Also called “Lady Slippers”, these are some of my favorite springtime flowers. Most of the orchids that are native to the Pacific Northwest are even smaller and less showy than these.
Calypso Orchids
Bear Grass and Tow-headed Baby
Just a couple of flower photos to brighten up the last few days of (calendar) winter. Both Bear Grass and Tow-headed Baby are relatively common wildflowers in Olympic National Park. Tow-heads are an anemone that have gone to seed (aka western pasque flower). Towheads are found in mountain meadow areas, but bear grass is found at most elevations.
Happy Lake and its Ridge
The photo above is Happy Lake … a seldom visited spot in the Olympic National Park. The Happy Lake Ridge Trail is seldom hiked, but it a wonderful loop hike, ending at Olympic Hot Springs. It’s a longer hike now … since the road is washed out 5 miles or so before the Olympic Hot Springs trailhead. Happy Lake was quite buggy … but mid-July tends to be that way. Notice the left over snow and the Avalance Lilies.
Spring Flowers
I’m going through images from different seasons, trying to fight off the seasonal winter blues of the Pacific Northwest. These were all from the same springtime hike up Mount Rose in the southeast Olympics. I know they will brighten up my days in a month or two … if I can hold on that long.
Great Spangled Fritillary
I saw this butterfly landing on yarrow up at Camp Handy while out backpacking in the Olympic National Forest. Was glad it stayed around long enough for a photo or two. (confession: I had to look up the identification in a book on my return home)
