We hiked through the rugged Frederick Bluffs which are the rocky hills overlooking Kamloops Lake. We went over hill and dale and watched for wildflife and wildflowers along the route. We saw a hatched clutch of eggs right next to … Continue reading →
We walked the grandkids around the Pineview Nature Loop, but took the time to go off-trail here and there to inspect the plants and animals we found. One surprise was a golden currant shrub (ribes aureum), sometimes called buffalo currant. … Continue reading →
On a rainy May day, I drove to the upper grasslands to see the chocolate lilies and whatever else was emerging. I wasn’t disappointed. Chocolate lilies (fritillaria sp.) were abundant . Delicate small-flowered woodland star (lithophragma sp.) was also prolific … Continue reading →
Each year, I hiked into various areas and watch for the appearance of chocolate lilies (fritillaria sp.). On a rainy day, I drove to the upper grasslands of Lac du Bois Grasslands Nature Conservancy and hiked on trails and through … Continue reading →
I hiked from the Goose Lake area into the hills on the border between the forest and the grasslands, going quietly, observing the forest, the open slopes, the birds, and wildflowers on an eclectic route. In the open spots, western … Continue reading →
We hiked the sunny, south-facing dry slopes of Swakum Mountain above Merritt, covering a lot of miles over that day. Balsam root dominated the open areas on the Upper Scenic Trail, but there were a few other wildflowers in the … Continue reading →
On May 11, I hiked into the hills above Lac du Bois. This is a favorite route and it is rich in wildflowers, butterflies, and grasslands birds in late May and June. Early wildflowers in the area included buttercups, yellow … Continue reading →
We did a spring hike over the hills from Copper Creek to Painted Bluffs Provincial Park. This is a demanding route over ridges and through gullies down to the bottom of the park, then back up again. the route is … Continue reading →
We did a moderate hike on the Peterson Creek Park trails on a grey, damp, windy day and spotted some wildflowers along the route: Comandra umbellata (bastard toadflax) was emerging next to the Grasslands Loop Trail. My first spotting of … Continue reading →
Long flowered mertensia (longiflorum) can be spotted near Neskonlith Lake in late April and early May. They have been spotted near Chase and Adams Lake too. They follow yellow glacier lilies in semi-open meadows. Mertensia grows from a tuber-like root … Continue reading →
Although we get out to hike, bike, paddle, and walk in the hills, we sometimes spend the day in the yard, gardening for the whole day. On some of these days, we stop to take a few photos, a pause … Continue reading →
At the end of April, we hiked a large loop on the Barnes Lake Trails in dry but windy conditions. The lower end of the trails winds through the grasslands where we spotted a number of small-flowered woodland stars (lithophragma … Continue reading →
