During the summer, we try to hike up into the mountains, through subalpine zones to the alpine zones.   This summer has been more challenging with smoke and access problems so we have had less opportunity.    Going through past seasons of hiking images, I did find a few to share.

Panorama Ridge hike

While hiking from Garibaldi Lake to the top of Panorama Ridge, we passed through a wet drainage area from the glaciers above and spotted this yellow monkey-flower (mimulus guttatus).    The showy trumpet-like flowers stood above the runners creeping along the wet gravels.

On another hike into the South Chilcotin Ranges we came across a prolific wildflower display in a basin below snowmelt slopes in July.    Paintbrush, pink monkeyflower, valerian, groundsel, lupines, and lousewort were all in bloom.

Paintbrush comes in various shades, usually in clusters.   This clump featured pinkish-red hues.

In Glacier National Park on the trails leading through the forest to subalpine zones, bunchberry (Cornus canadenis) often covered open areas next to the trail.  Reddish clusters of berries will be featured on the evergreen perennials a month later.

Also in the cedar-hemlock forests of Glacier are thick clusters of devil’s club (Oplopanax horridus).   The leaves are beautiful but the spines are nasty.

On the Skyline Trail on top of the ridge were clusters of small-flowered penstemon (Penstemon procerus).

Found in the open forested areas and in stream valleys over a wide area is blue clematis (Clematis occidentalis sp.).   When the vines are in bloom we try to stop to admire the flowers.

Right next to the trail in the Trophy Mountain meadows were pink monkey-flowers (Mimulus lewisii).     We see these every year and we take time to stop, admire, and photograph them every time.

When we return from hikes into subalpine and alpine regions, we have cause to celebrate wildflowers and flowering shrubs.   We take some photos and continue to return to enjoy them in the months that follow, sharing a few in posts from time to time.