Wildflower Reports

[MonikaC]

As many of you know, Colorado had a very dry winter, followed by a mostly dry Spring. San Juan NF is currently closed due to the extreme fire danger. In late Spring, here on the Front Range, we had alternating heavy rain/hail (& even my first thunder snow). The wildflowers loved this, but it was followed by a period of high temperatures, which they didn't like so much. We just started getting rain showers again -- yesterday was quite rainy & we had a bit of hail tonight along with rain (still coming down) & periods of sun. It may be a better year for wildflowers (if we keep getting rain showers regularly) than I had expected.

Last weekend, my husband & I were up at Mt Evans (CO), driving back to Boulder on 6/11. We took the "back way", driving the Peak to Peak Highway from Idaho Springs to Coal Creek Canyon. At the marshy areas, the RM iris were at peak.

Today (6/18), I went to the Cow Creek trail behind Lumpy Ridge (a small part of RMNP, farther north from the main part of the Park). At the TH, there were columbines (and a few scattered ones farther up the trail). No iris out yet & the ones close to Mary's Lake Road were 3-5 days from peak. I went up to the 1st switchback of the Black Canyon Trail (about 4 miles in) as that's where I've found Calypso orchids about this time of year in the past (not today)

There were a few pockets of moderately dense wildflowers. Species found included:
lupines (not particularly great looking)
potentilla
roses
currents/jamesia
stonecrop
sulphur flower
paintbrush
golden banner
astragalus
lots of arnica
a few hardy delphiniums in the shade

More that I didn't know or couldn't remember names of... DYCs as a friend of mine who is a retired NPS ranger called them (damn yellow composites) or simply have forgotten 6 hours later.

Here are a few pics to go with the dry didactic.

Please add your own reports to this thread!

 

[JimFox]

A great report on the Wildflowers Monika, and a couple of nice photos to accompany the report!

Thanks so much for kicking this off and getting it started.

 

[AlanLichty]

Nice thread to start up! I am hoping to get up into the uplands of the Gifford Pinchot NF this week since the snow is finally melting and they have opened up a lot of the NF roads.

I will chime in with what I see/shoot.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Nice report. I also did wild flowers this morning and will show a coupld tomorrow. If there is anyone in the Provo area, i will be glad to tell them where.

 

[JimFox]

Nice report. I also did wild flowers this morning and will show a coupld tomorrow. If there is anyone in the Provo area, i will be glad to tell them where.

Ben, how about writing up a report where they are in the Provo area so everyone can see it?

 

[Ben Egbert]

Ok. I will, but I want to show them in landscape, I have so few to show there.

 

[AlanLichty]

Gifford Pinchot National Forest bloom notes -

I took a trip up to the Panther Creek Falls area this morning and noted that there are several areas of small blooms at the lower elevations near the Gorge in open areas that get direct sunlight. Along the forest service roads the same was true - sunlit locations along the roads had blooms but most of the forest floor and at higher elevations (up to around 2600') is still just starting to show some color.

Identified species that are blooming (images will be forthcoming):

Tiger Lily
Orange Agoseris
Large Leaf Lupines
Creeping Buttercup
Globeflower
Bunchberry
Dogwood (tail end of the bloom)

 

[Ben Egbert]

I doubt if many of you get to the Provo Utah area, but if you do, here is a guide to a good place to see large tracts of Mules ear flowers this time of year.

The roads open about memorial day, and the flowers start blooming towards the middle to end of June. This was an early year because of the mild winter. They were still maybe a few days before peak yesterday June 18th They will start to fade in about a week. I estimate that this location has 3 to 4 acres of dense flowers and then more that are scattered.

This is at the top of Squaw peak road, which is reached via the Provo Canyon road hwy 189. From Provo, the turn off is about 2 miles into the canyon on your right and well marked. There is about 9 miles of paved road, followed by about 6 miles of dirt road. The dirt road is rough, but does not require 4wd or high clearance. When you get to the pass and start going downhill. Turn around and go back about ¼ mile. You will see a rail fence on the north side of the road and a pull out. Park there and follow the uphill trail. The flowers are about a ¼ mile up this trail, but by then you will see the lay of the land and be able to find other places. The images show the terrain. The flowers are not visible from the road.

Note, there is a large pullout before reacing this place. The flowers can be reached from there, but it is a longer hike, keep following the uphill trails. The better pull out out is closer to the pass and very narrow, just room for 2-3 cars.

This is best at sunrise or mid morning, but if you don’t mind shooting into the sun, it can be done at sunset.

Looking north toward Mount Timpanogoes.

Loooking west towards Provo and Utah lake. A small patch of Provo can be seen in that small patch this side of the lake.

On the way back, I stopped for this place which has sparser flowers, but in my opinion a nicer oveall view. This is looking north again.

 

[MonikaC]

I doubt if many of you get to the Provo Utah area, but if you do, here is a guide to a good place to see large tracts of Mules ear flowers this time of year.

The roads open about labor day, and the flowers start blloming towards the middle to end of June. This was an early year because of the mild winter. They were still maybe a few days before peak yesterday June 18th They will start to fade in about a week. I estimate that this location has 3 to 4 acres of dense flowers and then more that are scattered.

This is at the top of Squaw peak road, which is reached via the Provo Canyon road hwy 189. From Provo, the turn off is about 2 miles into the canyon on your right and well marked. There is about 9 miles of paved road, followed by about 6 miles of dirt road. The dirt road is rough, but does not require 4wd or high clearance. When you get to the pass and start going downhill. Turn around and go back about ¼ mile. You will see a rail fence on the north side of the road and a pull out. Park there and follow the uphill trail. The flowers are about a ¼ mile up this trail, but by then you will see the lay of the land and be able to find other places. The images show the terrain. The flowers are not visible from the road.

Note, there is a large pullout before reacing this place. The flowers can be reached from there, but it is a longer hike, keep following the uphill trails. The better pull out out is closer to the pass and very narrow, just room for 2-3 cars.

This is best at sunrise or mid morning, but if you don’t mind shooting into the sun, it can be done at sunset.

Looking north toward Mount Timpanogoes.
View attachment 9572

Loooking west towards Provo and Utah lake. A small patch of Provo can be seen in that small patch this side of the lake.
View attachment 9573

On the way back, I stopped for this place which has sparser flowers, but in my opinion a nicer oveall view. This is looking north again.
View attachment 9574

Not bad for "sparse", Ben! I assume that you meant that the roads open around Memorial Day, not Labor Day? I'll have to keep this in mind if I'm in the area at the right time. Thanks for posting!

 

[Ben Egbert]

Thanks for catching my error, I will correct that. By the way, you cought two error, I had teh wrong image posted for sparse as you will see in the corrections

If you are ever in the area, get in touch and I will be your guide.

 

[Shibu George]

Thanks Monika for the post. I heard today through a friend of mine who was at Ouray yesterday, he said the wildflowers are early this season by about 3 weeks, that means the San Juans area may peak this week.

 

[Shibu George]

BTW, I will be at Ouray on this Friday and Sat (Jul 6-8) to shoot wildflowers, I can give more updates after that.

 

[JimFox]

BTW, I will be at Ouray on this Friday and Sat (Jul 6-8) to shoot wildflowers, I can give more updates after that.

Hey Shibu I am now heading out 3 weeks early! I am planning on being at American Basin on Saturday if you want to meet up there let me know. If not, I will be interested in what you find in Ouray because I will probably get there on Monday.

 

[Shibu George]

Hey Shibu I am now heading out 3 weeks early! I am planning on being at American Basin on Saturday if you want to meet up there let me know. If not, I will be interested in what you find in Ouray because I will probably get there on Monday.

Absolutely, we can meet there or at Ridgeway, I'll get there at Rideway on Friday, staying at Ridgeway lodge. If you want to ride with me that's fine, I've a 4x4.

 

[JimFox]

Absolutely, we can meet there or at Ridgeway, I'll get there at Rideway on Friday, staying at Ridgeway lodge. If you want to ride with me that's fine, I've a 4x4.

My plan is to be in Lake City early Saturday morning, since I will be driving in, it’s probably easiest to meet there, plus I want to stay a couple of days at American Basin. Alisa should be meeting there Saturday morning too. So maybe hook up in Lake City around 9am or so?

 

[Shibu George]

My plan is to be in Lake City early Saturday morning, since I will be driving in, it’s probably easiest to meet there, plus I want to stay a couple of days at American Basin. Alisa should be meeting there Saturday morning too. So maybe hook up in Lake City around 9am or so?

That works, I can get there before 9, not sure my cell phone (720-261-8605)works there, meet at chillin internet cafe, Lake city?

 

[MonikaC]

After dropping my husband off at DIA early this morning (left our house west of Boulder around 3:45am) I stopped off at Mt Evans. flowers are looking good 11-12,000'.

Hope Jim & Shibu get some great shots to post!

 

[Shibu George]

I was at the Yankee Boy Basin on Friday (06July) and at American Basin on Sat with Jim. Yankee boy basin didn't look that great now, it was very dry up there and the flowers above 10500 ft doesn't look very healthy looking. American basin looks awesome now, it may be good for one more week.

 

[Shibu George]

http://focalworld.com/index.php?threads/american-basin-blooming.4941/

 

[Roger Bailey]

If you have time the trip Mt. Lassen is full right now with flowers. very lovely.