Natural History Wanderings

Washington Trails Association has a number of new hike reports that mention wildflower bloom. Here are some brief wildflower excerpts that might give a rough idea of what is happening on the trails. To see more details for the hikes below, additional hikes and links to photos go to: Washington Trails Association

Bandera Mountain — Jul 02, 2013 — Snoqualmie Pass — Snoqualmie Pass
Beautiful day on Bandera, with plenty of blooming bear grass and wildflowers.

Evergreen Mountain Lookout — Jul 02, 2013 — Central Cascades — Stevens Pass – West
The wildflowers will probably get better, but there were spots with Harsh Indian Paintbrush, Spreading Phlox, and lots of (I think) Avalanche Lillies in the upper meadow.

Colchuck Lake — Jul 02, 2013 — Central Cascades — Leavenworth Area
you’ll see wildflowers, butterflies

Silver Star Mountain – Ed’s Trail — Jul 02, 2013 — South Cascades — Columbia Gorge
Silver Star with the wildflowers blooming is my all-time favorite hike, and today lived up to my expectations. It was a virtual wildflower book, with pictures but no names. Once I counted over 30 varieties of flowers, and I’ve heard that a botanist counted over 60. There were quite a few buds and not many spent flowers, so the display should be good for a few more weeks.

Goat Peak Lookout — Jul 01, 2013 — North Cascades — East Slope
There were lots of little flowers blooming and the views were spectacular.

Mailbox Peak — Jul 01, 2013 — Snoqualmie Pass — North Bend Area
Many beautiful flowers after passing the boulder field

Mount Si — Jun 30, 2013 — Snoqualmie Pass — North Bend Area
Bear grass is in full bloom, a few salmon berries starting to get color and, native red elderberries are in full color.

Silver Peak — Jun 30, 2013 — Snoqualmie Pass — Snoqualmie Pass
There are also lotsa pretty flowers bloomin!

Surprise and Glacier Lakes — Jun 30, 2013 — Central Cascades — Stevens Pass – West
Lots of wildflowers blooming including trillium, salmonberry, bunchberry, bleeding heart, shootingstar, paintbrush, and a few others I didn’t recognize.

Silver Star Mountain – Ed’s Trail — Jun 30, 2013 — South Cascades — Columbia Gorge
Beargrass at its peak. Paintbrush everywhere. Some iris, glacier lily, avalanche lily, tiger lily, even some bleeding heart left. Trillions are long gone. Thimbleberry flowers everywhere. So maybe good berries later in the fall.

Kelly Butte — Jun 30, 2013 — South Cascades — Chinook Pass – Enumclaw or Hwy 410 area
Saw lots of wildflowers blooming

Rainbow & Blazer Lakes — Jun 30, 2013 — Snoqualmie Pass — Snoqualmie Pass
We crossed the Rainbow outlet and turned away from the lake. Since the log sank I now cross the other creek higher up. The little creek was roaring but we found a spot to get across with dry feet. The meadow was snow covered but some marsh marigolds were blooming in small bare spots. Soon the whole meadow will be white with them.

Blanca Lake — Jun 30, 2013 — Central Cascades — Stevens Pass – West
A few flowers in the woods – bunchberry, queens cup, coralroot, twisted stalk.

Silver Peak, Annette Lake — Jun 30, 2013 — Snoqualmie Pass — Snoqualmie Pass
Wildflowers!

Bandera Mountain — Jul 02, 2013 — Snoqualmie Pass — Snoqualmie Pass