Herein are a few more wildflowers seen along the alpine trail to Idaho Peak. This follows the already posted Pink Mountain Heather and an earlier one on alpine wildflowers. While a number of other species were seen, these three postings provide a taste.
Although wildflowers are found on the mountainside, rather than on the windswept top of Idaho Peak (elevation, 2282 metres), the stage is set with a picture from the top looking down on Slocan Lake (542 metres). The lakeside villages of Silverton (centre left) and New Denver (centre right) are far below. Urban and flatland dwellers might be struck both by the clarity of the air, and by the other mountains, some of which rise another 500 metres above me. This is what the world is like here: high mountains, clear lakes, clean air.
A lupine is being visited by a pollen-packing bumble bee.
The arrow-leaf ragwort can be seen from the valleys to the high mountains.
The rocky-ledge penstemon (also called the oval-leaved penstemon) only grows above about 1200 metres.
A hover fly is visiting a mountain arnica.
The bladder campion is not the most colourful of flowers.
This is the silky phacelia. Earlier, I had incorrectly labeled it as a wood betony.
I had never noticed the white rhododendron before.
The alpine paintbrush (also called the Indian paintbrush) is everyone’s favourite.
Great pictures Alistair but the purple flower is silky phacelia and not wood betony. I hope the flowers will not have dried up to much by the time I make it up there on Aug 14th.
Lesley
Lesley, thank you for that correction. I struggled with the identification of that flower, and alas got it wrong. I have fixed the text.