Wildflowers from Cold Springs Campground and the Round the Mountain Trail #9 to Bird Creek Meadows and Hell Roaring Overlook

Wildflowers are still in bloom in the Mt. Adams Wilderness, but the bulk of the bloom is now above timberline, especially in moist and riparian areas, or near melting snow. The area is now extremely dry, and few flowers are to be found at low elevation, those being most likely Pearly Everlastings. At higher elevations, Rabbitbrush Goldenweed and Dirty Socks appear to be be the dominant species. Clusters of wildflower bloom again seem to be limited to moist shady areas or very high areas where the snow has recently melted. This is not to mean that the vegetation is now boring, because it's not. Cascade Knotweed and the lower forms of huckleberry are turning bright red, orange, and yellow, and are especially pretty when viewed backlit from the sun. In addition, many plants are now in seed, and the tawny pom poms of seeds of the Asters, Erigerons, and Antennarias provide an interesting texture to the landscape. In addition, the views of the mountain areas are especially rewarding, and it's also interesting to sit and watch the mountain climbers via binoculars or a scope. The fauna also seem to be especially busy and readily seen at this time of year as seen below.

Wildflowers in Bloom along the Climbers Trail from Cold Springs C.G. to the Intersection with the Round the Mountain Trail #9

Cascade Aster: Aster ledophyllus: Spotty bloom.

Rabbitbrush Goldenweed: Happlopappus bloomeri: Fairly numerous, but on the decline.

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium: Spotty bloom.

Dirty Socks: Eriogonum pyrolaefolium

Sulphur-flowered Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. hausknechtii: Spotty bloom.

Low Mt. Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii: Spotty bloom.

Spreading Phlox: Phlox diffusa var. longistylis: Spotty bloom.

Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus: Spotty bloom.

Common Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata: Spotty bloom.

Pussy-paws: Spraguea umbellata: Spotty bloom.

Partridge Foot: Luetkea pectinata: Spotty bloom.

Broad-leaved Arnica: Arnica latifolia: Spotty bloom.

Magenta Paintbrush: Castilleja parviflora var. oreopola: Spotty bloom.

Drummond's Cinquefoil: Potentilla drummondii: Few.

Gray's Lovage: Ligusticum grayii: Spotty bloom.

Mt. Bog Gentian: Gentiana calycosa var. calycosa: Fairly abundant.

Spear-head Senecio: Senecio triangularis: Fairly abundant.

Lewis' Monkeyflower: Mimulus lewisii : Fairly abundant.

Common Monkeyflower: Mimulus guttatus ? - Spotty bloom.

Rayless Arnica: Arnica discoidea var. eradiata: ? Spotty bloom. - or was it Arnica parryi ?

Hairy Arnica: Arnica mollis: Spotty bloom.

Leafy Aster: Aster foliaceus: Spotty bloom.

Primrose Monkey Flower: Mimulus primuloides: Several plants seen.

Alpine Aster: Aster alpigenus: Fairly abundant.

Low Mt. Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii: Fairly abundant.

Leafy Pedicularis: Pedicularis racemosa: Spotty bloom.

Lewis' Monkeyflower: Mimulus lewisii : Fairly abundant.

Spear-head Senecio: Senecio triangularis: Fairly abundant.

Common Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata: Spotty bloom.

Northern Valerian: Valeriana sitchensis: Spotty bloom.

Rosy Paintbrush: Castilleja oreopola: Spotty bloom.

Cascade Aster: Aster ledophyllus: Spotty bloom.

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium: Spotty bloom.

Subalpine Fleabane: Erigeron glacialis ssp. glacialis: Spotty bloom.

Partridge Foot: Luetkea pectinata: Moderately abundant.

Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus: Spotty bloom.

Broad-leaved Arnica: Arnica latifolia: Moderately abundant.

Gray's Lovage: Ligusticum grayii: Spotty bloom.

Pussy-paws: Spraguea umbellata: Spotty bloom.

Sulphur-flowered Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. hausknechtii: Spotty bloom.

Dirty Socks: Eriogonum pyrolaefolium: Abundant.

Tolmie's Saxifrage: Saxifraga tolmiei: Spotty bloom.

Spreading Phlox: Phlox diffusa var. longistylis: Spotty bloom.

Dune Goldenrod: Solidago spathulata var. nana: Spotty bloom.

Dwarf Hulsea: Hulsea nana: Fairly abundant at high elevations.

Shortfruit Smelowkia: Smelowskia ovalis: Spotty bloom.

Thompson's Paintbrush: Castilleja thompsonii: Spotty bloom.

Red-breasted Nuthatch- Several

Townsend's Warbler- One pair

Yellow-rumped Warbler- One

Ruby-crowned Kinglet- One

Yellow-crowned Kinglet- One

Dark-eyed Junco- numerous

Common Raven: Numerous

Water Pipit: Numerous

American Robin- Three

Townsend's Solitaire- About a dozen

Northern Flicker- Numerous

Goshawk- One chasing a Sharp-shinned Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk- Numerous

Prairie Falcon- One

Yellow-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow- Several

Chipping Sparrow- Several

Clark's Nutcracker- numerous near timberline

Steller's Jay- Numerous

Chipmunks-several

Douglas' Squirrel- several

Long-tailed Weasel- One

Pika- Heard one.

Marmot- Heard one

Cascades Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel- One

Numerous elk tracks and spore

Numerous black-tailed deer tracks and spore

8 cows and assorted cow pies in the wilderness

Sulphur Butterfly:

White Butterfly: Pieris sp. -few

Zephyr Anglewing: Polygonia zephyrus -numerous

Milbert's Tortoiseshell: Nymphalis milberti -few

Fritillary: Boloria or Speyeria spp. -numerous

Numerous tadpoles and young frogs

Larval salamanders