Parque Nacional - Sierra de San Pedro Martir
This mountain range had been a place in my dreams for many years. I had heard about its rich conifer forest, that many of the conifers (and other plants of course) common within California reached their southern range extension here, and that a natural fire regime had been 'maintained' by mother nature. This was an intact a forest—in as natural a state—as we 21st century explorers might hope to find. The mountains themselves are part of the Peninsular Ranges which I was quite familiar with, having lived in the San Gabriel's for many years.
I knew it would be similar in feel to my former home yet a world away in place. The fault block range—similar in formation to, say, the Sierra Nevada—allowed a nice gradual climb from the west where we enjoyed desert scenery which slowly transitioned to pinyon forest and ultimately a coniferous wonderland. On the plateau of the San Pedro we felt eerily at home as Olive-sided Flycatchers shouted "three-quick-beers" from the tops of sugar pine and white fir. Yet at the same time it was different. Millions of year of divergent evolution was at play here. Sugar pine cones were shorter, white fir needles were lighter green, and how did these birds find this place? This was an isolated sky island community with its own unique feel. These mountains offered a new twist and a better understanding of old friends. I can now say that I (anthropocentrically) comprehend what it is to be a white fir, sugar, lodgepole, or Jeffrey pine in the Sierra de San Pedro Martir. What an amazing National Park.
Fueling up on tacos in San Vicente before powering into the wilderness of Baja California Norte.
How could we miss this sign? The turn was not as obvious as we thought. Once we found it, the boy was happy.
In the lowlands before entering the park we scouted the hillsides for the Baja endemic gray thrasher (Toxostoma cinereum), and found several (Thanks for the tips Gary!). This one posed for the binoculars and the camera—accounting for my second lifer bird of the trip.
Entering the park - the rangers seemed surprised to see us as there had only been two other parties over the previous weekend.
The massive conifer-rich plateau of the San Pedro Martir which we would traverse to reach the eastern escarpment. The dramatic peak is Picacho del Diablo.
The edge of the eastern escarpment offered views to the desert and the distant Sea of Cortés—all framed by sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana).
Joshua Tree south—granitic outcrops were decorated with conifers rather than the pesky and often prickly angiosperms of the desert—here at a much higher elevation.
Mitch dwarfs one of the many massive Jeffrey pine.
A gnarled Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) and more Picacho del Diablo.
This was the only area I was able to find the rare San Pedro Martir cypress (Cupressus montana). It grew in a ravine above a dry creek bed and associated with white fir, sugar pine, and Jeffrey pine. Several of these trees reached significant size (3 feet DBH) and were approximately 80 feet tall. Jeff Bisbee keyed me in to where to find these trees—thanks Jeff. See his report HERE.
Needles and cones of Cupressus montana (or Cupressus arizonica var. montana)
Another endemic, Arctostaphylos peninsularis.
On the return...
A side trip—on our return it was a 15 minute drive to see the southern range extension of bishop pine (Pinus muricata) near the coastal town of Ejido Erendira, south of San Vicente.
On our return we passed the town of Salsipuedes which translates to "get out while you can." While this thought was in the back of our minds on the way down, on our return I could only think—when can I get back?
I knew it would be similar in feel to my former home yet a world away in place. The fault block range—similar in formation to, say, the Sierra Nevada—allowed a nice gradual climb from the west where we enjoyed desert scenery which slowly transitioned to pinyon forest and ultimately a coniferous wonderland. On the plateau of the San Pedro we felt eerily at home as Olive-sided Flycatchers shouted "three-quick-beers" from the tops of sugar pine and white fir. Yet at the same time it was different. Millions of year of divergent evolution was at play here. Sugar pine cones were shorter, white fir needles were lighter green, and how did these birds find this place? This was an isolated sky island community with its own unique feel. These mountains offered a new twist and a better understanding of old friends. I can now say that I (anthropocentrically) comprehend what it is to be a white fir, sugar, lodgepole, or Jeffrey pine in the Sierra de San Pedro Martir. What an amazing National Park.
Fueling up on tacos in San Vicente before powering into the wilderness of Baja California Norte.
How could we miss this sign? The turn was not as obvious as we thought. Once we found it, the boy was happy.
In the lowlands before entering the park we scouted the hillsides for the Baja endemic gray thrasher (Toxostoma cinereum), and found several (Thanks for the tips Gary!). This one posed for the binoculars and the camera—accounting for my second lifer bird of the trip.
Entering the park - the rangers seemed surprised to see us as there had only been two other parties over the previous weekend.
The massive conifer-rich plateau of the San Pedro Martir which we would traverse to reach the eastern escarpment. The dramatic peak is Picacho del Diablo.
The edge of the eastern escarpment offered views to the desert and the distant Sea of Cortés—all framed by sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana).
Joshua Tree south—granitic outcrops were decorated with conifers rather than the pesky and often prickly angiosperms of the desert—here at a much higher elevation.
Mitch dwarfs one of the many massive Jeffrey pine.
A gnarled Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) and more Picacho del Diablo.
This was the only area I was able to find the rare San Pedro Martir cypress (Cupressus montana). It grew in a ravine above a dry creek bed and associated with white fir, sugar pine, and Jeffrey pine. Several of these trees reached significant size (3 feet DBH) and were approximately 80 feet tall. Jeff Bisbee keyed me in to where to find these trees—thanks Jeff. See his report HERE.
Needles and cones of Cupressus montana (or Cupressus arizonica var. montana)
Another endemic, Arctostaphylos peninsularis.
On the return...
A side trip—on our return it was a 15 minute drive to see the southern range extension of bishop pine (Pinus muricata) near the coastal town of Ejido Erendira, south of San Vicente.
Salsipuedes Gringos
Mitch and I (along with our families) were worried about entering Mexico because of some of the news we had been hearing recently. With the assurance of several friends who had made recent trips we took the leap, crossed the border, and had an excellent journey. The people were friendly and accommodating and the roads were in good shape and safe to travel.On our return we passed the town of Salsipuedes which translates to "get out while you can." While this thought was in the back of our minds on the way down, on our return I could only think—when can I get back?
Posted by Michael E. Kauffmann at 6/7/2011 6:31 AM 
Categories: Conifers:Abies concolor:Pinus jeffreyi:Pinus contorta
Categories: Conifers:Abies concolor:Pinus jeffreyi:Pinus contorta
Michael~ As always, great pictures & narrative. I especially am most grateful to know you are back in the USA.
Su Madre
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Michael,
Great write up and photos of a mysterious place I've never been to but have known about and read about for a long time. I first heard of it in some Ed Abbey ramblings when he and some buddies went there. Very cool!
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Do you remember what book Abbey wrote about his trip to the San Pedro Martir? I had a vague recollection but can not place it. Maybe the Time-Life series about the southwest desert? Suppose I could google it, but hey...
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Very interesting post Michael. I'm struck by the similarities to the eastern Sierra Nevada, as you discussed.
And it's good to hear you had a safe trip. I've thought about visiting Mexico, but have been concerned about the drug-war violence.
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Really nice, Michael. It's interesting to see the strong similarities between the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir and the San Gabriel Mountains.
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Great article, Michael, and fascinating country. So what was the OTHER life bird?
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Bob- the other was a condor a saw a few days before:
http://blog.conifercountry.com/2011/05/27/lifer.aspx
-Michael
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Hi Michael, Great pictures however you missed a whole scad of conifers. Pinus quadrifolia, P. monophyllus subsp. californiarum, P. attenuata, P. coulteri and Juniperus californica. In fact both the pinyon & cypress are near the summit at 10k feet elevation on Pichaco del Diablo. One hell of a climb. If you get out to Guadalupe Island add Pinus radiata var. binata and if you make it to the Cape region add Pinus lagunea. The San Pedro Martir, named for Mexico's only black saint is like the Sierra Nevada without the Californication. I made over a dozen trips to Mexico, the pine epicenter of the planet and it's a great place to visit prior to the drug trade. Keep up the good work and glad to have you back home. Cheers, Frank Callahan
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Thanks for the information Frank. I did in fact see the other conifers you mention could be found in the San Pedro except the P. monophylla and P. attenuata. We climbed to several ridges near the Pichacho and found P. quadrifolia along the escarpment. What a place! I hope things settle down in mainland Mexico so I might visit there soon.
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Any Arbutus menziesii in el parque?
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