[tsamprasxx]

Our second hike was cut down to three of us. It had poured all night and was still raining hard when we were having our 7am breakfast. Fritz decided he wasn't into a long hike in the rain and Glen was up all night long with an intestinal problem. Scott, Alfredo and I headed off to pick up our permits from INRENA . We had to cross this river multitimes at the beginning of the hike. The weather cleared out by 8 am and the rain poncho wasn't needed. ancin:

We then climbed uphill along farm fields. There were parts that were so steep that stairs were cut into the hillside. I thought, to myself, that if the trail was like this the whole way I would never make it. I prepped for the trip but not at these altitudes. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I rested to take this view of the valley below .
Another rest stop was to take a pic of this waterfall.

The water from this one supplies a hydroelectric plant that is one of the three that supplies Oxapampa.

It wasn't until I reached this sign before I realized that the first hour of the hike wasn't even in the park. The park started at about 7,000 foot elevation. We climbed another 1,500 hundred feet before we had to turn around. Fortunately, once we were in the park boundary, the trail was cut as switch backs.

The Park was Yanachaga-Chemillen. The biodiversity of the park is amazing! There are 59 species of mammals including this spectacled bear .

on the hike, I ran into a student from the University of Tasmania doing his research for his doctorate. He is doing vascular epiphyte populations. He said that one tree he inventoried contained 129 different species including 41 different orchid species. You can see how dense the epipytes are.

I would have loved to get up into the canopy. The coolest orchids I saw were on material that recently had fallen from the canopy. I saw Maxillaria , Stelis , Oncidiums , Pleuros , and many other genera of orchids. Many not in bloom.

[tsamprasxx]

this bird was the only one that stopped for his picture but many beautifully colored ones were seen.

Hanging from a branch was this orchid. It was identified for me but I don't recall the name. Here is a closer pic of it's flower.


There were many beautiful wildflowers including this passion flower , fuscia and this blue tubular one .
this passion flower was stunning!!!


The lichens , mosses and bromiliads were fascinating. I hated to have to turn around before reaching the crest of the mountain but we didn't want to run out of daylight.
I will end this segment with a cute Pleuro

[tsamprasxx]

Here is a lycaste that we collected

and some other chid pics








Would I do it again...you bet!!!!!

[astonmartinrx371]

Great Pictures Ron!!

Thanks for sharing! Do you know what Lycaste species the first picture is, or is it a new species?

Robert

[tsamprasxx]

I suspect that the Lycaste is denningiana. It was collected in the pouring rain and my camera was in the car. The pic was after we got back to the hotel and the flower was pretty banged up by then.

[HottBrorb]

ron did you see any frogs?

[tsamprasxx]

unfortunately, only one in Oxapama one night, a big ole brown thing.

[creewespock]

Man what a great trip. Thanx for the pictures.

[Spalax]

Simply amazing!

[Erossycuc]

Great pictures!

That Hunleya burtii (I assume that's the species) is stunning!

And two very interesting Pleurothallids!

-Pat

[mashabox]

Great pictures, thanks

If I were in Peru, I wouldn't decide where to watch - down to tropical fishes or up to orchids??

[creewespock]

Ron, in one photo Alfredo has a lot of clothes on. Were the biting bugs a problem?

[tsamprasxx]

We wore long sleeved shirts due to some of the vegetation being course and irritating. Biting insects at this altitude didn't seem to be an issue. I didn't use my DEET at all. I did get bitten by ants while removing a chid from a tree and something bit me on the hand at another time. That one was swollen and itched for days and I finally took an antihistamine for it.

I did see some leaf cutting ants one day but the pic didn't turn out clear enough to post.

[creewespock]

What was that kid doing in the tree? Have you catalogued the plants yet? I'm interested in seeing the Plueros.

[tsamprasxx]

Quote:

[creewespock]

Oh PLEASE post the picture!!!

[tsamprasxx]

[creewespock]

Priceless.

[nizcreare]

Man that looks like fun

That unbloomed creeping orchid looks reminiscent of Zootrophion hirtzii

[Spalax]

I can't tell if Glen is grimacing or smiling...