Liz Vermillion

MSSF Foray – Salt Point April ‘24
By Liz Vermillion

Where: Stump Beach Trail; Salt Point State Park, Jenner, CA
When: April 14th, 2024, 10:30am

On April 14, 2024, the Mycological Society of San Francisco met at Salt Point State Park in Jenner, California for the first time since its closure in February, due to storm damage. It was organized by Roy Branda and led by Pascal, Norm and Mark, who broke off into three groups.

The storm damage was still noticeable, with a few fallen trees blocking the paths. It made for a fun adventure, climbing over them or doing limbo to get to the other side of the path. I was in Norm’s group, who pointed out what to look for in identifying a tree, such as leaf shape, bark, the types of cones, etc. We also found a few different species of mushrooms off the beaten path, such as Hygrocybe, Cortinarius, tiny Hydnums (Hedgehogs), an Entoloma, Lactarius, and Trichoglossums. If you looked closely, you’d also find tiny Mycena hidden amongst the mossy logs. All were brought back to the base camp for the I.D.

The table where snacks were provided included a delicious homemade Porcini soup prepared by Roy’s wife, Teresa, which kept us all warm in the rainy weather.

Many interesting plants were also found in the forest, such as Douglas Iris, California Golden Violets and Candy Sticks, a parasitic plant that uses tree roots and mushroom mycelium for nutrients, which indicates that Matsutake mushrooms can be found close by.

Looks like we’ll need to go back soon.