We kept on eye on the forecasts on firesmoke.ca and saw a reasonable day for hiking in the Stake Lake area.   We did an 8 km hike over McConnell Hill.  On the southern-facing slopes, drought was evident, but fireweed (Epilobeum angustifolium) was healthy and in bloom.

Pollinators were busy of pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) flowers.

On the wetter, shaded north slopes of McConnell Hill were many baneberry shrubs with red berries.    Actaea rubra is a rhizomous perennial.   The berries are poisonous.

Baneberry can also have white berries and these ones were side-by-side with the red berries.

In a drainage we spotted rosy twisted stalk (Streptopus roseus) with red dangling berries.

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) flowers were now past and red berries were forming.    the berries will become sweeter later this summer and are edible.

A patch of invasive tansy was growing right in the middle of the trail.  Extracts of tansy have been used as an insecticide.   It has been used by herbalists for many centuries.

Short, shrubby birch-leafed spirea (Spirea betulifolia) was blooming in open spots.

We have spirea shrubs in the yard at home too, but it can be a bit invasive so we have to pull out volunteers each year.

We will be back to hike in the high country (4000+ feet) again this summer and fall and we will watch for the seasonal changes each month.