Two night trip to MARA MEADOWS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, (NEAR SICAMOUS), VERNON & KELOWNA

Dates: June 15-17 (Friday til Sunday) People may leave Friday morning or Friday after work and meet up at Vernon.

Travel by car to Kelowna and Sicamous. We will car pool and discuss sharing of accommodation (paid for on an individual basis). Food planning is also to be done, paid for on an individual basis.

This trip requires registration. Please indicate your interest in the trip and any relevant background. Membership in Nature Vancouver required.

We are restricted to 8 to 10 people to enter the Mara Meadows hike.

Focus of Trip: Orchids and Mariposa Lilies, with many other spring flowers

Hike Rating:  Easy, Wet at Mara Meadows

Trail Conditions Mara Meadows has rough and wet trails.  Other locations have average trails (Provincial or regional Park or roadside locations.)

Foot Wear:  Cleaned off Rubber Boots required for the Meadows (to be changed during the hike before entering the meadows) Otherwise hiking boots on other days.

Hiking Sustenance:  Bring Water/Lunch

Lodging: Provincial parks or commercial accommodations

Description: Mara Meadows is a restricted ecological reserve. We have permission to enter this reserve.  To protect the reserve from invasive species we are required to change to clean footwear (boots or running shoes) for the hiking route.

Mara Meadows is a unique location, a calcareous bog giving both alkaline and acid conditions.

Mara Meadows has many species of wildflowers. In the orchid family are found Calypso bulbosa, Corallorhiza maculata (summer coral root), Cypripedium calceous (related to mountain lady’s slippers), Cypripedium passerinum (sparrow’s egg lady’s slipper), Epipactis gigantes, (giant helleborine – local variety) Goodyera oblongifolia (rattlesnake plantain), Liparis loeselii, (yellow widelip orchid) Listeria convallarioides (twayblade) a variety of Platanthera (reins) and Spiranthes romanzoffiana (hooded lady’s tresses). Many of the orchids are in flower mid June.

There will be side trips for mariposa lilies and other flora in Vernon and Kelowna (Liparis loeselii,  yellow widelip orchid, in Kelowna).

Google Mara Meadows Ecological Reserve – http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/eco_reserve/mara_er.html & download the detailed description and supporting documents for information on the reserve.

Contact Information: Harry Crosby < harry_crosby@telus.net > or 604-524-5200