A "MOST PERFECT STORM" ON CLEMAN MOUNTAIN
28 APRIL 2002


A surprisingly intense storm blanketed the east slopes of the Cascades
Saturday (27 April), blanketing the mountains above 3,500 feet in deep snow.
>From Yakima, Saturday afternoon, the clouds cleared, revealing Cleman
Mountain pure white; this scene beckoned. Sunday, Ellen and I went to the
Hardy Canyon access of Oak Creek Wildlife Area and began the ascent,
climbing the old jeep track beginning here at about 2,000 feet.

There were sure signs of early spring along lower Hardy Canyon, though most
shrubs and trees still looked a bit more wintry than summer-like. Some
shrubs and trees were half leafed out (Black Cottonwood, Trembling Aspen,
Serviceberry), but many were still bare. Many lovely wildflowers, for
example Balsamroot and various Biscuitroots enlivened the scene. The
birdlist revealed an early spring cast, too. Species noted here were

Osprey - 1
Bald Eagle - 1 immature
Red-tailed Hawk - 2
Golden Eagle - 1 adult
American Kestrel - 1
Mourning Dove - 3
Northern Flicker - 1
Hammond's Flycatcher - 2
Dusky Flycatcher - 2
Tree Swallow - 15
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 2
Rock Wren - 2
Black-billed Magpie - 5
Black-capped Chickadee - 5
Rock Wren - 1
House Wren - 5
Winter Wren - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 25+
Western Bluebird - 10
Hermit Thrush - 5
American Robin - 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 10
Nashville Warbler - 10, singing away from the creekside riparian zone
andbrushy hillsides
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Spotted Towhee - 3
Chipping Sparrow - 2
Vesper Sparrow - 5
Fox Sparrow - 1
Song Sparrow - 3
White-crowned Sparrow - 35
Dark-eyed Junco - 5
Western Meadowlark - 10
Brewer's Blackbird - 2
Brown-headed Cowbird - 3
American Goldfinch - 10

We encountered fresh snow at about 3,200 feet. From here on up, it was slow
going. An impressive thaw became evident as the warm sun began to quickly
melt the unseasonable snow. The jeep track became two muddy creeks; we were
at times challenged to find dry footing. The snow became steadily deeper,
until at 4,000 feet, it was over a foot deep! Signs of spring diminished.
Most deciduous vegetation had only the first signs of budding. Conifers like
Douglas-fir, Western Larch, and Ponderosa Pine appeared. Here we noted many
fewer birds. Of interest, seed dependent species like finches and crossbills
were absent.

Blue Grouse - 3 hooting
Hairy Woodpecker - 1
Steller's Jay - 6
Mountain Chickadee - 15
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 15
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 10

The last mile to Cleman Mountain at 5,000 feet was a tough go, as the snow
was heavy and very wet. We did not at first appreciate a couple of
4-wheelers whining their way up the road, but shortly it became evident they
were clearing a nice track through the snow. Atop the mountain, we were
treated to stunning views. To the south, the Yakima Valley, green and lush
stretched away 4,000 feet below.Westward were the snowy Cascade summits,
though Mt. Rainier was in clouds. North was the sunny Stuart Range. From the
summit we saw

Turkey Vulture - 1 sailing north
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 also sailing north
American Kestrel - 1, where was it going to forage with all this snow?
Horned Lark - 2, it's breeding terrain also buried in snow
Mountain Chickadee - 5
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 2

For the descent we chose a direct route down the shoulder just west of Hardy
Canyon. By and by, the snow diminished and dwarfed lithosol (shallow-soiled
landscape) shrubs like buckwheat appeared. Farther down, we started to note
many Grass Widows, with their beautiful purple blooms, poking through the
snow. Also abundant were several species of yellow-flowered
biscuitroots.Still farther, the snow disappeared. Here, the lithosol was
gooey; traction was difficult here. I suspect in a few days this terrain
will be mostly dry, pointing out how harsh the environment is here. Lithosol
plants have to be to very tough to survive. In addition to wildflowers,
various buckwheats and biscuitroots, and Three-tip Sagebrush seem to thrive
in these harsh conditions, as does a colorful assortment of lichens, mosses,
and fungi encrusting the rocks and soil.

I reflected on the unseasonable storm and believe it was, on balance, a
much-needed one for this area. Though the Cascade crest has had copious
precipitation this winter (> 110% of normal), eastwards, this has declined
until around Yakima, it is less than 50% of normal. Prior to this storm, the
landscape atop Cleman Mountain was rapidly drying. With this heavy blanket
of snow, the soils again have become saturated. In a day or two, all the
snow will melt. With warm weather, the plants here should welcome this added
soil moisture, much more so than if this was midwinter. At that time, they
are dormant and cannot use the moisture. A few birds will be inconvenienced,
such as the American Kestrel and Horned Lark, whose foraging habitat has
been temporarily covered by deep snow. Hopefully, they'll pull through.
Birds noted on the return across the lithosols, interrupted by the
occasional pine snag included

Common Raven - 5
Mountain Bluebird - 4
Townsend's Solitaire - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
Steppie at nwinfo.net