Tarns and snow: Alpine Hike #2 - Update (Aug. 10, 2010)

[Lori S.]

Twenty days later, here is an update to "Alpine Hike #2":
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=348.0

Amazingly, despite approaching mid-August, it is still very early up there...
1) End of the defined (though unmaintained, unsigned) trail, and start of the first "hump"...
2, 3) In the rocks just below tree-line, Penstemon ellipticus,
4) Aquilegia flavescens, and
5) Saxifraga bronchialis
6) Upward...
7) Among the wildlife, golden-mantled ground squirrel... (We did see a grizzly feeding by the roadside, as we were approaching the trailhead, but saw nothing bigger than marmots (several) while out there.)
8 ) More terrain to ascend
9, 10) First tarn, much depleted since our first visit on July 22

[Lori S.]

1) The broad valley ahead, with much less snow in evidence now...
2) But, looking back after lunch, there's the rain that would catch up to us before long...
Oops, sorry - I had problems with the above two photos - they are now the last 2 photos.
3, 4) Continuing on, lots of diminutive Veronica wormskjoldii in bloom
5) Dryas octopetala in bloom everywhere at this higher elevation
6) Abundant Arabis lyallii
7) In some areas, tiny willows carpet the ground
8 ) Smelowskia calycina in fresh bloom here
9) Just the right timing for Erigeron humilis, one of my favourites!
10) And Saxifraga lyallii, a preview of the legions of them up ahead.

[Lori S.]

1) And here comes the rain... once again, we are glad of all the clothes we carry in our packs!
2, 3) A beautiful variety of colours of Castilleja
4) Cutting through the turf is a meltwater stream, with banks thickly covered with Saxifraga lyallii, which is barely in bloom despite this late date
5) Also in abundance along the stream, Senecio triangularis and sweet coltsfoot
6) Back in the scree, a very hearty-looking Silene uralensis
7) Cassiope tetragona
8, 9, 10) And before long, we are back in the sun...

[Lori S.]

Exploring around the last tarns...
1) Leptarrhena pyrolifolia  Saxifraga occidentalis
2, 3) scenery
4) Dryas octopetala
5) And up the big scree fan to see what's there...
6) Slogging higher and higher up the slope eventually yields a few Epilobium latifolium in bloom... but soon the slope will be dotted with fuchsia; river beauty is abundant there, where meltwater runs under the scree.  
7, 8 ) Perfect rosettes of Crepis nana... and venturing higher, some in bloom.
9) Mysotis alpestris
10) Silene acaulis

[Lori S.]

And, back down the scree slope...
1) Erigeron humilis
2) Turquoise ice shelf
3) Silene acaulis
4, 5) scenery
6) Erigeron aureus
7) Rocks and blue water
8 ) Crevice garden
9) And, then, heading for home...

[Lori S.]

1, 2) And, back in the scattered larches and alpine fir, a stand of Aquilegia flavescens with attractive peachy tones on the calyx
3) Then, through the treeline to the forest trail, and eventually, home...

[Hoy]

Been busy for some days. At last I have time to take this tour - sitting with my breakfast coffee!
Do you call Epilobium fuchsia? Then what do you call Fuchsia?

[Lori S.]

Do you call Epilobium fuchsia? Then what do you call Fuchsia?

I have not encountered that problem.  Fuchsia doesn't grow up there.  

[McDonough]

Do you call Epilobium fuchsia? Then what do you call Fuchsia?

I have not encountered that problem.  Fuchsia doesn't grow up there.  

Lori, I think it was a semantics/language thing... your earlier use of the term referring to the color "fuchsia" versus actually referring to Fuchsia (the genus).

[Hoy]

Do you call Epilobium fuchsia? Then what do you call Fuchsia?

I have not encountered that problem.  Fuchsia doesn't grow up there.  

Lori, I think it was a semantics/language thing... your earlier use of the term referring to the color "fuchsia" versus actually referring to Fuchsia (the genus).

So, fuchsia is a color then? Is the color this one: (Fuchsia magellanica grown as a perennial or shrub depending on winter. Few flowers yet, they set more flowers when the days are getting shorter.)

[Lori S.]

Sorry to cause confusion, Trond!  I actually assumed that your comment was tongue-in-cheek, given that your command of the English language, and its idiosyncrasies, is so superb!  Yes, fuchsia is a colour:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuchsia_(color)

[Hoy]

Sorry to cause confusion, Trond!  I actually assumed that your comment was tongue-in-cheek, given that your command of the English language, and its idiosyncrasies, is so superb!  Yes, fuchsia is a colour:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuchsia_(color)

Don't feel sorry! I did catch the meaning (after reading twice) and then I wanted to tease you a little!

I certainly know that Fuchsia don't grow in the Canadian mountains (neither in the Norwegian) but both Fuchsia and Epilobium belong to the same plant family (Onagraceae) so I had a thought that maybe a handsome Epilobium could be named fuchsia as well as the color. Instead of dwarf fireweed you can christen the plant mountain fuchsia!

[Todd Boland]

My goodness Lori...what a spectacular trip!  Amazing so much is blooming so late in the season...you would never think they would get the chance to set seed.  One of these days I have to get to these elevations.  Mind you, I have seen many of these in lower elevations...where they were in bloom in early July...a little easier on the knee joints!  Still, the background at these elevations is second to none.