very busy with field work. Did you find A. welshii during your trip? I recall there being a decent sized population off Sand Spring Road North east of Coral Pink Sand Dunes SP.
Do you know about the state's efforts to map Ascelpias in Utah? https://sites.google.com/utah.gov/monarchconservationinutah/home
Cheers,
Meghan McCormick
number redacted ......
The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground. — unknown
The greatest shelf fungus was once a little spore who held its bark. — Pete Letcher
The mind is everything. What you think, you become. -- Buddha
Out of chaos, brilliant stars are born. — I Ching Hexagram #3
Meghan,
Thanks for getting back to me. I had a very successful jaunt on the dunes for about three hours. Saw hundreds of stems! The north east side was a good stop as well as easy access from a turnout north of the state park.
Tomorrow I travel to Tucson to hike in the Sky Mountains in search of Asclepias that grows at elevations above 6,000'
Attached three pictures of Asclepias welshii
Thanks,
Brad Grimm
Growmilkweedplants..com/podcast
https://sites.google.com/utah.gov/monarchconservationinutah/home?authuser=0
Links to pages mentioned in the episode:
"If it's good for the butterflies, it's good for me" -Brad G. |
Host: Brad Grimm
Location: Las Vegas Nevada & Coral Pink Sand Dunes Utah
Location: Las Vegas Nevada & Coral Pink Sand Dunes Utah