[Pacific Northwest Wildflower Bloom Reports]
Wildflower Hikes and Nature Field Trips

Spring and Summer 2009

Field Trips Originating from Portland, OR or Localities in the Columbia River Gorge:

Sunday July 12, 2009 Hike: Umbrella Falls Loop

This hike starts in the forest and climbs into sloped and gentle rolling meadows, stopping  at Umbrella Falls for lunch. 5+ miles round trip, 800 feet of elevation gain.  We will end at the real Hood River Meadows (not the ski area) to see some orchids. Call or e-mail Don to sign up. The group size is limited. 503.235.6234 or e-mail donjphoto@gmail.com

Sunday August 2, 2009 Hike: Bird Creek Meadows

Located on the SE slopes of Mt. Adams, Bird Creek Meadows is one of the premier Cascade wildflower locations.  We will enter the meadows from the west via the South Climb Trail and Trail #9.  Expect to see glaucous penstemon,  Suksdorf’s & Thompson’s paintbrushes, elephant heads, Lewis’ monkey flower and many others.  10 miles RT, 1000’ elevation gain.  200 miles driving. w/ dinner stop on our return. Limited group size.  Contact Paul Slichter at pslichter@verizon.net  and 503.661.3292.

Saturday August 8 Hike:  Bonney Meadows

We will hike to Bonney Meadows from the Boulder  Lake trailhead,  botanize in the Meadows, and then continue on to the summit of Bonney Butte.   Spiranthes,  Gentian, and Pedicularis should be flowering  in the Meadow.  Driving: 160 mi. roundtrip (8 mi. on gravel).  Hiking: 7 mi. roundtrip, 1200 ft. elevation gain.  To register, call Jan & Dave Dobak 503-248-9242.

Previous Field Trips for 2009:

March 8, Sunday, 8:30 am Field Trip: Catherine Creek

The premiere early flower spot in the Gorge, with Olsynium douglasii in profusion, Fritillaria pudica, Lithophragma glabra, several Lomatiums, and many others.Leave at 8:30 am, Gateway MAX station, corner of NE Pacific Street and NE 99th Avenue. Or meet at Catherine Creek at 10:00 am. 120 miles round-trip drive; easy walking 3 to 4 miles, with 500 ft. elevation gain. Call Jan and Dave Dobak at 503-248-9242 for more info.

Sunday March 22 Field Trip: Upper Swale Canyon

Hike Leaders: Donna Enz, Sara Wu and Paul Slichter (Held jointly with the Klickitat Trail Conservancy) . Moderate: 7 miles round trip, 300-ft. elev. gain. This is a moderately paced early wildflower hike along Swale Creek in the eastern Gorge. Look for desert parsleys and rare obscure buttercups on this occasionally rocky trail. If the weather is bad or the spring is late, we may switch to a lower elevation hike. 160 miles round-trip drive. Possible dinner stop afterwards. Contact Paul Slichter - pslichter@verizon.net or 503-661-3292 for info.

Sunday April 5 Field Trip: Catherine Cr. Labyrinth

8:30 a.m -4 p.m. About a 5 mile loop, 800 feet of elevation gain with some steep pitches. This hike has good wildflowers and good views. Call Don Jacobson at 503 235 6234 or email donjphoto@gmail.com for car pool info.

Saturday April 11 Hike: Catherine Creek

Moderate hike of 3-4 miles round trip, 800-ft elev. gain.  A ramble along trails and cross country on the east side of Catherine Creek to see the peak of the camas and rosy plectritis bloom with a good chance of seeing bitterroot, Barrett’s penstemon, striped coralroot, many desert parsleys and other species in bloom. 130 miles round-trip drive. Possible dinner stop afterwards. Contact Paul Slichter – pslichter@verizon.net or 503-661-3292 for carpool info.

Sunday April 19, 10 am-4 pm: Annual Wildflower Show

The Mid-Columbia chapter presents its annual Wildflower Show at the American Legion Hall in Mosier.

Sunday, April 26 Hike: Memaloose Hills

Moderate hike of 6 -7 miles round trip, 800-ft. elev. gain. A ramble across the floriferous meadows and oak groves and low, rolling hills of the middle Gorge just east of Mosier.  Balsamroot, chocolate lilies, lupine, and paintbrush should be in full bloom. 140 miles round-trip drive. Contact Beth Magnus - magnus@pcez.com or 503-226-7919 for info.

Sunday May 17, 2009 Field Trip: Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve

Joint hike with the Friends of the Columbia Gorge. Hike through the larges area of near pristine grasslands in the gorge to view lupines, desert parsleys, bitteroot, penstemons, etc plus exceptional views from the western Blue Mts. to the Cascades. Participants limited. Contact Rene Tkach (Renee@gorgefriends.org) for more info.

Saturday May 23, 2009 Hike: Angels Rest, 8:00 am.

We'll be looking for Stenanthium occidentale, Polemonium carneum, Iris tenax, Disporum hookeri, Streptopus amplexifolius, and many others in flower. Driving: about 50 miles round trip; hiking: about 6 miles with 1500 feet elevation gain. Call to register: Jan and Dave Dobak, 503-248-9242.

Saturday May 30, 2009 Hike: Hamilton Mountain

This hike of 7.6 miles, 2000 ft elevation gain has a variety of habitats, from doug-fir and oak woods to open meadows and cliffs with rock gardens, and the flowers are correspondingly diverse: calypso, spotted, striped, and phantom orchids, anemones and wallflowers, fairy bells and bronze bells, tiger lilies, and the rare Lewisia columbianum. For more info, call Beth at 503-226-7919 (home) or 503-706-5108 (cell), or e-mail: magnus@pcez.com.

Friday - Sunday June 5-7, 2009 NPSO Annual Meeting - Yachats, OR

Friday-Sunday June 5-7 WNPS Study Weekend - Cashmere, WA

Thursday June 11, 2009 Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

Metro's close, new Cooper Mountain Nature Park opens very soon with habitat restoration from forest to prairie to oak woodlands. Curt Zonick, Metro naturalist, will talk about the park's native flora, fauna, and programs!  Location: Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church, SE Belmont at 54th-church lot parking OK.  Info: Billy Don- 503.515.1708

Sunday June 14, 2009 Hike: Saddle Mountain

The ultimate rock garden destination near the Oregon coast. Challenging hike (5.5 mi, 1600' gain) through forest to subalpine meadows with broad vistas of the coast. We will search for copperbush, Lewisia columbiana var. rupicola, Dodecatheon austrofrigidum, Delphinium oreganum and other floral gems. 160 mile RT drive. Contact Paul Slichter (pslichter@verizon.net) or 503-661-3292.

Sunday June 28, 2009 Hike: Tamanawas Falls

The trail parallels the East fork of the Mt. Hood River for the first half mile. It then turns and follows Cold Spring Creek along a beautiful, mostly shaded, wildflower studded track. The destination is the spectacular Tamanawas Fall. About 4 miles round trip, 500 feet of elevation gain. Call hike leader Don Jacobson, 503.235.6234 or e-mail donjphoto@gmail.com to sign up. The group size is limited.

For a Broader View of Upcoming NW Wildflower Hikes and Events :

Native Plant Society of Oregon (Click on "What's New" and then "NPSO Calendar" for a list of current events.)

Washington Native Plant Society (Find Local Chapters in the Menu at left, then click on Field Trips.)

Friends of the Columbia Gorge (They lead several hikes in the Columbia River Gorge each weekend!)

Oregon Wild (They lead hikes to the Columbia River Gorge and to other sites in Oregon throughout the year.)

Paul Slichter E-mail