Mt Whitney Zone Forums Trip Reports Ice House Canyon Sat. 6-18-11 - Plants and Bugs

Virginia and I hiked Ice House Canyon on Saturday. It was a beautiful morning beginning at 7:00 a.m., but by 9:00 a.m. the day was warming up and the bugs were waking up. Be sure to take a bandana with you to hike through the nats (I'm guessing that's the type of bug flying in my mouth and up my nose).

As we finished our 7.2 mile hike, we decided to take some pictures near the water. The plants near the water look so innocent, BUT THEY'RE NOT. I brushed up against a plant and felt an extremely sharp pain. I thought someone had sliced me with a knife, but I couldn't see a cut. Next, I felt like electricty was jolting my knee. The pain lasted a good 24 hrs. before it ceased. Does anyone have any idea what I brushed up against? The plant looked like a berry bush I have planted in my backyard. It's leaves are a really pretty green and the edges of the leaf are jagged. The stems of the plant have little fine hairs up and down the lenghth of the stem, there must be thousands of little hairs on each stem.

All I can say is OUCH and stay away from pretty plants in Ice House Canyon which is in the vicinity of Mt. Baldy.

The plant you got stung by is Stinging Nettle. As you found out Ice House Canyon is a prime location for it to grow.


Hiiker

We were up on the Ski Hut trail on Friday, and man those gnats were everywhere. Definitely thicker than usual this time of year.

But really all that means is that you have to stop less for snacking. Gnats pack a protein punch.

Lynn... Stinging Nettle usually has a natural remedy growing very nearby... learn to identify the following plants...hound tongue, burdock or yellow dock, mullein, or plantain (I'm not sure which of these would be indigenous to the area)... bruise the leaf of the "cure" plant and rub it in the area where the nettle brushed against you....

I showed my kid the stinging nettle on San Jacinto last week. It's everywhere, even up the South Fork of Bishop Creek. I've even had it in my yard. Nasty, nasty.....as I told my son Cy, "NEVER touch this stuff".

This is also another "duct tape" quick fixit.... peel a small section of duct tape off of your hiking pole... -very- gently apply it's sticky surface to the area where the stinging nettle brushed... the adhesive will grab the needles and pull many of them out of your skin...

Baking soda in the first aid kit will make a quick paste with some water and spread it on the affected area..

Unbelievable, I can't believe how much good information I got from all of you who responded to my report about my experience with plants and bugs at Ice House Canyon. I've never even heard of the Stinging Nettle before. You all have such great information for cures from the nasty sting this plant delivers. I guess this is what the Whitney Zone is all about....about helping other fellow hikers. Thank you, thank all of you. I'll share this with my friends.




The only plant name I could think of that had a name that sounded like it could deliver the pain I felt is Mountain Misery. I did a search on Mountain Misery and when I saw a picture of it, I knew it was the wrong plant. I don't even know if Mountain Misery delivers "misery".

Once stung by nettles, you never want to get close to them again!

From Wikipedia: Stinging Nettle

Forgive the unsolicited literary reference, but this thread reminded me of one of the many gems in Les Miserables, when Monsieur Madeline, on reflecting how the poor cultivate and harvest stinging nettle before it develops its sting, "If we took a little time, the nettle would be useful; we neglect it, and it becomes harmful. Then we kill it. Men are so like the nettle! There are no bad herbs, and no bad men; there are only bad cultivators."

Brent N

Brent - I find what your wrote very interesting and thought provoking.

Steve C. - yep, the photo you posted is the plant that stung me.

So Cal Girl - Regarding the cure grows nearby, my friend, Sandy, wrote me to tell me another remedy (MUGWORT)....I wonder if it grows near stinging nettle. She learned about Mugwort from hiking w/a biology teacher at the Pecho Trail in Avila Beach. She sent me photos of Mugwort but I'm not good at posting photos. Mugwort??? Kinda sounds like something out of a Harry Potter story.

Lynn---


Brent--- How funny.. I'm actually reading that book right now!

wazzu and I did Ice House today......ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!! Can't wait to go back.

It was a great day...waterfalls, redwoods, and ladybugs...and a little extra mileage on a side trail (oops)

Missed all the stinging plants, had a few skeeters and other flying insects, but not too bad.