The summer solstice weekend included a foray in the Sundre / Bearberry Natural Areas. Although some rain had fallen, the forest was not as productive as hoped for mushrooms…although many native flowers were blooming including mountain lady slippers, round leaf orchids and wintergreen. Surprisingly, 2 morels were also found, presumably Morchella esculenta and Morchella augusticeps.
Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026 from 2 – 4 PM.
Location: Sundre / Bearberry Natural areas – approximately a 1.25 hr. drive NW of Calgary in Mountain View County.
Terrain: Boreal Forest ecosystem along the Red Deer River. The landscape is defined by mature white spruce forests, balsam poplar stands and native understory flora.
Foray Leader(s): Christine Costello, Lori-Anne Leger and Taylor Routledge.
Foray Attendees: 37
Weather: Started out cool with some cloud but by 3:45 the rains came. Temperatures around 15’C.
Specimens found:
Morchella spp. both brown and golden, Gymnopus dryophilus, Tricholoma spp., Fomitopsis mounceae, Pluteus cervinus, Gloeophyllum sepiarium, Ganoderma applanatum and Wolf’s milk slime mold.
