[Wildflower Bloom Reports for the Columbia River Gorge: 2010]

February 25, 2010

Weather: Partly sunny with a light wind. Temperature in the high 40s to low 50s.

This trail climbs steadily up Swale Canyon along an old railroad bed which is now a road for local residents. It is perhaps best done as a group bike ride by leaving a car at the lower trailhead at Wahkiacus and departing from the upper trailhead at Harms Road. The old railroad bed is quite rough in places so having bikes with front shocks would be very helpful. Stay on the road! Some of the local residents are not friendly!

* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Wolf Lichen: Letharia vulpina

Scouring-rush Horsetail: Equisetum hyemale

Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum

Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa

Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii

Big-leaf Maple: Acer macrophyllum

Alder: Alnus sp.

Creek Dogwood: Cornus sericea

Black Cottonwood: Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa

Oregon White Oak: Quercus garryana

Willow: Salix sp. - Young twigs yellowish-orange

Elk Sedge: Carex geyeri ?

Common Rush: Juncus effusus (ssp. ?)

Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum

Medusa Head: Taeniatherum caput-medusae

Cat-tail: Typha latifolia

Heart-leaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum

Willow-leaf Dock: Rumex salicifolius ?

Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum

Western Buttercup: Ranunculus occidentalis

Shining Oregon Grape: Berberis aquifolium

Leiberg's Stonecrop: Sedum leibergii

Rough Wallflower: Erysimum capitatum

Praire Star: Lithophragma sp.

Peak Saxifrage: Saxifraga nidifica var. claytoniifolia

Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii

Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia (var. ?)

Hawthorn: Crataegus sp.

Oceanspray: Holodiscus discolor

Sulphur Cinquefoil: Potentilla recta ?

Rose: Rosa sp. (not R. gymnocarpa nor R. nutkana)

Evergreen Blackberry: Rubus laciniatus

Blackcap: Rubus leucodermis

Pacific Trailing Blackberry: Rubus ursinus ssp. macropetalus

Douglas' Spiraea: Spiraea douglasii (var. ?)

Klamath Weed: Hypericum perforatum

Deerbrush: Ceanothus integerrimus

Mahala Mat: Ceanothus prostratus

Blazing Star: Mentzelia laevicaulis

Fireweed: Chamerion angustifolium

Wild Carrot: Daucus carota

Fernleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium dissectum (var. ?)

Pungent Desert Parsley: Lomatium grayii -

Biscuitroot: Lomatium macrocarpum

Pinedrops: Pterospora andromedea

Buckbean: Menyanthes trifoliata

Ball-head Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii

Dalmatian Toadflax: Linaria dalmatica

Common Monkey Flower: Mimulus guttatus

Cutleaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii v. richardsonii

Moth Mullein: Verbascum blattaria

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus

Bedstraw, Cleavers: Galium aparine

Elderberry: Sambucus sp.

Fuller's Teasel: Dipsacus sylvestris

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

Northwest Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza deltoidea - A few with leaves beginning to emerge from the ground.

Knapweed: Centaurea sp.

* Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule - Seen on open hillside on the east side of the creek.

Columbia River Goldenweed: Grindelia (columbiana?)

Hairy False Goldenaster: Heterotheca villosa (Synonym: Chrysopsis villosa) ?

Common Dandylion: Taraxacum officinale

Mule Deer (numerous tracks along the trail)

Coyote (spoor on trail)

California Ground Squirrels - very numerous

Western Gray Squirrel

Kingfisher

Black-capped Chickadees