Wildflower Bloom in Mt. Adams Country: Mt. Adams: Yakama Nation lands near Bird Creek Meadows, Hellroaring Creek Trail #10.......July 1, 2005.

The Hellroaring Creek Trail #10 is a loop trail which may be accessed from the northeast side of Bench Lake, or via the Island Springs Trail #66 from the north side of Bench Lake. Beginning with the trailhead at the northeast side of the lake, walk uphill slightly through coniferous forest for about 200 m before the trail begins to descend to the east. After about 5 minutes of hiking, small openings with meadows will be glimpsed to the right (south) which could be explored for different plants. After 15-20 minutes of walking, a large grassy meadow will be reached. Descend carefully through the meadow, looking for flags ahead as the tread is faint here, and the grass eventually gets quite high. At the bottom of the meadow, the trail again enters forest and begins to descend more gently. Eventually a large rockfall will be seen on the left (north), uphill side of the trail. Interesting species here include lance-leaf figwort, tall phacelia, false hellebore and black elderberry. As the trail traverses to the end of the rockfall, you may notice that the trail splits. One fork veers right, and steeply downhill. This eventually crosses a creek and apparently ascends the high ridge immediately to the south of Bench Lake? The left fork is Trail #10, and it proceeds shortly uphill before turning east again and descending. Open forest is again reached, and at this point, the trail turns northward, and then eventually northwest. About 15 minutes past the rockfall, the trail becomes faint. Pay attention here so you don't become lost! You may have to stop and backtrack several times to find the trail. Look either for dangling flags or yellow tag blazes on the trees. These are sometimes too few and too far between! Hellroaring Creek is reached at a small informal camp area at N46 09.936' --- W121 22.743' --- 4375' --- +/-22'. The trail forks here to ford the creek. The western-most branch involves wading the creek, while the eastern-most fork at the camp crosses the via 2 logs. The usual precautions should be followed in crossing the creek. I have been on the trail during heavy rains where water was too deep and fast (flowing over the logs)!

After crossing the creek, the trail turns west and slowly ascends eventually paralleling the creek about 100-200 meters north. The trail at first passes through small, wet meadows before entering coniferous forest. As the trail climbs, it eventually traverses the edge of several large, grassy meadows which ascend the western face of the Ride of Wonders for 100 m or more. Several small streams will be crossed, with the second being Island Springs Creek. Another 5-10 minutes of walking brings you to the intersection with the Island Springs Trail. Turn right to proceed uphill to the ridge of Wonders, or turn left to cross Hellroaring Creek via a footbridge and then climb sharply for 15 minutes to the Island Springs Trailhead at Bench Lake. For fast hikers, the loop will probably take about an hour and fifteen minutes or so. For those who proceed at a slower pace, or those stopping to look at flowers, the loop will take 2 or more hours.

6. Western Larch: Larix occidentalis - Several large diameter, very tall members of this species just east of the junction with the Island Springs Trail #66.

* 14. Queen's Cup, Bead Lily: Clintonia uniflora - Abundant bloom along the trail on the north side of Hellroaring Creek.

* 16. False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule (Smilacina racemosa) - Fading bloom.

* 19. White Trillium: Trillium ovatum - Fading bloom in the shade near the creek

* 22. Spotted Coralroot Orchid: Corallorhiza maculata - A few plants in bloom along the trail to the north of Hellroaring Creek.

* 23. Slender Bog Orchid: Platanthera (Habenaria) saccata - In bloom in moist areas and creeksides at various locations along the trail.

* 28. Newberry's Knotweed: Polygonum newberryi - Just beginning to bloom on bare ground in the large meadow on the southern portion of the loop.

* 30. Pussypaws: Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera (formerly Spraguea umbellata) - In bloom on bare ground in the large meadow on the southern portion of the loop.

32. Monkshood: Aconitum columbianum - In bud in the meadows at Hellroaring Creek.

* 33. Baneberry: Actaea rubra - A few plants in bloom in shady areas to the north of Hellroaring Creek.

* 35. Little Buttercup: Ranunculus uncinatus var. parviflorus - In bloom in moist meadows along Hellroaring Creek.

* 37. False Bugbane: Trautvettaria caroliniensis - A few in bloom in meadows at Hellroaring Creek.

* 39. Five-stamen Mitrewort: Mitella pentandra - Found only in moist meadows to the south within 15 minutes of the northeastern trailhead.

* 49. Sticky Cinquefoil: Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glabrata - Plants appear largely non-glandular. Branches of inflorescence sharply ascending and grouped fairly close together.

54. Subalpine Spirea: Spiraea splendens var. splendens (formerly S. densiflora)

59. Lance-leaf Scurf-pea: Psoralea lanceolata ? - One possibly seen in large meadows ascending the Ridge of Wonders to the north of Hellroaring Creek.

* 68. Gray's Lovage: Ligusticum grayii - Beginning to bloom in the meadows to the north of Hellroaring Creek.

80. Ball-head Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. capitatum - Past bloom by several weeks?

* 81. Fendler's Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum fendleri - In bloom under trees along Hellroaring Creek.

* 83. Tall Bluebells: Mertensia paniculata var. borealis - Just beginning to bloom.

* 88. Racemose Lousewort: Pedicularis racemosa var. racemosa - Beginning to bloom.

* 91. Lance-leaf Figwort: Scrophularia lanceolata - Seen at the rockfall area on the southern part of the loop.

* 92. Thyme-leaved Speedwell: Veronica serpyllifolia (var. serpyllifolia ?) -

* 96. Yarrow: Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis - A few plants beginning to bloom.

* 98. Orange Agoseris: Agoseris aurantiaca - Both orange- and pink-flowered forms.

* 103. Hairy Arnica: Arnica mollis - In bud in meadows along Hellroaring Creek.

* 108. Small Tarweed: Madia minima - Only in bloom in dry, open spots in the large meadow on the south portion of the loop.

* 110. Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus - Fading out of bloom.

* 111. Arrowleaf Groundsel: Senecio triangularis - Just beginning to bloom in the wet meadows to the north of Hellroaring Creek.

Wildflower Bloom in the Cascade Mts. of Washington

Mt. Adams: Yakama Reservation: Hellroaring Creek Trail #10

July 1, 2005