[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2023]

Roads End Trail #201A & Pine Creek Trail #201 to the Headwaters of Bear Creek

Strawberry Mountain Wilderness

July 7, 2023

View of the NE slope and final 500' or so elevation gain of Strawberry Mt., Strawberry Mt. Wilderness...........August 3, 2011.

A view of the last 500' of elevaton gain to the summit of Strawberry Mountain (on its northeastern flanks), Strawberry Mt. Wilderness............August 3, 2011. There are still several patches of foot deep snow drifts beneath the trees at this elevation.

The snow has finally cleared off the full length of the Roads End Trail #201A during the past week. However, there is still a significant snow drift on a northwest facing slope at the junction with the Onion Creek Trail which can be negotiated along the base of the drift, but it is very muddy and very narrow and the slope beneath is very, very steep, so those who are squeamish about heights should wait another week or snow for more snow to melt. Access to Strawberry Mountain from Strawberry Lake is still obstructed by a tall east-facing snow cornice just downhill from the junction where that trail joins the Onion Creek Trail. That route probably won't open yet for at least another 2 weeks. Finally, there are 1 foot snow drifts along the Onion Creek Trail for the 100 meters or so south and downhill of its junction with the final trail to the top of Strawberry Mountain. The steep trail to the top is clear of snow except for about 100 meters of 1-2 foot drifts within the trees just above this last junction. These latter two sections of snow are easily crossed and should melt out within the next 7-10 days.

* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Fairly complete plant list for the Roads End Trail #201A and Strawberry Mountain.

Subalpine Fir: Abies lasiocarpa

Whitebark Pine: Pinus albicaulis

* Drummond's Rush: Juncus drummondii or Parry's Rush: Juncus parryi - Beginning to bloom.

* Small-winged Sedge: Carex microptera

* Kellogg's Sedge: Carex lenticularis var. lipocarpa ?

* Alpine Timothy: Phleum alpinum

* Long-spurred Bog Orchid: Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys - Beginning to bloom.

* Piper's Golden Buckwheat: Eriogonum flavum var. piperi

* Douglas' Knotweed: Polygonum douglasii

* Sheep Sorrel: Rumex acetosella

* Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum

* Nevada Lewisia: Lewisia nevadensis

* Three-leaf Lewisia: Lewisia triphylla

* Prickly Sandwort: Eremogone aculeata

* Oregon Silene: Silene oregana

* Steershead: Dicentra uniflora - Fading out of bloom adjacent to snow drifts on Trail #201.

* Dropseed Rockcress: Boechera pendulocarpa ?

* Alpine Pennycress: Noccaea fendleri ssp. glauca

Wax Current: Ribes cereum var. cereum

* Alpine Prickly Currant: Ribes montigenum

* Sticky Currant: Ribes viscosissimum

* Nevada Cinquefoil: Drymocallis lactea var. lactea

* Rocky Mountain Sticky Cinquefoil: Drymocallis pseudorupestris var. saxicola

* Tailcup Lupine: Lupinus argenteus var. heteranthus

* Goosefoot Yellow Violet: Viola purpurea var. venosa

False Mermaid: Floerkea prosperpinacoides

* Small-flowered Willowherb: Epilobium minutum

Cow Parsnip: Heracleum maximum

Gray's Lovage: Ligusticum grayii - In bud.

* Western Sweet-cicely: Osmorhiza occidentalis

* Sierra Snakeroot: Sanicula graveolens

* Grouseberry: Vaccinium scoparium

* Nuttall's Linanthus: Leptosiphon nuttallii ssp. nuttallii - Beginning to bloom.

* Mountain Navarretia: Navarretia divaricata

* Desert Phlox: Phlox austromontana

* California Polemonium: Polemonium californicum

* Dwarf Hesperochiron: Hesperochiron pumilus

* Ballhead Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. alpinum - Fading out of bloom.

* Purple Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. alpina - Beginning to bloom.

* Blue Stickseed: Hackelia micrantha

* Glandular Paintbrush: Castilleja glandulifera

* Common Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata var. miniata

* Peck's Paintbrush: Castilleja peckiana

* Elephant Heads: Pedicularis groenlandica

* Taper-leaved Penstemon: Penstemon attenuatus var. palustris

* American Alpine Speedwell: Veronica wormskjoldii

* Black Elderberry: Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa

Mountain Snowberry: Symphoricarpos rotundifolius

* Sitka Valerian: Valeriana sitchensis

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium - In bud.

* Orange Agoseris: Agoseris aurantiaca

Mountain Agoseris: Agoseris monticola ? - Only basal leaves, largely un-lobed.

* Rosy Pussytoes: Antennaria microphylla

* Heartleaf Arnica: Arnica cordifolia

* Eaton's Shaggy Fleabane: Erigeron eatonii var. villosus

* Peregrine Fleabane: Erigeron glacialis var. glacialis

* Woolly Sunflower: Eriophyllum lanatum var. integrifolium

Scouler's Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri - In bud.

Black Head: Rudbeckia occidentalis var. occidentalis

Mountain Meadow Butterweed: Senecio crassulus - In bud.

* Common Dandylion: Taraxacum officinale

Animals Seen Along This Route:

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

Chipmunk

Clark's Nutcrackers

Mountain Bluebirds

Cassin's Finches

Chipping Sparrows

Dark-eyed Juncos

Pine Siskins

Western Pine Elfin

Milbert's Tortoiseshells

Painted Ladys

Anglewings

Fritillarys

Julia's Orangetips

Whites & Parnassians

Anise Swallowtails

Western Tiger Swallowtails

View towards Strawberry Mountain from a ridge just north of the Roads End Trail, Strawberry Mt. Wilderness..........August 3, 2011. - View towards Baldy Mountain from the junction of the Roads End Trail and Onion Creek Trails, Strawberry Mt. Wilderness.......August 3, 2011.

View north from 9000' down the Onion Creek Trail..............August 3, 2011. - View northwest across the northern slope of Strawberry Mountain towards Bald Mt, Strawberry Mt. Wilderness.............August 3, 2011.

Rocky east slope of Strawberry Mountain below its summit, Strawberry Mt. Wilderness........August 3, 2011. - View southeast towards the basin at the upper end of the Strawberry Creek basin, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness..........August 3, 2011.

Additional views taken along the trail from the Roads End trailhead to Strawberry Mountain, Strawberry Mt. Wilderness............August 3, 2011. The upper left photo shows a view towards Strawberry Mountain from the ridgeline at the head of the basin above Strawberry Creek. The photo at upper right shows a view west towards flat-topped Baldy Mountain which still shows a few patches of atop it. The photo at center left shows a view downhill towards the upper John Day River Valley along the route of the Onion Creek Trail from about 9000' on Strawberry Mountain. The photo at center right shows a view northwest across the north-facing slope of Strawberry Mountain towards Baldy Mountain in the distance. The photo at bottom left shows a view up the steep, talus and cliff-filled eastern slope below the summit of Strawberry Mountain. The photo at lower right shows a view southeast towards the upper basin of Strawberry Creek.
Paul Slichter