Day 281: My lens is almost always trained on the more obscure items in Mount Rainier National Park's botanical census, but most people come to the Park to see wildflowers massed upon the meadows in views like this one taken en route to Snow Lake a few days ago. While most of the Avalanche Lilies (Erythronium montanum) are now setting seed and exhibit the typical triangular pods, there are a few pocket ecologies which are behind the rest and are still filled with massed blooms. This was probably a patch where the snow laid late, sheltered by shrubbery or in shade for most of the day while other areas had melted out earlier. Avalanche lilies are one of the first plants to bloom in the subalpine zone, often poking their heads through an inch or two of snow to put on a show for early-season hikers. As common as they are, their spectacular display is enough to make even this seasoned backpacker stop for the gratuitous Avalanche Lily photo.
No comments:
Post a Comment