Wildflower Bloom Report for Yosemite High Country
The plan was to have an early breakfast at Nicely’s in Lee Vining at 6 AM and head for home. Done. Then to drive straight home to Berkeley. Not possible. The flowers in the Yosemite High Country along Tioga Pass Road (highway 120) demanded stops and photos.
Driving up to Tioga Pass from Lee Vining there were good sightings of Paintbrush, Blazing Star, White Rein Orchid and Evening Primrose. At Ellery Lake was a good stand of Corn Lily.
At the edge of Tuolumne Meadow all that could be seen were Golden Rod, Whorled Penstemon and lots of Mule Deer. There are flowers to be seen, but we didn’t explore the meadows. Charlie Russell did. See his findings in the previous post Tuolumne Meadows, Parker Bench and White Wolf Wildflowers in Yosemite. The west end of the meadow is still closed in areas.
There were at least three species of Lupine that were seen many places along Tioga Road as well as nice road side gardens of various flower species. Olmstead Point had lots of Mt. Pride Penstemon and Spirea. Some were past, but many are still in bloom. Other flowers there included Prickly Phlox, Ivesia Mousetails, Raillardia, Pussy Paws, Naked Buckwheat and Catchfly. Two other highlights were a quick look at a Pika before he ran into his hole and photographing the “balancing rock” (see slideshow below).
West of Olmstead Point flowers in bloom included Yampah, a yellow Cinquefoil, Blue-Purple Penstemon, Pussypaws, Naked Buckwheat, Single-stemmed Groundsel, Paintbrush, Lewis’s Monkeyflower, Red Columbines, Coyote Mint (a much paler version than we saw on the east side), purple Asters, Blue Elderberry, and Shooting Stars.
There is an unsigned pullover on the south side of the road where there is a large Jeffery Pine a short distance before Crane Flat were there were large displays of small pink Gilia. Also Pussypaws, Horkelia, and Pretty Face.
Crane Flat and the nearby meadows is still the showstopper. Some Corn Lilies are now past but many are still in bloom. The flower of the day was Cone Flower. A great plant to photograph (see slideshow) and many were in nice even shaded light. Other blooms in the area were Sierra Tiger Lily Lilium parvum, Stickweed, Horkelia, Bistort, Lupine, purple Asters, Naked Buckwheat, and Primrose Monkeyflowers.
Natural History Wanderings 
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