Some interesting pics of fungi that I encountered on a recent trip to Eastern Oregon. The areas I visited were heavy in Ponerosa Pine and Madrone, much different than the Doug Fir and Hemlock of the Willamette Valley, so I was excited to be in foreign territory. There was still deep snow above 3,500 feet, so I made it almost to Sisters before getting into good hiking grounds. The area around Black Butte gave way to some interesting finds, more Earth Stars than I’ve ever seen before, and an abundant amount of White Cheese Polypore, an interestingly fragile mushroom that I’ve not seen too many times otherwise. There were also many Birds Nest fungi, and an assortment of Pezizas and Auricularias, take a look!

On Sunday (4/15) on my way back to Eugene I took an afternoon detour and went for a beautiful hike to Blue Pool.  Along the way I was met with beautiful sights, fabulous fungi, and some friendly folks I’ve not seen in ages, couldn’t have picked a better stop.  One of the great finds of the hike was an early spring fruiting of Chicken of the Woods, and since I make it a habit to keep what I call a Field Culturing kit with me, I was able to take some sample cultures which have started to grow and show promise! Look forward to this strain being available in my workshops, and dowel form for sale later down the road…

Tyromyces spp.
An old fallen White Cheese Polypore
beautiful…

Another Tyromyces, still clinging to burnt Pine (4 years ago)

Geastrum spp., likely triplex
I was finding these Earthstars by the 1,000′s!
a touch old for complete identification

a happy looking vertabrae…

Pachyella clypeata

Polyporus badius
Liver-Brown Polypore

Bisporella citrina
Lemon Cup

Fometopsis pinicola
Red Belted Conk
This is the biggest I’ve seen to date, 26 inches across!

Red Belts and Artist Conks on an old growth Doug Fir snag
beautiful…

The Blue Pool !

New Culture of Laetiporus sulphureus
Chicken of the Woods