Turtleback Dome, Yosemite Nat’l Park, Mariposa County

Key Reasons to Go: At the right time, Lewisia disepala (the lewisia formerly known as L. yosemitiana). At any other time? No critical reason. It is, however, a nice little hike and offers some great views comparable to those from Dewey Point or (dare I say it?) Glacier Point, and all without a hundred people jockeying for photo positions!

Best Time to Go: For Lewisia disepala, April, possibly May.

Here is a webcam for Tioga Pass, and here is a web cam on top of the dome and a weather station to monitor air quality. It’s a dandy way to get some idea of what to expect.

There is a small pull-out area for parking but you must be fast at spotting it. Use Google Earth and go to 37°42'38.00" N, -119°42'31.13" W, or just look at this Google Map.

"One of the great rarities of this region is a species of Lewisia (Lewisia yosemitiana) which grows in the granite sand on top of the domes about Yosemite and nowhere else in the world. The white flowers rise from underground roots and open out on the sand like stars set in the very crowns of the domes. These plants are very delicate as well as very rare and should never be disturbed, since they will fall to pieces in one's hand if dug up from the place where they grow, as if in resentment at man's interference with them. They, however, are well-worth seeking for field study by lovers of rare plant life."
— Willis Jepson, Handbook of Yosemite National Park, 1921

Tenacious Trio Tracks Tiny Treasures

Yosemite, 28 April 06: Huffing and puffing, partly from elevation but mostly from anticipation, I reached the top of the rocky dome and headed directly to find the little lewisia plant we had seen just two weeks earlier when it was loaded with promising buds. The weather reports for Turtleback Dome had indicated warming temps and increasing sunlight so we had expected that this would finally be the day: the Lewsia disepala should be in glorious bloom.

But before I continue, let's rewind: the quest to find this particular lewisia started in early April. The plan was to head for Yosemite's Turtleback Dome to look for a plant described as List 1B: rare, threatened, or endangered. It is a plant that only grows on the domes and cliffs around the Yosemite Valley. In fact its common name is Yosemite bitterroot. Calflora lists one photo that was taken on Turtleback Dome on 5 April 1996. Despite the year's heavy snow pack, we thought early April was a fine time to go looking.

2 April: What could possibly be more insane than heading off into a snow-covered landscape with actual hope of finding a flower? While the air temp was fairly comfortable, I still felt like a lunatic as I slipped and slid my way up the road in my "pretend they're hiking boots" low-cut walking shoes. Why oh why had I left my gaiters at home? Oh, right: we are on a botany trip.

It’s actually a very short trip to the top of the dome; we decided to go cross-country in hopes of stumbling across some bare patches. Of course the possibility was that the dome top might be wind-swept and bare. We picked out route across the giant rock slope, sometimes shin-deep in snow and the footing generally less than secure. When we did hit open rock, the lichens were as slippery as the snow. It was careful travel at best.

Nearly at the top, we were well separated due to our individual route finding; Shellie radioed that she had found a patch of sand with a community of lewisias. Steve and I made our way toward her voice and there we all stood, looking at this meager display of tiny waterlogged plants, some still packed in ice.

We ate lunch and discussed all the important stuff, then packed up and left for our three-hour return trip.

7 April: We returned to Turtleback Dome. Less snow, slightly better luck.

B. LeRoy Davidson says in his excellent book Lewisias, “...Lewisia disepala commences leaf growth in the cool of fall and passes the winter safe under snow, shunning all exposures where the snow may be blown away. With the onset of spring warmth it is ready to flower...” (p. 104, Lewisias, Timber Press, 2000.)

When we found the ice-packed lewisia (see above) it was pretty clear that the plant had not started into bud only to get hit with a snowstorm. At least that’s how we saw it. It's hard to imagine how these plants survive without light, yet they do seem to do fine, thank you very much.

The snow was melting but it was clearly not yet warming to the lewisias’ liking. Tantalizing us with a few blooms only, the lewisia was holding the promise of a wonderful display, just not quite yet! Steve and I took our turns photographing the one best bloom.

This lewisia was once described as a variation on L. rediviva. If you compare the leaves, sure. The leaves are described as “worm-like” and in fact are very similar to leaves of L. rediviva. But once you move on to comparing the flowers, there is hardly a comparison to make other than color. While L. redivia does have lots of variations, there is but one flower per plant, the petals are twice as long, narrower to be sure, and number maybe twice as many per bloom (as I recall from my non-scientific observations of plants in the Sierra foothills).

L. disepala was found “somewhere in Yosemite Valley” in 1891. The specimen was taken to the California Academy of Science and was later destroyed in the fires of the San Francisco earthquake. It was Mary Katherine Brandegee who described the new plant as L. rediviva var. yosemitiana. Curiously, that name had already been assigned to the plant now called L. kelloggii, and that meant the Brandegee-given name had to be changed. It acquired the name “disepala” for its two sepals. This is yet another reason that the plant differs from rediviva: rediviva has 6 to 8 sepals.

15 April: So much for the idea that a third time is charmed. We returned yet again to the dome but as we drove up above 5000 feet we were enveloped in fog. We found no improvements on the LewDi situation and to top that, the only flowers we found in bloom were Erodium cicutarium, a wild weedy geranium, in fact an invasive weed which I have personally dubbed “Erodium sickosee'enum“.

It was cold (like in the low 40s) and windy. You couldn't see any Yosemite landmarks. You couldn't see any Yosemite bitterroot.

We sat in the fog and ate cold sandwiches and joked about our luck. What else are you going to do when the flowers you seek refuse to come out to be seen?

28 April: Yes, a fourth trip. We can be dedicated. Other than the fact that the now-favorite gas stop was out of donuts (!), the day was looking good. Sunny weather was promised. 80° was promised. We were actually optimistic.

The snow was definitely melting in the park. The waterfalls were booming. The increase in tourists was amazing. There was hope in the air.

We parked in our now-assigned slot, hiked up to the top, enjoying the sounds of birds and the pleasant fragrance of Spring in the air. As we got closer to the top and the road leveled off, sandy patches on the landscape bore scrutiny. This was LewDi habitat. What might we have missed on earlier trips? I was picking up a little speed over Steve and Shellie as I headed for my personal favorite spot from the foggy day two weeks earlier. I marched right up to the plant I knew would be waiting for me with a dozen gorgeous blooms. There it is...., oh-oh! Zip; nothing but buds.

Cripes, when do these things bloom? I hated being skunked again. I wandered off and around, hoping to find something. Within 100 feet I had them! Yippee, a collection of plants, most in full bloom.

Four trips to Yosemite: $140. Sandwiches and snacks: $25; getting pictures of LewDi? About $75 per person.

While Steve and I concentrated on photos, Shellie was looking closely at the plants. She found a number of disconnected buds. She wonders if the extra wet weather and long wait for melt might have rotted the buds? Clearly these plants need more observations to fill in some gaps. We have done our part for this year, now it's your turn. If you do go, please file a report.

You should try for these plants in April or May. They are easy to find on Turtleback Dome, probably little-visited, but certainly worth the effort in my opinion. I hope we will be going back this Spring with a better camera to get more pictures of these neat little plants.

PS: The one best patch was clearly in an area where the snow had in fact been blown away! Not sure how this works, maybe it was just an odd (wet) year and the area was able to drain and dry out faster? I guess we have to go back and check again year.

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