Pear Lake, Blossom Lakes ~ Evan’s Gulch Roadless Area (4)

Flowers of the Evan’s Gulch Roadless Area ~ continued

American Wild Hellebore, Varatrum virile There were large numbers of the plants, but they will not bloom for at least another week.

Pink Monkeyflower, Mimulus lewisii

Subalpine Spiraea, Rose Meadowsweet, Spiraea densiflora

Pinesap, Many-flower Indian-Pipe, Monotrop hypopithys

Shrubby Penstemon, Penstemon fructicosus

Prickly Current, Bristly Black Gooseberry, Swamp Current, Ribes Lacustre

False Azalea, Fool’s Huckleberry, Rusty Menziesia, Menziesia ferruginea

Brewer’s Mitrewort, Mitella breweri

Bear-grass, Xerophyllum tenax

Pear Lake, Blossom Lakes ~ Evan’s Gulch Roadless Area (3)

Flowers of the Evan’s Gulch Roadless Area

For a short time I thought about posting photos of all of the wildflowers I encountered on the trail to Pear Lake, but upon counting them and finding that there were 35 different species, I decided instead to just post two sets, leaving out many whose photos I have posted before including Glacier Lilies and Springbeauties which bloomed at the lower elevations months ago but are now in full bloom among the snowbanks that remain on the high ridge just before the trail drops down to Pear Lake.

Harebells, Bluebells of Scotland, Campanula rotundifolia

Clustered Thistle, Cirsium brevistylum

Poison Hemlock, Conium maculatum

Pearly Everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea

Pipsissewa, Prince’s Pine, Chimaphila umbellata

Ocean Spray, Holodiscus discolor (These are blossoming shrubs and their large clusters of blooms decorate many hillsides this time of summer)

One-leaved Foamflower, Tiarella unifoliata

Pink Wintergreen, Pyrola asarifolia

Pear Lake, Blossom Lakes ~ Evan’s Gulch Roadless Area (2)

When the sun was setting that night there was quite a change in colors, from the gold (the first photo in this group was the first shot I took) to the pinks and blues and purples as it progressed. And right in the middle of the whole thing, the sky to the north, under a thunderstorm that had begun to gather, the sky was different yet, as seen in the third photo. I don’t claim to understand all of it, just to admire.

Pear Lake, Blossom Lakes ~ Evan’s Gulch Roadless Area (1)

For many years I have found it to be true that one of the best parts of an outdoor experience is the night before it starts, and last night’s stay at the Blossom Lakes trail head before today’s hike to Blossom Lakes and Pear Lake in the Evan’s Gulch Roadless Area was not an exception.

Sunset from the Montana/Idaho line

Today’s trip was one of those “150 photo” trips and this is the first of a series of posts about the trip and that area of western Montana.

More from the Reservation Divide (2)

Until next time on the divide

More of the Reservation Divide

Haven’t had a chance for a hike in about a week so the next two posts will consist of more photos from the Reservation Divide.