CNPS San Gabriel Mountains Chapter

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AT MILL CREEK SUMMIT
MT. GLEASON ROAD

Mill Creek Summit to Mt. Gleason

This location covers some of the higher elevations at the western extremity of the San Gabriel Mountains.

We begin at Mill Creek Summit (4,900 ft), on the short interpretive trail to the lookout, which is a good place to see several manzanitas, including the San Gabriel Manzanita (Arctostaphylos gabrielensis).

Then we explore Mt. Gleason Road, following the ridge line all the way to Mt. Gleason (6,500 ft), with views sometimes to the west and sometimes to the east. A particular botanical attraction in this area is the Mt. Gleason paintbrush, which is our chapter logo, but there is also a good variety of other subalpine flora. The date was late April.

After passing a correctional facility (via a gravel road that detours around one side of the facility) the road ascends Mt. Gleason itself, where there is a disused microwave communications tower.

Click on the thumbnails to see higher-resolution images, 720 x 480 pixels.

AT MILL CREEK SUMMIT

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Entrance to Mill Creek picnic area

Vieiw from Mill Creek Summit lookout

Close-up of Strawberry Peak

Parry's manzanita

Parry's manzanita (Arctostaphylos parryana) is common at Mill Creek Summit. Here we see the flowers (L) and the full tree (R).

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Parry's manzanita (Arctostaphylos parryana)

Comparing Parry's manzanita with Bigberry manzanita

Parry's has a bright green leaf. Glauca has a whitish green leaf., and very sticky, green fruit. The Parry's fruit is shiny, red, non-sticky. Glauca fruit will later turn red like a “little apple,” it's common name in Spanish. Here we see the Parry's fruit (L) and the Bigberry fruit (R).

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Parry's manzanita (Arctostaphylos parryana)

Bigberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca)

Bigberry manzanita

Here we see the trunk of Bigberry Manzanita with its magnificent bark. This specimen is along the interpretive trail at Mill Creek Summit.

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Bigberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca)

San Gabriel manzanita

San Gabriel manzanita ([i]Arctostaphylos glandulosa[/i] subsp. [i]gabrielensis[/i]) is one of the rare plants at Mill Creek Summit — rank 1B2 (rare, threatened or endangered ia CA and elsewhere).
Distinguishing features, as shown in these three photos: relatively open flowers (L); erect nature of the tree (C); groiund level burl (R). The flowers of this species are white, but here had become charactyeristically pink after about a week.

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San Gabriel Manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa subsp. gabrielensis)

Other manzanita photos

Here we see (L) Parry's manzanita ([i]A. parryana[/i] and behind it bigberry manzanita ([i]A. glauca[/i]). Then (R) a very large bigberry manzanita [i]A. glauca[/i].

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