Mosses of San Diego County near Julian-- Sobefree 2013

Sobefree 2013

Sobefree 2013 Group

The View from Volcan Mountain Preserve	Sobefree this year was held at Camp Stevens 2 miles north of Julian, California. The setting was beautiful and the weather was perfect! About 40 people attended, ranging from beginners to world experts. We visited sites from the desert up to the mixed conifer oak forests and creeks of Palomar Mountain. Chris Harrell arranged a trip by special permission up to the Volcan Mountain Preserve.		John Spence Relaxing
Doane Pond at Palomar Mountain State Park	This year Chris Harrell and Brent Mishler put together a great program for us. It was great to see lots of old friends and to meet new ones in this very friendly setting. The facility is modern and there was plenty of room for all of us to set up microscopes after a day in the field.	Lena Looking at a Moss
Picnic at Palomar Mountain	One of the field trips was to Palomar Mountain State Park. We had a picnic lunch before hunting for mosses. Other field trips went to Anza Borrego and other sites around the area.	Kirsten in the Field
Camp Stevens Dining Hall	Our meals were prepared by the Camp Stevens staff from their own gardens and local produce, utilizing organic and vegan food. Meals were served family style that was conducive to good conversation.
Aneura pinguis, a rare liverwort in San Diego County	We collected lots of interesting bryophytes, including Aneura pinguis-- perhaps the first time this liverwort has been found in San Diego county. We also found many wonderful mosses including Tortula obtusifolia, Timmiella anomala, Scleropodium obtusifolium, and many others. We are looking forward to sobefree 2014 and seeing our friends next year!