Malheur National Forest
July 16, 2003
The area studied was the area from the northern parking area, along the trail (which proceeds up the north-facing slopes), to the wide, grassy summit that makes up Baldy Mt.
About 4.5 miles west of Prairie City on US 26, turn south on Pine Creek Rd. (Grant Co. Rd #64). Stay on this road, which eventually turns uphill to the east in a series of switchbacks. This road eventually becomes FS Rd 5401. The road is eventually gated (I don't know if this road is ungated for the public at any time.). A parking area is located just north of the gate. An outhouse and several campsites are available.
GPS coordinates of the locked gate are at: N44* 21.311' --- W118* 48.316' --- +/- 22' --- Elevation: 6031.
Hike through the gate and proceed up the road. Turn left after a sign indicating Chambers Mine Rd (1st left). Proceed up the mine road through one switchback, now proceeding southeast. At the next switchback you will find the trailhead (currently unmarked). GPS coordinates are: N44¾21.102' W118¾48.426' +36', Elevation: 6381.
The trail proceeds up open forest slopes, passing several streams several times in the course of navigating several switchbacks. The summit "bald" is a wide open grassy area. Several small "peaks" afford great views of the John Day Valley and the Strawberry Mts.
Lily Family
*Swamp Onion: Allium validum
*Elegant Deathcamas: Anticlea elegans
Buckwheat Family
* Piper's Golden Buckwheat: Eriogonum flavum var. piperi
*Sulphur Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum (var. ?)
*American Bistort: Bistorta bistortoides
Pink Family
*Ball-headed Sandwort: Eremogone congesta (var. prolifera?)
*Big-leaf Sandwort: Moehringia macrophylla
*Field Chickweed: Cerastium arvense
*Menzie's Sandwort: Silene menziesii var. menziesii
*Oregon Silene: Silene oregana
Buttercup Family
*Red Columbine: Aquilegia formosa
*Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum var. nuttallianum - Still strongly in bloom on north-facing slopes in the forest where snow stayed late into the spring. Some strongly resemble slim larkspur ( D. depauperatum) except for the open inflorescence.
Barberry Family
Creeping Oregon Grape: Berberis repens
Mustard Family
Alpine Whitlow-grass: Draba densifolia - Mostly out of bloom.
*Rough Wallflower: Erysimum capitatum
Stonecrop Family
*Lance-leaf Stonecrop: Sedum lanceolatum
Saxifrage Family
*Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina
Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus: Parnassia fimbriata - Leaves only.
Rose Family
*Sheep Cinquefoil: Potentilla versicolor - Along streams on the forested north-facing slopes.
*Gordon's Ivesia: Ivesia gordonii
* Cinquefoil: Potentilla sp- Common on north-facing slopes in the forest where snow stayed late into the spring and which are still wet.
*Graceful Cinquefoil: Potentilla gracilis (var. fastigiata?)
Sitka Burnet: Sanguisorba stipulata
Pea Family
*Balloon-pod Milkvetch: Astragalus whitneyi var. sonnei - Most with vibrant speckled pods but a few still in bloom in the woods below the summit area.
*Tailcup Lupine: Lupinus arbustus
*Low Mt. Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii
Violet Family
*Spurred Violet: Viola adunca
Flax Family
*Blue Flax: Linum perenne
Parsley Family
*Snowline Cymopterus: Cymopterus nivalis
*Turpentine Cymopterus: Cymopterus terebinthinus var. foeniculaceus
Mountain Sweet-Cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi
Heath Family
*Sidebells Pyrola: Orthilia secunda
*Pine Drops: Pterospora andromedea
Huckleberry: Vaccinium membranaceum
Dwarf Grouseberry: Vaccinium scoparium
Gentian Family
*White-stemmed Frasera: Frasera albicaulis var. cusickii
Pleated Gentian: Gentiana affinis - Probably a week or so from bloom.
Phlox Family
*Linanthastrum: Leptosiphon nuttallii
Mint Family
*Monardella: Monardella odoratissima
Figwort Family
*Sticky Paintbrush: Castlleja glandulifera ? - Sticky inflorescence & foliage.
*Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta
*Narrow-leaved Paintbrush: Castilleja linariifolia
*Sickletop Lousewort: Pedicularis racemosa
*Taper-leaved Penstemon: Penstemon attenuatus var. palustris - A few still in bloom at the summit.
*Yellow Penstemon: Penstemon confertus
Valerian Family
*Sitka Valerian: Valeriana sitchensis
Sunflower Family
*Yarrow: Achillea millefolium
*Rosy Pussytoes: Antennaria rosea
*Alpine Aster: Oreostemma alpigenus var. haydenii
*Western Hawksbeard: Crepis occidentalis
*Scabland Fleabane: Erigeron bloomeri var. bloomeri
*Foothills Fleabane: Erigeron corymbosus
*Eaton's Fleabane: Erigeron eatonii var. villosus -A few still in bloom in areas where snow laid late into the season.
*Subalpine Daisy: Erigeron glacialis
*Woolly Sunflower: Eriophyllum lanatum var. integrifolium
*Large Bristleweed: Pyrrocoma carthamoides var. cusickii
*White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum
*Woolly-weed: Hieracium scouleri
*Nodding Microseris: Microseris nutans
*Rocky Mt. Butterweed: Packera streptanthifolia
*Woolly Goldenweed: Stenotus languinosus var. languinosus - A few still in bloom.
*Parry's Leafy Aster: Symphyotrichum foliaceum (var. parryi ?)
Yellow Salsify: Tragopogon dubius