Conifers Around the World: Conifers of the Temperate Zones and Adjacent Regions

Being a trailblazer at heart, I normally have little use for the plethora of hiking books on the market. But when Michael sent me of copy of Conifer Country, I couldn’t resist reading it. I was a little disappointed that the rest of the biota was left out, because botanical endemism is particularly high in the Klamath Range. Of course, the author had to focus his efforts and, with 39 conifers recorded in the region (even without the Del Norte pine, which is still in question), he had more to work with than in any other temperate mountain range of its size on the planet. The first part of the book covers climate, geology and the tree species. Well over half of the book is dedicated to Klamath conifers and their distribution and his maps are the best yet. I found some mis-statements in the section describing the conifers. For example, in the section for gray pine (Pinus sabiniana) (pages 84-86), the 500 to 2,500 ft. elevation range should be from nearly sea level to 7,000 feet elevation (at Sawtooth Peak, Inyo County), and that the pine is dependent on fire to regenerate is misleading because both birds and rodents are involved. The description of its distribution in Oregon as outlier populations that naturalized from plantings for food or landscaping in recent human history was refuted in a 2009 article in this journal (Kalmiopsis 16:1-14). On page 99, the author states that an underlying band of serpentine that runs east to west from the mountains to the coast north of the Chetco is an edaphic barrier to northward movement of redwoods. These serpentine belts actually run north to south; rather than inhibited by this substrate, coast redwood thrives on weathered serpentine-derived soils. Then on page 113, he comments that “Alaska-cedar trees do not reach significant size in the Siskiyous–I’ve never seen one more than 35’ tall.” I’ve seen Alaska cedars 70 feet tall and nearly 3 feet in diameter on Whiskey Peak in the Oregon Siskiyous. These and a few other errors will be corrected in the second edition, coming soon. The remainder of the book is all about hikes, but not to worry, none of these is anywhere as long as the Pacific Crest Trail or the Desert Trail, which both extend from the Mexican border and to the Canadian border. If you are a teacher, with a three month vacation, you might have enough time to complete the PCT in one season, or you can complete a half dozen of the 29 hikes listed in Conifer Country. The author is a teacher and clearly he has put his time to good use by writing this intriguing book (that is not only for teachers). The important thing to remember is to select hikes that are within your capability and time frame and be prepared to deal with the elements and strenuous climbs. Be sure to take time to smell the conifers and explore the geology and hydrology. When you are fit enough, you may want to do the Iron Man hike a.k.a. the 400-mile Bigfoot Trail mentioned at the end of the book. If you push so long and hard that you think you’ve just seen Bigfoot, it’s time to take a break! Is he really out there? Well, you will just have to take the trail and discover for yourself. This book is well written and very readable, the color photography is superb and just enough black and white photos to draw you into the mountains to see the real colors. Would I recommend that you buy the book, well no, not unless you get off your duff and put it to good use! This guide to the Klamath Mountains can give you an experience of a lifetime. Don’t pass up the opportunity, and be sure to take the book with you (carry it in a zip-lock bag to keep the elements out). –Frank Callahan, Siskiyou Chapter.