[Wildflower bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington: 2011]

Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

Champion (Company) Haul Road from Wahkiacus to Beeks Canyon

Klickitat River Canyon, Klickitat Wildlife Area

February 20, 2011

View north along the Klickitat River from the Company Road...........February 20, 2011.

A view north (upstream) along the Klickitat River from the Company Road......February 20, 2011. The photo is taken about one-half mile upstream from Soda Springs (which is on the far bank). The hill on the horizon a the center of the photo is where the Glenwood Highway winds its way downhill towards the Leidl Park crossing of the river.

Note: Since this visit, much of the Haul Road has been removed and several river channels crossing the old road bed have been reinstated. One can safely hike upstream from Wahkiacus or an alternate trailhead off SR142 for about 4 miles before reaching the first river channel across the route. It's definitely unsafe to try to cross the channel except during late summer or early fall. There may be a user trail around this obstruction, but it may be difficult to follow as it is not a sanctioned trail and thus not kept clear.
* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Imbricate Swordfern: Polystichum imbricans

Western Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum ssp. pubescens

Western Red Cedar: Thuja plicata

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa

Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii

Bigleaf Maple: Acer macrophyllum

* White Alder: Alnus rhombifolia

Shiny Oregon Grape: Berberis aquifolium

Cascade Oregon Grape: Berberis nervosa

Water Birch: Betula occidentalis ?

Black Cottonwood: Populus trichocarpa

Oregon White Oak: Quercus garryana var. garryana

Willow: Salix sp. - In bud.

Pacific Rush: Juncus effusus (var. ?)

Medusa-head: Taenitherum caput-medusae

Heartleaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum

Red Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia (rubra ssp. rubra ?)

Common Chickweed: Stellaria media

Western Clematis: Clematis ligusticifolia

Hairy Bittercress: Cardamine hirsuta

* Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna

Wormleaf Stonecrop: Sedum stenopetalum

Prairie Stars: Lithophragma sp.

Northwestern Saxifrage: Micranthes fragosa

Western Saxifrage: Saxifraga rufidula ? - In bud.

Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii

Oceanspray: Holodiscus discolor

Sulphur Cinquefoil: Potentilla recta

Himalayan Blackberry: Rubus armeniacus

Blackcap Raspberry: Rubus leucodermis

Thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus

Trailing Pacific Blackberry: Rubus ursinus

Douglas' Spiraea: Spiraea douglasii (var. ?)

Spanish-clover: Acmispon americanus var. americanus

Creek Dogwood: Cornus sericea

Common St. John's Wort: Hypericum perforatum

Deerbrush: Ceanothus integerrimus

Tall Annual Willowherb: Epilobium brachycarpum

Burr Chervil: Anthriscus caucalis

Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum - One large specimen seen blooming on the east bank of the Klickitat River at the southwest corner of the Soda Springs unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area.

* Butterfly-loving (Pungent) Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum ?- Beginning to bloom at several locations.

Ballhead Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii

Common Houndstongue: Cynoglossum officinale

Common Monkeyflower: Erythranthe guttata

Cutleaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii v. richardsonii

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus

Cleavers: Galium aparine

Blue Elderberry: Sambucus cerulea

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea ?

Bull Thistle: Cirsium vulgare

* Spring Gold: Crocidium multicaule

Horseweed: Conyza canadensis

Woolly Sunflower: Eriophyllum lanatum var. lanatum

Hairy Goldaster: Heterotheca villosa


Animals Seen Along This Route:

California Ground Squirrels

Common Mergansers

Ravens

Scrub Jays

Stellers Jays

Dippers - Singing their melodious song!

Dark-eyed Juncos

Chestnut-backed Chickadees

Ruby-crowned Kinglets

Golden-crowned Kinglets


View north along the Klickitat River from the Company Road...........February 20, 2011.

A view north (upstream) along the Klickitat River from the Company Road...........February 20, 2011. The high hillsides on the right bank are portions of the Soda Springs unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area.

Paul Slichter E-mail