Rd K6000 runs west and sharply uphill from the Mt. Adams Highway through Washington State DNR and private lands to the Hellroaring Ditch and then further upwards to above 4000' in elevation near the boundaries of both the Gifford Pinchot NF and Yakama Nation. At a large clearcut on the left (SW), one will encounter a well gravelled road with K6900 spray painted on the tree trunk to the left of the road.
GPS coordintates for the beginning of K6900 are:
N46 06.794' --- W121 20.412' --- 3505' --- +/-28'
The site visited for this page's study is at an approximate elevation of 4100' and is evidently a Washington State DNR rock quarry that is atop the ridge separating Dairy Creek and Cougar Creek. The south-facing slopes are open forest of Ponderosa pine as well as some Oregon white oak with abundant grasses and colorful wildflowers. Uphill along the ridge, the habitat changes quickly to a dense, dark coniferous forest. On the east side of the rockpit, rocky or gravelly slopes are vernally moist and provide a habitat for small plants normally found at lower elevations and farther to the east. Be aware that the surface of the acess road has recently had large diameter gravel (up to 2-4 inches in diameter) laid on its surface, giving quite a rough ride and endagering tires, at least for low slung passenger vehicles!
Coordintates for the rock quarry at the end of Rd K6900 are:
N46 07.861' --- W121 20.216' --- 4125' --- +/-16'
1. Grand Fir: Abies grandis -
2. Western Larch: Larix occidentalis -
3. Lodgepole Pine: Pinus contorta -
4. Western White Pine: Pinus monticola -
5. Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa -
6. Scouler's Willow: Salix scouleriana - (Fairly good size (tree) on a dry, rocky site)
7. Red Alder: Alnus rubra -
*8. Sitka Alder: Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata -
*9. Filbert: Corylus cornuta - In bloom in open woods on the northern portion of the ridge.
10. Douglas Maple: Acer glabrum var. douglasii - Now going to seed.
11. Oregon White Oak: Quercus garryana - Plants are now leafing out (beautiful, shingy foliage) as well as blooming
*12. Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - Still in bloom, although more numerous now in tall grass under the oaks.
*13. Cat's Ear Lily: Calochortus subalpinus - Numerous.
*14. Columbia Tiger Lily: Lilium columbianum - Several with buds on them.
*15. Elegant Rein Orchid: Piperia elegans ssp. elegans - Perhaps up to one hundred plants in bloom.
*16. Heart-leaved Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum - In full bloom now.
17. Tall Buckwheat: Eriogonum elatum - Not in bloom yet.
*18. Sulfur Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. umbellatum - One plant beginning to bloom at the mouth of the quarry.
*19. Sheep Sorrel: Rumex acetosella -
*20. Bigleaf Sandwort: Moehringia (Arenaria) macrophylla - A few still in bloom on the north side of the ridge.
21. Oregon Catchfly: Silene oregana - ? Glandular, 30-40 cm tall. Not in bloom yet.
*22. Red Sandspurry: Spergularia rubra - A few plants in bloom along the roads and in the rock quarry.
*23. Red Columbine: Aquilegia formosa - A few still in bloom on the north side of the ridgetop.
24. Hairy Rockcress: Arabis hirsuta var. glabrata - A number of plants up to one meter high seen, all in fruit.
*25. Rough Wallflower: Erysimum capitatum -
*26. Sticky Currant: Ribes viscosissimum - In bloom on the north side of the ridgetop.
27. Virginia Strawberry: Fragaria virginiana ssp. platypetala - Many with tasty fruits!
*28. Ocean Spray: Holodiscus discolor - Flowers on the sprays beginning to open.
*29. Glandular Cinquefoil: Potentilla glandulosa (var. glandulosa ?) - A few beginnning to bloom (petals about equal to or slightly shorter than the sepals).
*30. Sticky Cinquefoil: Potentilla glandulosa ssp. glabrata - Some up to knee hight, with narrower inflorescences.
*31. Nevada Deer-vetch: Lotus nevadensis - Common, now in bloom.
*32. Spurred Lupine: Lupinus arbustus (formerly L. laxiflorus) - Fairly numerous. Past peak bloom.
*33. Broadleaf Lupine: Lupinus burkei - Fairly common in moister or shaded areas - Racemes forming on south-facing slopes, many plants in bloom along the road on the north side of the ridge.
*34. American Vetch: Vicia americana var. truncata - Common.
35. Streambank Globemallow: Iliamna rivularis - Only one plant found (not in bloom) at ~3940' at a logging landing about1/2 mile east of the quarry.
*36. Fireweed: Chamerion angustifolium (Epilobium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium - Some beginning to bloom.
*37. Common Clarkia: Clarkia rhomboidea - Common.
*38. Willowherb: Epilobium sp. - Plants with narrow leaves, sprawling to erect, up to 7-8 inches long. Flowers small, white. On dry, sunny vernally moist site.
*39. Diffuse Groundsmoke: Gayophytum diffusum - Common.
*40. Western Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza occidentalis -
41. Sierra Snakeroot: Sanicula graveolens - Numerous, but fruits are forming.
*42. Kinnikinnick: Arctostaphylos nevadensis - Only in bloom on the north side of the ridge. Many are forming fruits.
43. Prince's-pine: Chimaphila umbellata - In bud.
*44. Flytrap Dogbane: Apocynum androsaemifolium - A few beginning to bloom.
*45. Large-flowered Collomia: Collomia grandiflora - Past peak bloom.
*46. Mountain Navarretia: Navarretia divaricata ? - Fading
*47. Midget Phlox: Phlox (Microsteris) gracilis - Numerous, but fading.
*48. California Polemonium: Polemonium californicum - A few left in bloom.
*49. Varied-leaf Phacelia: Phacelia (P. leptosepala or P. nemoralis) -
*50. Tall Phacelia: Phacelia procera - Plants fairly tall, but probably several weeks away from blooming.
*51. Slender Cryptanth: Cryptantha affinis ? -
*52. Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida - Fairly abundant.
*53. Turtleheads: Nothochelone nemorosa -In bloom on the north side of the ridge.
*54. Taper-leaved Penstemon: Penstemon attenuatus var. attenuatus -
*55. Fine-toothed Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus - ?
*56. Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus -
*57. Clustered Broomrape: Aphyllon franciscanum - Only one cluster seen in bloom.
*58. Fragrant Bedstraw: Galium triflorum -
*59. Kelloggia: Kelloggia gallioides - Numerous.
*60. Twinflower: Linnea borealis - Fading from bloom.
*61. Blue Elderberry: Sambucus cerulea var. cerulea - Inflorescences visible, not fully formed.
*62. Snowberry: Symphoricarpos albus var. albus -
*63. Creping Snowberry: Symphoricarpos hesperius -
*64. Mt. Heliotrope: Valeriana sitchensis -
*65. Yarrow: Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis - Numerous plants, a few beginning to bloom.
*66. Pathfinder: Adenocaulon bicolor - Beginning to bloom.
*67. Orange Agoseris: Agoseris aurantiaca -
*68. Large-flowered Agoseris: Agoseris grandiflora - The achenes taper to the beak rather than truncate.
*69. Annual Agoseris: Agoseris heterophylla - A resumption of more bloom, perhaps due to abundant rainfall.
*70. Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea -
71. Racemose Pussytoes: Antennaria racemosa - Going to seed.
*72. Rosy Pussytoes: Antennaria rosea -
*73. Heartleaf Arnica: Arnica cordifolia - A few fading from bloom in shady spots under conifer trees.
*74. Mt. Arnica: Arnica latifolia - Fading from bloom.
*75. Nodding Arnica: Arnica parryi - A few still in bloom.
76. Roughleaf Aster: Aster radulinus - Lower leaves only.
77. Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana - Past bloom.
78. Silver Crown Luina: Cacaliopsis nardosmia (Luina nardosmia) - Going to seed.
79. White Knapweed: Centaurea diffusa - Plants along road on north side of ridge. In bud.
80. Bull Thistle: Cirsium vulgare - Basal leaves only.
*81. Woolly Sunflower, Oregon Sunshine: Eriophyllum lanatum var. lanatum - A few just beginning to bloom.
82. Hawkweed: Hieracium sp. - Several nearing bloom.
*83. White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum - Common.
*84. Small Tarweed: Madia minima - Fading from bloom.
*85. Grassy Tarweed: Madia gracilis - Fairly common.
86. Salsify: Tragopogon dubius -
House Wren
Dark-eyed Juncos
American Robins
Spotted Towhee
Northern Flicker
California Ground Squirrel
Douglas' Squirrel
Chipmunks
Fritillary Butterfly
Painted Ladies
Small Blue butterflies
Carnivorous Ground Beetle
Ant Lions