Fagus watch 2014

[NicD]

Hi all,

Thought I would start this thread early as I always seem to miss its peak. I'm particularly after info of its progress around the Cradle area.

Cheers

[Scottyk]

Normally the thread is accompanied with pictures of Fagus
Got any from this year?

[stepbystep]

Bit early yet and given how warm it's been....

I'm also informed there has been a large number of specimens die on Marion's LO this summer due to climactic conditions. Very sad and perhaps a sign of things to come.

I'm travelling up the West Coast at Easter. I expect speckled green and gold at best.

[Chrisbulldog]

Walked Hounslow Heath Saturday 5/4 . Still mostly green , but just starting to turn on a few branches near the top.
Just a slight yellow tinge around the peaks.

[sowestas]

Pool of Memories last Friday (11/4/14) - just starting to turn. This bush was the most advanced.

Attachments

[Nuts]

Still peppery around the plateau today Nick. 2c in the valley last night so I'd expect that should move it along.

[tibboh]

Does anyone know if there's any fagus around Wylds Craig on the way over to Shakespear???

[stepbystep]

Does anyone know if there's any fagus around Wylds Craig on the way over to Shakespear???

None on Wylds but I saw some when crossing the outlet creek from Lake Laurel on the way to Shakespeare.Not sure how much in the area though.

[north-north-west]

Does anyone know if there's any fagus around Wylds Craig on the way over to Shakespeare???

There's a little on the side of Shakespeare, on the obvious route up from Laurel. Don't recall seeing any up top there, but I given the weather I wasn't hanging around.

[MrWalker]

Should I assume from the lack of excited comment and photos here that it is not worth making a special trip to see fagus this weekend.
Or is everyone going to tell us on Monday that this weekend it was at its best and will be gone in the next week?

[GeoffR]

Tarn Shelf yesterday ...

[stepbystep]

Thanks GeoffR I'll be up that way over the weekend, this cold snap might help it along a bit...

[Tortoise]

On Tuesday - Cradle itself from Dove Lk - still mainly green. A lot turned on the south side of Campbell, but not on the west side. Only a few bushes around Dove Lk have turned, but a golden flush is starting up towards Marion's. Sorry no pics from this computer. Weird not being able to go up higher, but i didn't want to get too much mud in my hired crutch...

[Buddy]

Assuming some went to Mt. Field today, how was it? Has the cold snap hurried the colour along some?

[bcshort]

Assuming some went to Mt. Field today, how was it? Has the cold snap hurried the colour along some?

I was up there Friday, much of the fagus around Lake Fenton was still very much green with some yellow tips. As I was up there monday as well, my guess would be there is at least another week to go.

[Buddy]

Agree bcshort. Early snow and late fagus. Today @ Lady Barron creek. Massive amount of people heading up-will be disappointed.

[Buddy]

I've long believed that N.gunnii's deciduation was governed by phototropism i.e. shorter day length triggers the deciduous phase.Thus a reduction in chlorophyll and increase in anthocyanins. It certainly did when it grew in Antarctica. But I can never remember it being this late. Can anyone with a botanical bent shed any more light (no pun intended) on this?

[MrWalker]

Hounslow Heath had a bit of yellow and even a tinge of red in few cases, but more green than yellow. However, there were a lot of yellow leaves on the ground, so It may get all blown off without ever having a good coverage of colour.
I would not recommend going to Hounslow Heath at this time for fagus (or any time actually - I didn't think much of the track).

Crater lake had more green than yellow. The best section was possibly the north end on the far side, which was in shadow in the afternoon, so not very spectacular.

[Nuts]

Some years ago I went on a hunt for red. All around the mountain for several days without finding more than a leaf here, one there.
Other years they seem more prolific. Afterwards i caught up with some reading. Studies, largely of northern hemisphere origin, discuss weather effects on the rate of change and strength of colour (state of chlorophyll degradation while still 'on the tree'). I suspect in our case that weather plays a major role in what we see of the seasonal change (once triggered). Interested in more insight also.

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[MrWalker]

I sent a quick message earlier but had not taken my pictures from my camera at that stage. Here are a few samples of Fagus in the Cradle Mt area on 27 April.

Crater Lake view with some fagus in the foreground

Hounslow Heath - random sample of fagus

Hounslow Heath on the descent - looking out over fagus

[Chris]

I would not recommend going to Hounslow Heath at this time for fagus (or any time actually - I didn't think much of the track).

Was it the quality of the track itself or the scenic aspects you didn't think much of MrW? I had been planning to go to Hounslow Heath this Thursday (intended last Thursday too, but forecast and apparent lack of colour change put me off). Always used to do Crater Lake Circuit but added on Twisted lakes last year. This was such a magnificent walk - great fagus, blue sky etc - that I hesitate to repeat it this year and thought the Heath would make an interesting change. Haven't been up there for probably 25 years though so maybe I'm misguided?

[Buddy]

Fagus Creek draining off Hounslow is worth a look, I thought.

[eggs]

There was not a lot of fagus with colour at the Labyrinth on 21st April.
Best appeared to be around the Pool of Memories, but with the weather closing in, we did not stay for a close look.
However, a couple patches of lovely red around Lake Ophion on the way out.

Best bit of fagus at Lake Ophion

[MrWalker]

I would not recommend going to Hounslow Heath at this time for fagus (or any time actually - I didn't think much of the track).

Was it the quality of the track itself or the scenic aspects you didn't think much of MrW? I had been planning to go to Hounslow Heath this Thursday (intended last Thursday too, but forecast and apparent lack of colour change put me off). Always used to do Crater Lake Circuit but added on Twisted lakes last year. This was such a magnificent walk - great fagus, blue sky etc - that I hesitate to repeat it this year and thought the Heath would make an interesting change. Haven't been up there for probably 25 years though so maybe I'm misguided?

The scenic aspects are great. It's a really good forest for the first section up the hill, then terrific views towards Cradle Mt and also to the west. The descent at the far end and the low section back to Waldheim are also interesting. It makes a great option as an area that is quite different from the other walks in the Cradle Mt area.

However, at the end of the walk 10min from Waldheim we found a sign "Caution track not maintained". It would have been nice to have a similar warning at the start of the uphill from Waldheim. My wife attempted to go up the hill, but very soon decided to only walk the low section Maryland track (but still had a lot of trouble slipping in the mud). My son (age 30s) did the whole circuit but said he would never do it again.

Most of the track is hard to distinguish from a watercourse. The steep sections are very uneven with slippery roots making walking very hazardous. The flatter sections are muddy so you have to watch your step all the time instead of admiring the view. With a bit of track work it would be a great addition to the Cradle Mt experience.

I realise that some people enjoy this sort of walk and it does keep the general public away, we only met 2 others on the circuit, (compared with dozens up to Crater Lake) and this was on a nice sunny day. So it must be one of the least popular walks in a very popular park, but it may suit many of those on this forum.

[Chris]

Thanks for the detailed reply - very sad as it does sound as good as I expected scenically. Was hoping to go with a very enthusiastic but relatively inexperienced walker but think now that may not be wise.
Maybe time to try applying a bit of pressure for track maintenance away from "iconic" walks, though probably futile in the current climate When we did the Twisted Lakes round trip last year we were told by a ranger that the track via Lake Hanson was not being maintained. Decided to return that way regardless but did have a bit of a challenge finding the route at one stage.

[stepbystep]

Mt Field still only 5-15% turned as of this morning...

[MrWalker]

Thanks for the detailed reply - very sad as it does sound as good as I expected scenically. Was hoping to go with a very enthusiastic but relatively inexperienced walker but think now that may not be wise.
Maybe time to try applying a bit of pressure for track maintenance away from "iconic" walks, though probably futile in the current climate When we did the Twisted Lakes round trip last year we were told by a ranger that the track via Lake Hanson was not being maintained. Decided to return that way regardless but did have a bit of a challenge finding the route at one stage.

I certainly wouldn't take an inexperienced walker up there, except after a long dry spell (probably never happens there).
The Lake Hanson route is an obvious circuit to do with Hansons peak and I thought that was very poor a couple of years ago, so it is disappointing to find that track is not being maintained either.

Maybe bushwalking clubs need to be able to adopt a track in the same way they used to come as a working bee and build or repair old huts.

[icefest]

I certainly wouldn't take an inexperienced walker up there, except after a long dry spell (probably never happens there).
The Lake Hanson route is an obvious circuit to do with Hansons peak and I thought that was very poor a couple of years ago, so it is disappointing to find that track is not being maintained either.

Maybe bushwalking clubs need to be able to adopt a track in the same way they used to come as a working bee and build or repair old huts.

That track certainly doesn't get better when covered in winter snow.

[stepbystep]

It's a pretty terrible track but the Fagus on the lower slopes is unique. Larger, thinner leaves due to the micro-climate I think.

[walkabout]

Did a walk yesterday (sunday) to Lake Hanson and Twisted Lakes. Not much colour in the fagus. Track was quite rough and muddy.

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