Trek 2004 - Munz's Iris Trek to Tuolumne County, California

On the weekend after the American Iris Society's annual meeting in Fresno, 43 visitors traveled to the foothills near Sequoia National Park to see one of the few known remaining stands of wild Iris munzii. Park ranger Jennifer Atkins and botanist Cheryl Bartlett guided their guests in small groups to a shaded canyon where Iris munzii plants grew thick and tall under the dappled shade of blue oaks and buckeye trees along a dry streambank. Photographers were alerted that abundant poison oak might make some close-ups risky, and a young rattlesnake and its grandfather helped add a touch of drama to the day.

2004 Tulare County Munz's Iris Trek. Top row: Ranger Jennifer Atkins and botanist Cheryl Bartlett lead small groups into a restricted, ecologically sensitive area. Steve Ayala.   Center row: Even two weeks after the peak bloom, there were still plenty of Munz's iris to photograph; (L) Richard Richards, Coffee Camp; (R) Mary Gerritsen, April 12, 2008.   Bottom row: Poison oak and rattlesnakes kept trekers alert. Steve Ayala.