Wanted - herping "hot spots" of the Inland and Pacific NorthwestThis thread is similar and related to the previous "hot spots" thread as I would like to build ADDITIONAL lists of hot spots for herping.
Alberta has a fairly harsh climate and a limited number of herp species. In exceptional years and particular places, it is possible to see herps in the wild in Alberta from as early as March [or even February?] to as late as November. Most years and most locations, it's likely to be April to September. So when the weather HERE isn't conducive to finding critters outdoors, where do YOU go for a short trip that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, where animals might still be active?
The previous thread focused on day trips within or immediately adjacent to Alberta. For this thread, I am looking at "long weekend" trips, acknowledging that a long weekend might be as long as 4-5 days, but with no time spent anywhere except to sleep, eat, or find animals. I will simplify this to include the following: British Columbia west of the Rocky Mountain Trench [which is within day trip distance of Alberta, and within Mountain Time Zone], Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. Yes, I could ask these questions in Field Herping forums or in other regional society forums, but I want a simple survey which includes places familiar to and visited by Albertans.
I exclude Yukon, NWT, and Saskatchewan because their climates are at least as limiting as ours. Wyoming is doable, but being mainly east of the Divide, is a stretch to drive and only questionably milder. California and Nevada require two straight days just to get there [ok, my brother reached Mexico in 36 hours...but we want to eat, sleep, and find critters too].
I want relatively general location and habitat information, such as "wetlands along highway 1A between highway 1X and Canmore", and only more rarely do I want specific information like "Wagner Bog, between Spruce Grove and Edmonton", and then only if it's a well-known and preferably protected site. I do NOT want unprotected, sensitive or very specific sites posted here; although such information can be submitted by email and will likely not be used as part of a hot-spot listing. Information I consider risky to the wildlife will be saved for my own records, but will be deleted from posts with no penalty to the poster. [Mods - please soft-delete only, if necessary, so that I can save information and edit posts later]
When I say "hot spot", what I am looking for is places with either a good diversity of species of reptiles, amphibians, turtles, or interesting invertebrates in nature; and sites which seem to you to be especially good for seeing one or two of these. Locations should be accessible to the public without requiring special permits and without [at this time] property owners likely to deny access or be overwhelmed because they're too easy to get to. Parks which require a park pass or admission fee are acceptable.
The information I am seeking is this:
Description of the "spot", including both a useful location description and habitats involved.
Species for which it is a hotspot.
Time of year or weather conditions when the site is useful.
Other interesting natural history information [eg. site for rare Yucca, several monkey flower species, most likely place for rubber boas, etc].
Tourist info: local festivals, great restaurants, popular pubs, B&Bs, etc. Things to keep travelling companions happy or to compensate for exhaustion or bad weather! This may be important information, especially if a particular site seems isolated and likely to appeal only to a dedicated [read that as "insane"] field herper
Your name [first and last] and the date you provide the information. A reference is useless if you don't know who provided the information, when they provided it, or how old it was. A forum post is always subject to editing, and is thus also of very limited value as a "reference". I am not looking for detailed contact information, just a means of confirming the source at some time in the future.
I would prefer your information be emailed to , but forum mail can be used, and some posts and discussion in this thread would be a good idea as well.
Examples, as used in the previous thread, plus a new one:
Hot Spot 1 - Highway 1A between Highway 1X and Canmore; spring or flood-fed wetlands on the Bow River floodplain. Roughly 45 minutes west of Calgary by highway 1.
Species - northern long-toed salamander, boreal toad
Time of year: April to September. Salamanders breed for a few days, usually in mid-April, but can often be found under objects near wetlands throughout the season. Toads may be seen best after dark, sometimes in the day, with vast numbers of toadlets appearing at some sites in late summer.
Other natural history: Numerous orchids, other wildflowers, and carnivorous plants occur. Bow Valley PP is home to at least five orchids, plus butterworts and the rare spring dwelling isopod Salmasellus steganothrix. Wandering garters and Columbian spotted frogs occur in the area, with tiger salamanders and wood frogs at least at the eastern edge.
Other information: Canmore and nearby Banff have many hotels, hostels, and restaurants. The Banff hot springs are one of many popular sites to see [including introduced tropical fish in the hot springs marsh]. The Stoney Nakoda indians also have a resort and a casino at the eastern edge of the area.
Hot Spot 2 - Wetlands adjacent to Highway 774 between Beaver Mines and Castle Mountain Resort, Alberta.
Species - boreal toads, spotted frogs, and long-toed salamanders are abundant, especially in late summer.
Time of year: April to September.
Other natural history: this corner of Alberta is home to many species which are at the very edge of their ranges, including several monkey flowers, two violas, and rare orchids. It is the most likely location for tailed frogs and rubber boas to enter from BC. Tadpole shrimp, Lepidurus, are abundant in some shallow slow waters. Painted turtles have been long-introduced at Lee and Beauvais Lakes; plains spadefoots occur near Pincher Creek and Fort Macleod; boreal chorus frogs occur in the grassland areas of the Pass; leopard frogs have been recently reintroduced at Waterton and still occur near Stavely; tiger salamanders occur as far as the junction of the Castle and West Castle Rivers, but are more common on the north side of the Pass and in Waterton. Wood frogs occur north of the Pass. Garter and bullsnakes occur in or near the area. Rocky Mountain tailed frogs occur on the southwest side of the Flathead Valley, just over the Divide in BC.
Other information: This area borders on the northern edge of Waterton NP and the southern side of the Crowsnest Pass. The Pass has a number of interesting pubs and restaurants. The Castle Mountain ski resort at the southern end of the highway is bounded by a nature preserve, and is also home to the end-of-August Huckleberry Festival, when people can ride halfway up the mountain to pick berries as well as participate in various activities into the night, and buy related products. Pincher Creek is the largest nearby town.
Hot Spot 3 - Forest Park, Multnomah County, Oregon.
Species - Oregon ensatina, Pacific giant salamander, Dunn's salamander, western red-back salamander, northern red-leg frog, Pacific chorus frog, clouded salamander.
Time of year: I have only visited in July, when some streams are dry or nearly so. Under the cover of forest the temperatures are pleasant, and salamanders can be abundant even along nearly-dry streams. Herps should be active throughout the year, or nearly so, but high stream flows or rainfall could make some times difficult. Only one clouded salamander has ever been recorded in Forest Park, and it happens to STILL be the only one I've found ANYWHERE.
Other natural history: Forest Park is a large urban park consisting mainly of coastal "rainforest" along a mountainous ridge facing northeast along the Columbia River. There are many short streams running through the forest to the Columbia, with residential areas located in some areas along the upper and lower margins of the ridge. Giant snails and slugs are common, yellow-fringed millipedes are commonly encountered, and if you're lucky you may also encounter giant millipedes. There are many trails suited to hiking and cycling.
Other information: "Portland" is made up of a number of smaller cities in addition to Portland proper. Local transit service can take you to Vancouver Washington, just across the Columbia River, to Salem Oregon, to the downtown, airport, and fairgrounds of Portland, and from the edge of the Cascades mountains in Troutdale to the edge of the Coast Mountains at Forest Grove. Along the way, the Oregon Zoo is located at the south end of Forest Park and has its own train station. Portland has a vibrant night life and restaurant scene, and an extensive list of events and activities. The Rose Festival is one of the main summertime events for downtown Portland, while the annual airshow takes place at Hillsboro. Powell's Bookstore is the largest in the USA and is a maze with a large selection of herp books. Where herptiles are concerned, Portland is a great starting point. Some species occur more or less throughout the area, but reptiles are mostly found in the warm dry valley. There are species shifts from Cascades to Coast Mountains, and from south to north of the Columbia, which means that transit service can easily take you from within cycling distance of one species, through the habitat of a second, to within cycling distance of a third, and then perhaps to a fourth. Driving your own vehicle or a rental will of course speed the process and reduce the effort, but in a pinch, it's handy to know that public transit can take you and your bicycle anywhere you need to go!
Reply With Quote
