Wild Flowers are usually aflame in mid August around the Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest, and so they were to the extent to which we could reach them. After a snowy winter and a near record snow pack, the snow had not yet melted from one of my favorite mountain trails.
Snow caves at one end of the Artist Point parking lot.
The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream, visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on Follow.
Before I go further, I must admit that I am unsure about some of the flowers shown. I have scoured several wildflower and plant guides and still am unsure on some and totally unable to identify others. I just used common names for most. Please help me out and correct and or name those that I have not gotten correct.
Picture Lake
Every visitor is obliged to stop at Picture Lake on the way up the mountain for its own beauty as as well as that it lies at the foot of Mt. Shuckson, and that is where the huckleberries are most prolific.
Huckleberries are ripe
Mt. Shucksan across the lake wrapped in clouds
Fireweed along the lake
Narrow leaved (Floating) Burr-Reed with Spirea and Mountain Ash in the foreground
Green Corn Lily ( Veratrum viride)
Artist Point
After visiting Picture Lake, we continued up to Artist Point that at 5,100 feet elevation typically affords panoramic views of Mt. Baker to the southwest and Mt. Shucksan to the east. Unfortunately Artist Point was totally shrouded in clouds. Further, much of the trail beyond the parking lot was still buried in snow.
Path from the Parking lot into the clouds
In a snow free patch of dirt, the Avalanche Lilies do not mind the snowy environs
Austin Pass & Bagley Lakes
We then retreated down the mountain a bit to Austin Pass area where we took the “Fire and Ice” trail that led us down into the Bagley Lakes. As you will see below, the slopes there were alive with wild flowers even with the low hanging clouds.
You can see a tinge of pink color from the field of Spiraea down to Bagley Lake. A scree slide and snow across the lake
Two Freshets converging to feed the lakes below
A meadow of Spiraea and Daisies
White and Pink Heather
Tolme’s Saxifrage
Veronica ...
Wandering Daisy wandered all over
The fragile Fern, one of my favorite ferns. They love to tuck in under rocks
A Sedge. What kind ??
Mountain Arnica
A mountain of Arnica along the trail
An Aster ? There are so many look-alikes.
Scouler’s valerian (Valerian scouleri)
Large-leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum)
Next Month I plan to return to see the fall colors, and snow melt and weather permitting, I hope to hike the Artist Point Trail. I’ll report back if successful.
Show and tell us about what you are seeing in your backyard as summer winds down.
Addendum: Thanks to Pandala for the IDs on several of these.
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