Upper Grasslands Wildflowers (Video)
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Continue reading →Doug Smith
Elephant Hill Bitterroot Bloom
Elephant Hill Provincial Park has several rocky, treeless hills west and north of the Town of Ashcroft. All routes up the hill involve steep hiking on informal trails through the sagebrush and grassland. It is a dry and arid area … Continue reading →
McArthur Island Loop
On a cool late-November grey day we walked around McArthur Island. There are a number of large weeping willows (Salix × sepulcralis) on the island, now with no leaves. Old willow trunks often have distinct trunks and folded bark. Cottonwoods … Continue reading →
In the Uplands Hills
On a June day, we hiked into the hills above the end of Uplands Drive for exercise, exploration, and to enjoy Nature’s surprises. We spotted some yellow paintbrush(Castilleja sp.). This variety is usually red but at times we find orange … Continue reading →
On the North Maui Ridges
We hiked a few trails through the forest on the north side of Maui. Along the way we saw lush growth and a few wildflowers, including two types of orchids in bloom. There are three types of orchids that … Continue reading →
Stake Windbreak
On a windy day, paddling on any open body of water is not easy and less enjoyable, but we can paddle a short loop on smaller protected lakes. Usually I pick MCConnell, Stake, or Inks Lakes and do one or … Continue reading →
Fossils n’ Flowers
In the summer, we took the grandkids into the hills to find some fossils. We found a few, but also enjoyed the wildflowers along the way. Mariposa lilies were in bloom on the open hillsides. I knew where shalebeds are … Continue reading →
On the Trail to Sylvia and Goodwin Falls
We have hiked from the confluence of the Mahood and Clearwater Rivers up to Sylvia and Goodwin Falls and back and we have hiked from the Mahood River down to the falls and back. These trailheads are a day’s travel … Continue reading →
Summer Flowering Plants
During the spring and summer, there are many flowering plants in borders, rockeries, perennial beds, and even in the vegetable garden. When the light is right, a daily walk is part of my routine, sometimes with a camera in tow. … Continue reading →
Late Bloomers
At the end of the flowering season in the perennial gardens, rockeries, and borders, a few late bloomers were photographed. Click an image for a caption and lightbox view. Even though the flowers are right there, it remains … Continue reading →
In the Haleakala Crater
We drove to the summit of Haleakala at 10 000 feet, then hiked down into the crater, a drop of 3000 feet. We continued on a loop route through the crater, then back up to the rim lower on the … Continue reading →
Over Clapperton Ridge
In mid-November I hiked through the edge of the grasslands then over a forested ridge in an off-trail long loop route. There were many aspen groves in the upper grasslands, particularly around drainages or small marshes. In a 2.6 km … Continue reading →