A few minutes’ climb the next morning took me to a view of the Mammaries.

The meadows below the Mammaries are usually at their peak at this time of year.  But despite the long spell of hot weather, very little was blooming.  I had to hunt for a good clump of lupins.  (That is Nuk Tessli Lake below.)

Common red paintbrush were sporadic

There were also scattered patches of small-flowered paintbrush

Smaller plants of interest were the very common but barely out Pygmy Lewisia

And the very curiously-coloured blue-green-, glaucous-, or inky gentian.

The flower never opens much wider than that; it must have a very specific pollinator to be such a weird colour.