Southeast Chapter activities are scheduled throughout the year and are often held at the Beidleman Environmental Center on Caramillo Street, north of Uintah, off Chestnut, in Colorado Springs.
The Chapter is recruiting for the office of President. For Chapter information or to volunteer, email Liz Klein, phone her 719-635-5927, or Elsie Pope at 719-596-4901 or Doris Drisgill at 719-578-1091 or 719-322-3902.
Oenothera harringtonii, Comanche National Grasslands. Photo by Steve Olson.
2008 Programs and Field Trips
Every Tuesday throughout the summer
Join Jeff Jones for his weekly Hewlett-Packard Bird/Plant/Nature Walks in Colorado Springs. Jeff leads the walks every Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. through September.
Meet at the extreme southeast corner of the CX01 building (which is 301 Rockrimmon Blvd) on the HP property. The hour is spent walking the various undeveloped habitats on the 300 acre property identifying all matter of life (birds, plants, mammals, reptiles, etc). Jeff keeps a formal database of all things seen and identified. Questions? Email Jeff.
May 24: David Canyon Road, Otero County
This eight mile long road roughly parallels the low bluff of Fort Hayes limestone. The flora on the limestone is quite different from the surrounding prairie. Chondrosum gracile (Blue Grama) and Hesperostipa neomexicana (New Mexico Feathergrass) form much of the prairie matrix, but numerous forbs add color to the scene. A southeastern Colorado endemic, Oenothera harringtonii (Colorado Springs Evening-primrose), can put on a good show when conditions are just right.
For information and reservations: Email Steve Olson
June 21: Alpine flowers on Pikes Peak
We'll meet at 8 a.m. at the Pikes Peak tollgate and carpool up to timberline at Elk Park to see the early tundra flowers, including our endemic Mertensia alpina, and the delightful Aquilegia saximontana,Dwarf Columbine. Since we are an educational group, we should have to pay only about $2 per person.
This will be a light hike at 11,500-12,000 ft. We'll plan to be back to the gate around 2 p.m. Please wear sturdy footgear, bring a jacket, raingear, water, and lunch.
For more information and reservations call Doris Drisgill, 719-578-1091.
June 24: Yellow ladyslippers at Emerald Valley
We'll meet at 9 a.m. at Starsmore Discovery Center in Cheyenne Canyon, and carpool to Emerald Valley off the Old Stage Road to look for Orchids, especially Cypripedium sp, but we will also search for Coral Root and Bog Orchid.
This will be a moderate hike of 3-5 miles, at between 8 and 9,000 ft. We will be back to Starsmore about 3 p.m. Please bring sturdy footwear, raingear, water, and lunch.
For more information and reservations call Doris Drisgill, 719-578-1091.
July 5: Prairie flowers at Paint Mines Interpretive Park
We'll meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Target/Circuit City parking lot on the east side of Academy Boulevard just south of Platte Avenue. We will carpool to the new El Paso County Park at the Paint Mines and see what is blooming there. The Park is a colorful area of sandstone and shale badlands and hoodoos, and should have some interesting plants if there is adequate moisture this spring.
This will be a light hike of 1 1/2 to 3 miles at between 6 and 7,000 feet. Please bring sturdy footwear, raingear, water, and lunch.
For more information and reservations call Doris Drisgill, 719-578-1091.
July 13: Curley Peak and Chute Park, Fremont County
Heading up the appropriately named East Bear Gulch for 3.5 miles to Curley Peak and another mile to Chute Park will provide a good introduction to the northern Wet Mountains. Part of the day will help refine the known distribution and abundance of a local endemic, Penstemon degeneri (Degener’s beardtongue). Be ready for a 2,000 foot elevation gain through mixed conifer forests, and ending up in a large complex of montane meadows and woodlands.
For information and reservations: Email Steve Olson
August 16: Fourmile Creek, Park County
Our goal for the day is to determine the extent of populations of several state tracked plants in a large wetland complex west of Fairplay. The featured species will be Ptilagrostis porteri (Porter’s feathergrass), a species restricted to fens.
For information and reservations: Email Steve Olson
