Wilderness Expedition 2024
Our last overnight camp of the 2024 summer season. How the time flies by! We had a great group of campers, better weather than we expected, and some amazing views! And we hiked almost 30 miles!
Our last overnight camp of the 2024 summer season. How the time flies by! We had a great group of campers, better weather than we expected, and some amazing views! And we hiked almost 30 miles!
Day 1: Wilson Creek (2.5 miles)
Campers arrive, and we work on cramming all our personal gear into the vehicles. After a quick snack to get us started, we headed up to basecamp- Scales campground! Affectionately called a “hiking trail for cars”, the road to Scales is just a few miles, but takes us about 45 minutes to drive. It’s much less stressful if you’re in charge of driving the high ground-clearance BRDC work truck. Finally emerging from the woods and entering the grassy clearing, we’re shocked to see… cows? Cows around the campground are par for the course, but inside the fence? That was new. The weather forecast was still looking a little rainy, so we went ahead and set up tents and our kitchen, just in case. Once everyone was settled, we grabbed the macroinvertebrate gear and took a quick jaunt down to Wilson Creek. We found plenty of black-bellied salamanders (Desmognathus quadromaculatus), some small crayfish, and two northern watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). On our way back to camp, we all munched on allegheny blackberries (Rubus allegheniensis) and highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum). We also stopped for a quick bog-stomping break! But everyone was still plenty hungry for a walking taco dinner, followed by biscuits on a stick around the campfire!
Day 2: Little Wilson Creek Wilderness (8 miles)
After getting to know the cows, who enjoy eerily hanging around the bathroom at night and munching grass right around our tents, we decide to call them Bessie, Gertrude, and Fanny. They’re pretty good company, except for the presents that they like to leave behind. We got an early-ish start today to try to avoid the afternoon storm that’s predicted to roll in. Climbing up Stone Mountain and watching as our campsite gets smaller and the view gets better is a fun experience! Day 1 is a great chance to practice map skills and orienteering with Brendan! After that, we skirted just around the top of Third peak (4928 ft), and over Second peak (4843 ft) and First peak (4610 ft). Our long snack break was right by the Little Wilson Creek. We made it back right before the weather turned. Which allowed us to introduce camper-favorite activity: Whittling! Armed with knives, wood blocks, Kevlar gloves, and knowledge on blood circles, most of the campers dove right into their custom projects. One camper mentioned a water snake that was hiding behind the bathroom trashcan, and everyone ran over to watch Drew try and get it out. It was feisty! In the evening, we sat around the campfire and Shep regaled us for 30 minutes with an improvised story so epic that it cannot be described. And when it got dark enough, manhunt started!
Day 3: Lewis Fork Wilderness (8 miles)
The weather forecast was fluctuating a lot today, so we headed out a little later and hoped for the best. Starting on the Crest Trail, we again got to watch our campsite get smaller and smaller as we climbed the gradual hill. Along the way, we found a great snack spot nestled within a boulder pile with lots of (safe) climbing opportunities. Drew also introduced the group to the game Codeword, where you’re given a secret word/phrase and have to use it without getting caught. Some notable phrases: fat frog legs, laminated licorice, fergalicious, the hills are alive with music, size 13 crocs, and the singing bats of the Caspian Sea. For 20 minutes on this hike we were caught in an intermittent torrential downpour, but that was the only rain we got while hiking, so it was worth it! It did end up being a good lesson on how quickly trenchfoot can set in, and how uncomfortable it can be to hike in wet boots. But they trooped through it! On our return down the Crest Trail, we encountered wild ponies in the woods! And back at camp, we met the fourth and fifth cows in the herd who had been keeping us company. Now that the others were outside the fence, where they belonged, Georgina and her baby, Butters, made an appearance.
Day 4: Mount Rogers (8 miles)
Today was the day… time to backpack up to Mount Rogers! We took it easy in the morning, giving our tents time to dry as everyone reorganized their stuff. The only things you take up the mountain are the things you really need! While we relaxed, some campers worked on sketches in their nature journals, others put the finishing touches on their whittling projects. Annabelle and Esme created adorable nature-themed sculptures out of Babybel cheese wax. (Unfortunately no pictures were taken and they melted on the truck’s dash in the hour it took us to unload gear and say goodbye) After a hearty dinner, the hike began! It was an adjustment for some getting used to the pack size, but we made great time heading up to Rogers. Along the way, we stopped at a giant rock that we VERY CAREFULLY climbed up so we could appreciate the view, and get a good look at Mount Rogers from afar. We walked right past our campsite, and became the tallest people in Virginia! For about 45 minutes. We ate a snack, looked for (and found) Weller’s (Plethodon welleri) and Pygmy (Desmognathus wrighti) salamanders, and appreciated the beautiful and rare spruce-fir forest that we were in. Then it was time to backtrack a mile and a half to set up camp! Once everything was settled, we hustled to the top of Pine Mountain to catch the sunset, but instead got an amazing, spooky, experience in heavy fog. We had a quick campfire before heading to bed, tired from the day.
Day 5: Back to Scales (3.5 miles)
Everyone woke up early today, ready to get back down the mountain. After so many long days, today’s hike was a breeze! And mostly down-hill, so that helped! We made it back to camp by 10:00, did the final pack-up, loaded into the vehicles, and headed down the mountain. When we got back, Lisa had a lovely surprise waiting for us… PIZZA! Goodbyes are a little easier on a full stomach. The staff had a great week, and we hope all our campers felt the same! It felt almost too quiet once all the campers left.
Springtime Salamanders
The mountains are finally warming up, and the forests are starting to come alive with some of our favorite critters! Salamanders have long been a staple species for us here at the Blue Ridge Discovery Center and have been a fan favorite for decades at the Mount Rogers Naturalist Rallies.
The mountains are finally warming up, and the forests are starting to come alive with some of our favorite critters! Salamanders have long been a staple species for us here at the Blue Ridge Discovery Center and have been a fan favorite for decades at the Mount Rogers Naturalist Rallies. Since we’re getting into our peak season for these beautiful creatures, we’ll be sharing some fun facts about the ecological importance of salamanders as well as highlighting some of our favorite species along the way.
With over 75 distinct species, the Southern Appalachian Mountains hold the highest species diversity of salamanders in the world! This is due to the wide variety of ecosystems in these mountains and the uniquely fragmented habitats found throughout this region. Deep dark caves, roaring rivers, seasonal wetlands, and high mountain peaks, are just a few of the habitats that these stunning salamanders call home.
Within these habitats, you can find several families of salamanders. The most abundant of these are the Lungless Salamanders (Plethodontidae), this family includes the majority of our local salamanders including Duskies (Desmognathus), Slimy/Mountain Salamanders (Plethodon), and Brook Salamanders (Eurycea). However, not all of our local species are lungless, with the primary exceptions being Mole Salamanders (Ambystomatidae), Newts (Salamandridae), and the mighty Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchidae).
Each of these families has unique traits and adaptations that they use to thrive in the habitats that they belong to, so stick around while we dive into some fun facts about some of these wonderful species!
As seen on our logo here at BRDC, the Blue Ridged Two-Lined Salamander (Eurycea Wilderae) acts as our rad representative across all of our branding and is a classic species in this region. As a member of the Brook Salamander family, these semiaquatic sallies spend most of their lives within several hundred feet of the cold streams they grew up in. After hatching from eggs, these salamanders spend the first 1-2 years of their lives as aquatic larvae in cold mountain streams. After their time as a larva is complete, they metamorphosize and journey onto land where they’ll spend the rest of their adult life searching for food, shelter, and moisture!
The White-spotted Slimy Salamander (Plethodon Cylindraceus) is one of the largest terrestrial salamanders that is commonly found in our region. These forest dwellers lack any larval or aquatic stage, hatching directly into their juvenile form. These black or dark blue individuals have white spots across their backs and towards their belly that resemble stars in the night sky. The slimy salamander complex gets its name from the glue-like secretion that these species release when threatened, which is its primary defense from any would-be predators. Most slimy salamanders never venture more than 30-40 feet from their hatching site, meaning they are both fierce protectors of their territory as well as opportunistic feeders that will prey on anything within their home range, including other members of their own species!
One of the most recognizable salamanders found in the southeast, the Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus Viridescens) is well known for its bright colors and its relaxed temperament. Their vibrant colors not only make them easy to find, but also warns predators of the toxicity that these salamanders utilize as their main defense mechanism. These famous critters are quite unique in that they are triphasic, meaning they have three distinct phases in life. The first phase is their larval stage, where they live in ponds, vernal pools, wetlands, and slow moving streams. After this they metamorphosize into their juvenile stage. It’s in this stage where they live terrestrially, turn to their classic bright orange or red and take on a new name as an eft. Their third and final stage is their adult form, where they turn to a green/brown color and return to the water as an aquatic species to reproduce. All in all, these newts can live for over 15 years in the wild!
Behold the mythical Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). These fully aquatic salamanders are the largest amphibians in North America and can grow up to 30 inches long! These rare creatures can be found in only the most pristine waters, as they need a perfect balance of cold water, suitable nesting habitat, a large abundance of food, and pollution free water. Hellbenders are known as an indicator species, because their presence in a waterway means that the ecosystem is healthy, and if these populations decline or disappear you know that water quality has been compromised. These creatures have more nicknames then most and have been called lasagna sides, Alleghany alligators, mud devils, and snot otters!
Countdown to the Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally 50th Anniversary!
It’s almost time for a very SPECIAL Mount Rogers Spring Naturalist Rally!
We are looking forward to our Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally here at the Blue Ridge Discovery Center, but this year is particularly special. It is the 50th Anniversary of the Spring Naturalist Rally; a weekend that has enriched the highlands of Southwest Virginia for decades, long before it has thrived and grown since its convergence with the Blue Ridge Discovery Center.
Great White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)
Today marks the one-month countdown until our exciting weekend of exploring, discovering, and sharing the wonders of our wild and comforting corner of the Blue Ridge. Be sure to PRE-ORDER our limited edition MRNR t-shirts. Each shirt features some of the mountain-dwelling species that draw nature enthusiasts to the region year after year, including the Magnolia Warbler, Great White Trillium, and the Blue Ridge Dusky Salamander. The last day to ensure you’ll have a shirt is this Friday, April 12th.
THE RALLY will have a variety of field trips including classics like birding, wildflowers, geology, and the iconic Mount Rogers Hike, as well as some newer favorite topics including a tour of the American Chestnut Foundation’s farm, a caving expedition, wildlife rehabilitation, and a weather balloon launch! Check out the registration page for a full list of our programs. Join us Friday night for dinner, music and evening programs. Saturday brings various hikes and kids programs throughout the day with breakfast, lunch and dinner by reservation only. Then our featured speaker, Kevin Hamed, will be discussing native salamanders, what makes them special, and some of their unique conservation stories. Stick around for more nighttime activities as well as Sunday morning hikes. It’s a full weekend of fun for the whole family!
Spring Salamander Migration
As February draws to a close, the first warm spring rains nurture a tiny, threatened ecosystem nestled in the forest floor: vernal pools!
As February draws to a close, the first warm spring rains nurture a tiny, threatened ecosystem nestled in the forest floor: vernal pools! Last week, our intrepid crew of BRDC naturalists had a chance to visit these ecosystems and celebrate on Ali Reilly’s last day as program coordinator at the Blue Ridge Discovery Center.
An adult Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) Photo by Cade Campbell
Vernal pools are seasonal wetlands that fill up in late February, making a home for amphibians that take amphibiousness to the extreme. Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) are migratory salamanders. In the summer, they disappear from the human world by burrowing up to six feet underground in wet burrows. The adults, around eight inches long, hunt earthworms, insects, and even small vertebrates hidden beneath the mud. But when the February rains reach temperatures of 50-60°F, these salamanders emerge from underground and start to move. Every year, they wander to the places they hatched in vernal pools, sometimes journeying miles. The males migrate first, and leave behind nutrient packets called spermatophores that also fertilize the eggs of females. Females arrive later, and lay clusters of around one hundred eggs on waterlogged branches.
Spotted salamander eggs are no ordinary eggs. Some clusters of eggs are milky-white, others are completely transparent aside from black dots (the developing salamander embryos), but all of the eggs share an amazing cohabitant. These eggs work in a symbiotic relationship with the Salamander Algae (Oophila amblystomatis). Salamander algae is mildly toxic to most aquatic wildlife, and produces sugars with photosynthesis. Protected in the gelatinous membrane of salamander eggs, the algae helps the eggs develop safely and quickly. Some of these algal cells may stick with the salamander for life, in pores on their skin even deep underground as adults. In their own unique way, spotted salamanders rank among the world’s few photosynthetic animals!
Spotted Salamander eggs, laid secretively on a rainy night in early March. Photo by Cade Campbell
When the eggs hatch, tiny, four-legged tadpoles emerge; the salamander larvae. These salamanders are greenish-brown, have feathery external gills, and a translucent, paddle-shaped tail; bearing no resemblance to the large, yellow-spotted black adults. They are helpless, and almost any other carnivore in ephemeral wetlands can eat them with ease. It can take years for the larvae to metamorphose in permanent wetlands, and some never do. Vernal pools will dry in a few months. Normally, Southwest Virginia spotted salamanders require about four to five months (February-June) to reach a terrestrial stage. After crawling onto land and changing colors, the salamanders may require a few additional years before they grow large enough to return to the breeding grounds.
But they have to be lucky. Another mole salamander, the Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum), lays eggs in November. Mothers guard the eggs on land, until February rains fill up the ponds. The mother leaves when the ponds are flooded, and her eggs hatch almost as soon as they are submerged. Marbled salamander larvae mature as spotted salamanders develop in the eggs, growing just large enough to hunt the spotted salamander larvae when they hatch. As adults, marbled salamanders are beautiful animals with black-and-white stripes. Males have solid white bands, while females have frosted gray bands. No two marbled salamanders, or spotted salamanders, have the same pattern, and individuals can easily be recognized from each other (especially those with unusual patterns). Mole salamanders can live for several years, and possibly for decades in ideal habitats.
A Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum), leaving a vernal pool in late February. Photo by Cade Campbell
Life is hard for these salamanders, but there is hope. On warm, rainy nights, you can help them! Many migratory salamanders are forced to cross roads at night, from backroads to highways, to travel from summer burrows to the winter breeding grounds in vernal pools. By carefully moving a salamander across the road in the direction it is traveling, you might save the next generation of salamanders. But remember, always make sure to prioritize your own safety when rescuing amphibians, and never attempt to save salamanders in dangerous conditions.
Fall Rally Re-Cap!
We were so excited to host the first ever Mount Rogers Fall Naturalist Rally this October!
Arachnid Guide Cade Campbell & his marbled orb-weaver
We were so excited to host the first ever Mount Rogers Fall Naturalist Rally this October! In the past couple of years we have been fortunate enough to host the Mount Rogers Spring Naturalist Rally, and we were so happy to now start a new fall annual rally as well. This rally specifically focused on the flora and fauna that is unique to the fall! 68 enthusiastic individuals participated in this rally where we experienced lots of beautiful weather and stimulating outdoor activities. Our programs for this rally included salamander hikes, nature photography, a mushroom hike, stream ecology, an all-day Mount Rogers hike, bird watching, bird acoustics, arachnids, nocturnal nature, an owl prowl, a campus tour, the natural history of the white-tailed deer, and flint knapping.
Bird Watching at Elk Garden with Guide Allen Boynton
Guide Doug Meyer teaching Leah Wilson how to flint knap
We would like to say thank you to our keynote speaker, Michael St. Germain, for an amazing talk about the Bats of Appalachia. We would also like to say thank you to our incredible guides that really helped make our first ever fall rally a success. Thank you to Neil Fredericksen, Phil Shelton, Allen Boynton, Joshua Ward, Maddie Cogar, Lee Diggs, Steven Hopp, Cade Campbell, Linda Hylander, Doug Meyer, and Kevin Hamed.
Salamander Photography at the Salamander Hike. Photo credits to Joshua Ward.
We were also able to lead kids programs during this rally as well! These programs were led by BRDC staff Landscaper and Naturalist Educator Ali Reilly. The childrens programs included nature journaling, fall bingo, and stream ecology.
BRDC Naturalist Educator Ali Reilly leading Fall Bingo. Photo credits to Eva Walls.
We are also so thankful for our generous donors that supplied our raffle table. Thank you to Wolf Hills Coffee (Gift Card), White Birch Food & Juice (Gift Card), Sister’s Cafe (Appalachian Puzzle), Mike Pender (Chickadee Box), Mountain Sports Limited (Naturalist Hats), Marion Outdoors (Great Naturalist Gear), Charlotte Phillips (Two Homemade Pumpkin Rolls), Brian Livingston (Signed Book), Barbara Kingsolver (Signed Books), Bohicket Apothecaries (Candles, Wax Melts, and Soap), Flora of Virginia (App download), and Adventure Damascus & Sundog Outfitter (2 Rentals & 2 Shuttles).
Emory & Henry Volunteers and our BRDC Staff.
We would also like to give a special shoutout to our amazing volunteers from Emory & Henry! Their help was so appreciated, especially by our Head of Hospitality Charlotte Phillips.
We cannot wait to see everyone back on our campus for our Winter Rally coming in February! Stay tuned for more updates to come!
Salamanders
We brought in some live local salamanders for the kids to observe
Most every first grader knows about frogs and toads and their life cycles. And, if they know about amphibians, they may know that salamanders are part of this group too. But rarely do they talk about salamanders and get to see them up close.
This month in the K-2 Program, BRDC staff read excerpts from a youth salamander guidebook discussing the differences between salamanders and lizards (amphibians vs reptiles) and some of the features of our local salamanders, where they live, their habitats, and how they breathe. We also brought in some live, local salamanders for the kids to observe.
Our focus was on the Eastern hellbender, our largest salamander. After watching a video on the hellbender, we discussed ways to save and protect this amazing salamander and have him swimming in our rivers and streams for future generations.
The May 1 Byrom Park Bioblitz, species noted by Team 10
The Central Virginia Blue Ridge
has a new forest preserve on the way. On May 1, a large group of scientists and naturalists (60+) descended upon the area for a preliminary biological assessment. I was on team 10, and here are some of the things we saw.
-On the eastern flank of the Blue Ridge in Central Virginia
-Lat/long: 38.227902,-78.660403
-Elevation survey range (Trail E) 1270' -1850'
-Survey Team #10
Geology
-Catoctin Formation (Metabasalt)
-Charnockite
At site E-10, in the stream, there were large and beautiful specimens of microcrystaline quartz ranging from bright greens to deep reds. This very well could have been a material source for Native Americans.
Noteable Habitats
Wildflower meadow (E-1).
This spot is unusual in that it is a bit of a flat area on the mountainside. The bedrock is the mafic and mineral rich Catoctin greenstone, probably adding to the diversity at the site. This habitat would be a good wildflower destination, particularly for its thick grove of showy orchis, but also for the dozen or so other wildflowers that are blooming there on May 1.
Mafic Boulder (E-2).
Wildflowers
The woods were full. Most of these were observed at site E-1, at the top of the E trail.
Indian Cucumber Root (not in bloom)
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Showy Orchis
False Solomon's Seal (budding)
Early Meadow Rue
Tall Meadow Rue
Perfoliate Bellwort
Wild Geranium
Pink Lady's Slipper (along E trail at elevation 1320 +/-)
Early Saxifrage
Puttyroot Orchid (***past bloom***).
A reader more knowledgable than I pointed out that this plant flowers after the leaves die back! So, this plant was NOT past bloom.
Ferns
Common Polypody (growing on the giant mafic boulder, E-2)
Cut-leafed grape fern
Amphibians
American Toad
Northern Dusky Salamander
Seal Salamander
Southern Two-lined Salamander
Eastern Red-backed Salamander
White spotted Slimy Salamander
Eastern Newt, red eft stage
Mammal tracks
Bear scat
Bobcat urine...territory marker (pee -yhooo!). (At E-8)
Trees
Giant White pine (E-8) circ. 8', 5".
Giant Chestnut Oak (E-9) circ. 10', 6".
Groves of slippery elm, witch hazel, spicebush
A low elevation striped maple
Other
Canadian Owlet moth caterpillar (on the early meadow rue)
Gold Brown Rove Beetle (in the bear scat)