Wildflower Bloom in the Cascade Mts. of Washington
Island Springs Trail #66
Mt. Adams
August 11 & 12, 2006
The road through the reservation to this point is still very rough (although much improved from prior to a decade ago). Beware of loose, large rocks in the road as well as numerous sharp pointed rocks buried in the road and often hidden by the thick layer of dust. Island Springs Trail #66 is open its entire length and has been brushed, or at least is more open due to increased foot traffic. Most of the snow on the upper slopes of the Ridge of Wonders has disappeared.
GPS coordinates for the Island Springs Trailhead are:
N46 09.077' --- W121 24.052' --- 4910' --- +/-30'
Coordinates for the crest of the Island Springs Trail are:
N46 10.123' --- W121 23.367' --- 5274' --- +/-34'
* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.
1. Western Lady Fern: Athyrium filix-femina ssp. cyclosorum
2. Northern Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens
3. Silver Fir: Abies amabilis
4. Subalpine Fir: Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa
5. Western Larch: Larix occidentalis
6. Engelmann Spruce: Picea engelmannii
7. Lodgepole Pine: Pinus contorta
8. Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa
9. Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii
10. Mountain Hemlock: Tsuga mertensiana
11. Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides (formerly Sitanion hystrix)
12. Idaho Fescue: Festuca idahoensis -
13. Pinegrass: Calamagrostis rubescens -
* 14. Showy Sedge: Carex spectabilis -
15. Unidentified Sedge: Carex sp. - with caterpillar.
* 16. Cotton-grass: Eriophorum sp. (either E. angustifolium ssp. angustifolium or E. gracile) -
* 17. Dagger-leaf Rush: Juncus xiphoides (formerly Juncus ensifolius var. montanus) - In bloom at small springs high on the trail.
* 18. Cat's Ear Mariposa Lily: Calochortus subalpinus - Only 1 seen in bloom near Island Springs
* 19. Queen's Cup/ Bead Lily: Clintonia uniflora - Good bloom at Hellroaring Creek.
* 20. Tiger Lily: Lilium columbianum - One plant still in bloom near Hellroaring Creek.
21. Star-flowered False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum stellatum (Smilacina stellata) - Past bloom.
22. Rosy Twisted Stalk: Streptopus lanceolatus (formerly S. roseus) - Past bloom.
23. White Trillium: Trillium ovatum - Long past bloom.
* 24. Beargrass: Xerophyllum tenax - In bloom along Island Springs Creek atop the ridge.
25. Spotted Coralroot Orchid: Corallorhiza maculata -
26. White Bog Orchid: Platanthera (leucostachys or dilatata) - Too far past bloom for easy ID.
* 27. Slender Bog Orchid: Platanthera stricta (Habenaria saccata) - A few still in bloom, especially at Island Springs.
28. Quaking Aspen: Populus tremuloides
* 29. Sitka Willow: Salix sitchensis - Found at meadows along Hellroaring Creek and at Island Springs.
30. Red Alder: Alnus rubra
31. Sitka Alder: Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata
32. Douglas Maple: Acer glabrum var. douglasii -
* 33. Heart-leaved Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum - Full bloom high on the trail.
* 34. Sulfur-flowered Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. umbellatum - Full bloom high on the trail.
* 35. Douglas' Knotweed: Polygonum douglasii -
* 36. Poke Knotweed: Polygonum phytolaccifolium -
* 37. Heartleaf Springbeauty: Claytonia cordifolia - A few still in bloom along Hellroaring Creek.
* 38. Slender Mt. Sandwort: Arenaria capillaris ssp. americana - In bloom atop the ridge.
39. Large-leaf Sandwort: Moehringia macrophylla - Past bloom.
* 40. Oregon Campion: Silene oregana -
* 41. Starwort: Stellaria sp. - Diminutive species in moist areas with corolla lobes less than calyx lobes.
* 42. Monkshood: Aconitum columbianum - Full bloom in the meadows at Hellroaring Creek and upwards to Island Springs Creek.
* 43. Crimson Columbine: Aquilegia formosa - A few plants still in bloom.
* 44. Little Buttercup: Ranunculus uncinatus var. parviflorus - A few still in bloom in moist meadows along Hellroaring Creek.
45. Western Meadowrue: Thalictrum occidentale - Now past bloom.
* 46. Western Bugbane: Trautvetteria caroliniensis var. occidentalis - In bloom along Hellroaring Creek.
* 47. Cascade Rockcress: Arabis furcata var. furcata - Fading out of bloom along much of the trail.
* 48. Rough Wallflower: Erysimum capitatum (formerly E. asperum) - Fading out of bloom.
49. Five-stamen Mitrewort: Mitella pentandra -
* 50. Brook Saxifrage: Saxifraga odontoloma (formerly S. arguta) - In bloom at any moist area along the trail.
* 51. Oregon Saxifrage: Saxifraga oregana - Meadows along Hellroaring Creek.
52. Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia - Past bloom.
* 53. Large-leaved Avens: Geum macrophyllum -
54. Oceanspray: Holodiscus discolor - In bud.
* 55. Drummond's Cinquefoil: Potentilla drummondii ssp. drummondii -
* 56. Fan-leaf Cinquefoil: Potentilla flabellifolia - In bloom along Island Springs Creek atop the ridge.
* 57. Sticky Cinquefoil: Potentilla glandulosa var. glandulosa - A few still in bloom in meadows along Hellroaring Creek..
* 58. Dwarf Bramble: Rubus lasiococcus - Only in bloom on the north-facing hill between the trailhead and Hellroaring Creek.
* 59. Thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus - In bloom high atop the ridge in moist areas.
* 60. Douglas' Spiraea (Hardhack): Spiraea douglasii -
* 61. Pyramid Spiraea, Hybrid Spriaea: Spiraea X pyramidata -
62. Subalpine Lupine: Lupinus arcticus ssp. subalpinus - In moist areas along Island Springs Creek atop the ridge and upstream to Island Springs.
* 63. Burke's Lupine: Lupinus burkei ssp. burkei -
* 64. American Vetch: Vicia americana ssp. americana - A few remain in bloom.
* 65. Tinker's Penny: Hypericum anagalloides -
* 66. Norton's St. Johnswort: Hypericum formosum ssp. nortoniae - In bloom at a small seep along the trail.
67. Snowbrush: Ceanothus velutinus -
* 68. Fireweed: Chamerion (Epilobium) angustifolium -
* 69. Willowherb: Epilobium sp. - Small pink-flowered, clumped willowherb at stream edge in Island Springs.
* 70. Common Willowherb: Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum ? - Pink flowers. A few still in bloom.
* 71. White Willow-herb: Epilobium lactiflorum
* 72. Spreading Groundsmoke: Gayophytum diffusum - Numerous small plants in bloom high on the trail.
* 73. Sharptooth Angelica: Angelica arguta -
* 74. Cow Parsnip: Heracleum lanatum -
* 75. Gray's Lovage: Ligusticum grayii -
76. Fern-leaved Desert Parsley: Lomatium multifidum - Mostly leaves remain.
77. Sierra Snakeroot: Sanicula graveolens - Going to seed.
78. Kinnikinnick, Pinemat Manzanita: Arctostaphylos nevadensis
* 79. Side-bells Wintergreen: Orthilia (Pyrola) secunda -
* 80. Red Mt. Heather: Phyllodoce empetriformis - In bloom on slopes along Island Springs Creek atop the ridge.
* 81. Cascade Azalea: Rhododendron albiflorum var. albiflorum - Finishing its bloom at Island Springs.
82. Night-blooming Morning-glory: Convolvulus nyctagineus -
* 83. Jeffrey's Shooting Star: Dodecatheon jeffreyi - Still in bloom at Island Springs.
84. California Jacob's Ladder: Polemonium californicum -
* 85. Western Polemonium: Polemonium occidentale -
* 86. Woodland Phacelia: Phacelia nemoralis (or Phacelia leptosepala ???)-
87. Tall Phacelia: Phacelia procera - Past bloom.
* 88. Western Horsemint: Agastache occidentalis
* 89. Tall Bluebells: Mertensia paniculata var. borealis - Fading out of bloom near Hellroaring Creek.
* 90. Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida - A few still in bloom high on the ridge.
* 91. Common Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata -
* 92. Magenta Paintbrush: Castilleja parviflora var. oreopola - In bloom at Island Springs.
* 93. Suksdorf's Paintbrush: Castilleja suksdorfii - In bloom at the meadows along Hellroaring Creek.
* 94. Common Monkey Flower: Mimulus guttatus - A few still in bloom.
* 95. Lewis' Monkey Flower: Mimulus lewisii - Nice bloom at Island Springs Creek.
* 96. Primrose Monkeyflower: Mimulus primuloides -
* 97. Turtle Heads: Nothochelone nemorosa -
* 98. Glaucous Penstemon: Penstemon euglaucous - In bloom high on the trail, but fading from bloom.
* 99. American Alpine Speedwell: Veronica wormskjoldii -
* 100. Fragrant Bedstraw: Galium triflorum -
* 101. Sitka Valerian: Valeriana sitchensis -
* 102. Scots Bluebells: Campanula rotundifolia -
103. Mountain Snowberry: Symphoricarpos oreophilus var. utahensis -
* 104. Yarrow: Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis - A few plants seen in bloom.
* 105. Pathfinder: Adenocaulon bicolor - In bloom below the first crossing of Island Springs Creek.
* 106. Orange Agoseris: Agoseris aurantiaca -
* 107. Broad-leaf Arnica: Arnica latifolia -
* 108. Rydberg's Arnica: Arnica rydbergii - Meadows around Hellroaring Creek.
109. Douglas' Wormwood: Artemisia douglasiana -
* 110. Giant Mountain Aster: Canadanthus modestus - Beginning to bloom.
* 111. Rabbitbrush Goldenweed: Ericameria bloomeri - A few in bloom on higher slopes.
* 112. Subalpine Daisy: Erigeron glacialis ssp. glacialis- Fairly common yet.
* 113. Klickitat Aster: Eucephalus glaucescens (formerly Aster glaucescens) - In full bloom.
* 114. Cascade Aster: Eucephalus ledophyllus (formerly Aster ledophyllus) - In full bloom.
* 115. Rough-leaved Aster: Eurybia radulinus (formerly Aster radulinus) - Beginning to bloom.
116. Rocky Mountain Sunflower: Helianthella uniflorus - Past bloom.
* 117. White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum - A few left in bloom.
* 118. Slender Hawkweed: Hieracium gracile var. gracile - In bloom along open areas along Island Springs Creek atop the ridge.
* 119. Scouler's Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri -
* 120. Nodding Microseris: Microseris nutans - Abundant in dry meadows.
121. American Sawwort: Saussurea americana - In bud in the meadows to the north of Hellroaring Creek.
* 122. Streambank Butterweed: Senecio pseudaureus - Just beginning to bloom in the meadows to the north of Hellroaring Creek and in moist areas higher along the trail.
* 123. Arrowleaf Groundsel: Senecio triangularis - Just beginning to bloom in the meadows to the north of Hellroaring Creek and at Island Springs.
* 124. Canada Goldenrod: Solidago canadensis var. salebrosa -
* 125. Leafy Aster: Symphyotrichm foliaceum var. parryi - In bloom between Hellroaring Creek and Island Springs Creek, and a few places above the latter creek.
Douglas' Squirrel:
Cascade Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel:
Least Chipmunks:
Clark's Nutcracker:
Gray Jays (Camp Robbers)
Stellers Jays
Northern Flickers:
Small Owl: (about 10" high)
Song Sparrows:
Red-breasted Nuthatches:
MacGillivray's Warbler (or possibly Nashville Warbler): Pair seen with dark gray heads and olive-green backs. I did not notice the white ring pattern around the eye or whether there was yellow under the chin. Seen amongst Sitka Willows.
Warbling Vireos:
Golden-crowned Kinglets:
Chickadees: Heard, not seen.
Violet-green Swallows:
Cascade Frog: at Island Springs.
Caterpillar on grass: Possibly the nymph of Mourning Cloak?
Anise Swallowtail Caterpillar on shrub branch:
White-faced Hornet:
Bumble Bees of varying sizes:
Crane Flys:
Ant Lions:
Paul Slichter