A view of Kalmioposis Wilderness and the peaks of the Siskiyou Mountains from a ridge top in Mike's Gulch. In the background we can see snags from the 2002 Biscuit Fire. In the foreground is an abundance of flowering plants that are flourishing in the aftermath of the fire.
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The Siskiyou Wildlands are noted for their serpentine soils, which are derived from the ubiquitous serpentine rock, such as the outcropping above. Only specially adapted plants thrive in these soils. Many of the plant species found in the Siskiyous grow nowhere else in the world.
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The Siskiyou wildlands has more wild and scenic rivers than any other region of comparable size. Above is the wild and scenic Illinois River that winds through much of the area burned by the Biscuit Fire in 2002. This river contains some of the most important salmon and steelhead habitat in the contiguous United States. Protecting the pristine waters of this river protects significant runs of endangered salmon.
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In the foreground of this grove of snags are three specimens of beargrass, a plant that returns with a vengence after major fire events. The blades of this grass are prized for basket-making by Native people in this region.
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