As spring weather warms up, the first flowers emerge and the Neskonlith Hills are a good place to see them. Pussy willows (salix sp.) were budding with yellow catkins on fuzzy grey tufts. Sagebrush buttercups (ranunculus glabberimus) were the first … Continue reading →
I have hiked to the top of Mt. Bowman a few times. It is the premier hike in the Marble Range, west of Clinton and above the Fraser River. The mountains have the karst topography and the upper areas feature … Continue reading →
Lance-leaved stonecrop (sedum lanceolatum) is a succulent perennial which grows in dry, open, rocky locations, especially on south-facing slopes. Lance-shaped alternate leaves cluster around the base. Clustered flowers are bright yellow and the petals are also lance-shaped. Sedums grow … Continue reading →
During a hike along a high south-facing moist to dry (spring to summer) open slope, we came across a large number of naked broomrape (orobanche uniflora) in bloom. It is a parasitic perennial (mostly on stonecrop). The stems were short … Continue reading →
We were fortunate to be out hiking on a route that had a good clump of pinedrops (pterospora andomedea) in bloom just off the trail. This perennial grows up to 100 cm, but these ones were about 40 to 60 … Continue reading →
I paddled Pat Lake, then went for a short hike in the hills on a smoky day, taking photos along the way, a few of which are shared here. Prickly roses had finished flowering and rose hips were now ready. … Continue reading →
By mid-August aquatic plants have started to flower. Every lake has a different combination of lakeshore and shallow water aquatics. Common to many of our area lakes is water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia). Some other common names are longroot smartweed, water … Continue reading →
I drove from Pinantan Lake up to Hyas Lake and paddled the lake on a hot day. On the way back down, I made a couple of stops to observe wildflowers. Orange hawkweed (hieracium aurantiacum) multiplies rapidly in disturbed areas, … Continue reading →
We hiked in the Marble Range in July from the forest through the subalpine burn area and up to the karst landscape in the alpine. Along the way I took photos, a few of which are shared here. Always a … Continue reading →
We hiked to the top of Estekwalan Mountain and enjoyed the trail, the views, and the wildflowers along the route. It was a steep route that switchbacked up a steep forested hillside to the rim of a ring of cliffs … Continue reading →
I checked out Minnie Lake on the Quilchena-Douglas Plateau, then drove backroads to Douglas Lake (which I paddled in the wind), toured backroads toward Westwold, and hiked in to a remote waterfall, taking photographs along the way, some of which … Continue reading →
Mt. Thynne has some of the best wildflower meadows of the area and a hike at the end of June or early July is a must-do route for anyone who enjoys a moderate hike in the subalpine. Some more photos … Continue reading →
