Sugarloaf Mountain (San Bernardino County, California)

Flora and fauna

The flora and fauna of Sugarloaf Mountain are representative of a transitional zone between inland desert, mountain, and inland valley climates. The mountain and surrounding forests are home to many rare and endemic plant species. Looming 3000 ft over the southern part of the Big Bear Valley and the village of Sugarloaf, the northern slopes of the mountain are heavily forested with second-growth Jeffrey Pine and White Firs. At higher altitudes on the north-facing slope, Limber and Lodgepole Pines near the summit are twisted into Krummholz formations. The forest on the east facing slope is drier, and the vegetation shows the influence of the Mojave Desert; sagebrush and junipers are more dominant. The southern slope of the mountain is covered in scrubby manzanita bushes and extensive rock scree, with a few hardy Jeffery pines. Snow rarely stays more than few days once the sun shines on the southern face, while the much cooler northern face is covered with snow from early December to late May.

A year-round spring on the north face forms a small creek that travels to the Greenspot Meadows, which is an excellent birding spot during the spring and summer. The northern slopes were formerly home to herds of wild burros that could be seen from Wildhorse Meadows Road. The Bureau of Land Management removed most of the burros from the Sugarloaf area, but some animals travel there from the lower deserts. Cougars and bears have been spotted in the forests to the west of the peak. In late spring, butterflies may be seen at the rock scree close to the summit.

Gallery

File:2004 0517SBMts0010.JPG|Rocky slopes with Limber and Lodgepole Pines 500 ft below the summit File:Tree near summit.jpg|Weather-beaten limber pine near the summit. The Mojave Desert is in the background. File:View to north from Sugarloaf.jpg|Looking 3000 ft down into Big Bear Valley from the summit File:View of San Gorgonio.jpg|View of Mt. San Gorgonio to the south from the saddle of Sugarloaf File:Wildhorse Meadows.jpg|Wildhorse Meadows File:From town of sugarloaf.jpg|View of north face from the town of Sugarloaf File:View to east from Sugarloaf.jpg|The Mojave Desert is in the distance looking north-east from the summit File:On the way to the summit Sugarloaf.jpg|Hiking towards the summit

References

References

1. [http://www.summitpost.org/sugarloaf-mountain/271010 summitpost.org]
2. [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-10-17-vw-3479-story.html "Sugarloaf Mountain – A Sweet Way to Go"], Los Angeles Times, October 17, 1987.