
FOTL will be monitoring morel reports from around the country to bring you the latest news, but he doesn't expect to be looking himself anytime before next month. Unlike previous years, the camellias in FOTL's yard still have not bloomed, and a quick gander at Washington State's snowpack surveys for the Olympics and Cascades reveals a higher than normal accumulation for every station, including Snoqualmie Pass, which is 120 percent of normal, and Crystal Mountain, which is 147 percent of normal. That's a lot of snow yet, folks!
Oh, and by the way, if you find a false morel, think twice about eating it. Yes, I know, old crotchety mushroom hunters in different parts of the country talk about eating false morels all their life with nuthin' bad come of it, but get this: scientists have isolated the chemical properties of this fungi and discovered that an active ingredient called gyromitrin is the same compound when metabolized as monomethylhydrazine—also known as rocket fuel! You can read more about the toxicity of false morels here.
It may not be as long as you think. Last weekend we were hiking near Lake Wenatchee (approx. 3500 elev.). The south/south eastern-facing slopes were snow-free. We were hopeful but found nothing. Need a burn! Can't wait.
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