Day 2 of this summer trip involved driving south and then east, up to about 9000 feet elevation to the National Park in the Sierra San Pedro Martir. One thing I love about Baja is the stark contrasts between ecoregions that are very close together, quite often. To drive for a few hours from the Pacific coast to Ponderosa pines and cool mountain air is only one example.
Along the way, I noticed the above Austrocylindropuntia being used as a hedge in cultivation. The flora between Ensenada and the turn to the National Park is very similar to the coastal flora, except there’s Myrtillocactus cochal. (More about this cool columnar later).
The Parque Nacional is a reintroduction and conservation site for the California Condor, Gymnogyps californianus. I’ve never seen one there, but I have hopes for seeing some in the future.
There’s a somewhat chunky, unusual cholla at the higher elevations, Cylindropuntia californica subsp. rosarica.
The main botanical gem is on the peaks, near the observatory, at nearly 10,000 feet elevation: Echinocereus mombergerianus.
A member of the “claret cup” bunch of Echinocereus, the jury is still out whether it deserves species status or is just a regional form of more widespread claret cups. The small flowers and extra long and dense spines seem to agitate for it being a species. It is a highly restricted endemic.
Beautiful E. mombergerianus habitat at nearly 10,000 feet.
Camping is inexpensive (about $15 a night) and the campgrounds are large and often nearly deserted. It was a cool, quiet, peaceful night up among the Ponderosas, in contrast to the constant roar of the surf the night before.
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