North Pass Meadows 19 August 2011 Part Two

Above the treeline was at first disappointing.  There seemed to be nothing but lupins.  But as I travelled across the face of the ridge, the flowers became more interesting.

Mountain ArnicaIn the foreground is a rare patch of Mountain Arnica.  Rare for this year, that is.  Normally they are common in these kinds of meadows, thickly interspersed with the blue lupins and red paintbrush – a trio of strong, primary colours.

That is North Pass Lake in the background.  Behind it, on the left, are the Mammaries.

The arnica were next to a snow patch.  The dogs love to roll in the snow and they toboggan down it as they do.

Harry tobogganingAnd here he Harry resting in the lupins.

Harry in lupinsIn the higher creeks I found the tiny mitrewort still blooming

mitrewortThe colour and shape of flower parts are normally designed to attract pollinators by stimulating either their food or sexual preferences.  One wonders what might be excited by this strange construction.

mitrewort close-upThe poisonous False Hellibore was sending up its flower stems.

False hellibore flower stalkFurther south I ran into a nice patch of sitka valerian.

arctic lupin and sitka valerian

 

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