Sierra Morel Mushroom Forays
This is a guided mushroom foray where you have time to ask questions and learn how to find "burn morel" mushrooms. We will take you to pre-scouted locations in US National Forests to look for morels, which sprout after forest fires in the Sierra mountains. These delicious fungi can be prolific, if conditions are right. We will also look for "Spring King" boletes (aka Porcini), if they are sprouting, usually 3 weeks after morels, if conditions are right.
Spring 2024 locations will be East of Sacramento on either Hwy 50 or Hwy 80 in the Sierra Foothills. We will be scouting ahead, and will email the exact locations a week before the foray.
What you will learn:
- How to recognize the habitat for burn morels, and other fungi
- Indicator plants and other fungi that typically signal morels are nearby
- Identifying look-alike's that are NOT morels (Morchella species group).
- Cooking instructions (Don't eat raw morels!)
- Storage and dehydration tips
- Permits are not necessary as long as you're not selling your mushrooms
Details will be emailed to you the week before the foray. And you can email me questions any time: ken@walkinthewoods.co,
or Facebook Messenger: facebook.com/walkinthewoods.co
We will be going to the Tahoe and El Dorado National Forests this year. Exact locations will be determined after scouting the prior weeks. So, an exact meet-up location will be sent by email/text the week before your foray. We meet at 10am, and Ken Buegeleisen will take the group (in your own cars) to various locations in the National Forests. Be prepared for moderate hiking, cool weather, and possible rain. And bring a mushroom basket!
NOTE: We cannot guarantee you'll find edible mushrooms, but we give you all the information you need to find them. "Spring King" boletes emerge later in the season than morels, so the early forays in April/May may not find these (but we'll show you where to look). Edible Puffball mushrooms (Calvatia sculpta) and various cup fungi are also fairly common.
We also highly recommend downloading a GPS app on your phone like GAIA or AllTrails to track your location in the forest, so you don't get lost or turned around. Other useful apps like iNaturalist can help you identify mushrooms and plants you may find.