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 near the summit.

In the forest were several spotted coralroot (corallorhiza maculata sp.).   These saprophytes in the orchid family get their nutrients from decaying organic material.

We have only spotted mountain ladyslipper (cypripedium montanum) three times this year and each time the plant was in the shade.

Pale agoseris graced the sides of the trail in open areas.

Spotted saxifrage filled in spaces on rocky wet slopes near the summit.

A few silverleaf phacelia (p. hastata) were found on barren, rocky slopes.

A rare spotting – pygmy lewisia – found in several places on the south-facing rocky rim of the mountain.

On the open ridge were several large clumps of sulphur buckwheat.

Once we came back down the steep slopes, there were many heath speedwell (Veronica officinalis) plants in bloom on the slopes above the resource road.

And, honeysuckle flowers were hanging from vines draped over shrubs at mid elevations.

Many wildflowers were spotted along the way –  lupines, arnica, paintbrush, roses, gentian, self-heal, gaillardia, columbine, larkspur, pussytoes, groundsel, hawksbeard, stonecrop, viola, cinquefoil, flebane, and many others, but only a few photos make the final cut, either because the light was right, or they are a relatively new (for the season) appearance.