A hike to the summit of Tod Mountain is like a pilgrimage each summer. the lifts open in late June and by mid-July the snow is clear and the meadows are green. Early wildflowers emerge as soon as the snows melt, then a second wave bloom in July. The height of the wildflower bloom is usually about the start of …Continue reading…
Lac du Bois and the hills nearby sit at 873m – 982m (2864 ft. to 3220 ft.) so spring arrives later than the lower grasslands, but when it does, the ponds are full, slopes green up, and wildflowers cover the upper grassland slopes. I paddled Lac du Bois, enjoying all the birds and western painted turtles, then secured the kayak …Continue reading…
The “trail” to the Tappen Bluffs viewpoint is really a backroad, except for the last steep section. A high clearance vehicle can drive for 3.5+ km and then park at a suitable spot for a short hike, but we chose to hike the whole way instead. The up and back route (including some exploration on top) was 9.4 km. The …Continue reading…
There are many routes in Kenna Cartwright Park, but the one we return to most often is at the west end of the park. We follow the pipeline route from Hillside Drive to the Sunset Trail but then we turn onto the Mesa Trail then follow a winding route, turning onto Cryptogamic, Lava, Big Pine, and Ponderosa for a 5.5 …Continue reading…
Cornwall Hills Provincial Park is situated in the hills between Cache Creek/Ashcroft and Hat Creek. Access is by the Hat Creek Road which bears west 18 km from Cache Creek on the Trans-Canada Highway. The gravel road climbs through the Oregon Jack Creek Valley for 11.5 km. At that point is the junction with the Cornwall Hills Forest Service Road …Continue reading…
One of the finest wildflower displays of our region can be found in the Neskonlith Meadows. The trail is on the Adams Lake Indian Band reserve so a permit is required from the Band Office (just across the bridge from Chase). Please be respectful of the wishes of the Band. A parking area leads to gate and a double track …Continue reading…
We hiked through the grasslands hills in late August and explored old homesteads, ponds, meadows, and open forest hilltops. Along the way we spotted birds, small mammals, flowers, and berries. Hover your cursor for a caption or click an image for a full-sized view.
While the smoke covered the Interior, I traveled to Chilliwack to hike Elk Mountain. Some smkoer there too, but okay for hiking, but not for views. The hike was in the forest for about 4.3 km before emerging into a sub-alpine meadow at the top. Along the way, some wildflowers and berries were inspected:
We hiked the 13 km Three Amigos Loop and a lot of jagged volcanic rock, but also a few wildflowers (featured here). Hover your cursor for a caption and/or double click for a full-sized image.
We hiked in Neskonlith Meadows to witness spring wildflowers. Hover your cursor over the image to see the title and click an image for a full-sized image.
We toured New Zealand and hiked as many trails as we could. Along the way, we visited some gardens (including Queenstown Gardens) and we spotted wildflowers during our hikes. We left at the start of winter and arrived in late spring in the Southern Hemisphere right in time for the start of the blooming season. Some of the protected coastal …Continue reading…
ountain avens is normally only found in the Arctic or at high altitudes and in limestone/karst terrain. It is an prostate spreading evergeen shrub with small, leathery, wrinkled green leaves. The small flowers are white and saucer shaped growing on top of short stems. This one was spotted on top of Porcupine Ridge at the south end of Lime Ridge …Continue reading…
Every spring Neskonlith Meadows is one of the best places to hike to see the early bloom of wildflowers. A permit is needed from the Band Office (see below), but it is worth the extra time and cost. The avalanche lilies and buttercups come out first and are followed by yellow bells, then spring beauties. Bluebells can be found in …Continue reading…
In the Interior we come across cushion buckwheat on rocky, open ridges. On the volcanic rocky viewpoints near Lac le Jeune and McConnell Hill, they form clumps/low mats of green leaves. The leafless stems stand above the base in summer and creamy-colored flowers are displayed. As the flowers age, they start to turn pink. This tap-rooted perennial can be seen …Continue reading…
The only natural spiderwort in Canada is found near the southern border of the prairies in sand dune areas but it has become endangered there. We spotted a number of spiderwort plants in the desert canyons of Utah, mostly when traversing sandy washes in canyons. There are 75 kinds of tradescantia and many types have been cultivated into gardens. The …Continue reading…
This sweet-smelling perennial can be found in wet areas next to rivers, streams, bogs, or seep zones. These were found near the Azure and Clearwater Rivers in Wells Gray. <a href=”https://kamloopstrails.net/wp-content/uploads/azure-037r.jpg”><img class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-11066″ src=”https://kamloopstrails.net/wp-content/uploads/azure-037r-380×640.jpg” alt=”azure 037r” width=”380″ height=”640″ /></a>The slender green stalks grow to about 1m high. Waxy, white flowers with a greenish tinge face outward along the stem. …Continue reading…