Even in the smoke that now fills our skies, wildflowers and other plants in the high places seem unaffected. Here are a few photos of them from the top of Mount Baldy.
A cone on a Subalpine Fir
Shrubby Penstemons
Prickly Sandwort
Pearly Everlasting
September 13, 2011
36 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Montana Outdoors 
Love the photo of the sandwort and the penstemons together. It looks like a combination you would find in a garden center–as usual, Nature is the best designer.
Pearly Everlasting has always been one of my favorite flowers.
LikeLike
Comment by kateri — September 14, 2011 @ 5:05 am
So often on the peaks in late summer there are flower gardens in bloom, more than any other time or place. I think it’s the short summer up there that concentrates the flowers in place and time. I love seeing them!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 14, 2011 @ 8:31 pm
Very nice and what a pretty butterfly. I think I have a picture of a pearly everlasting. I’ll have to go back and look. I didn’t know what it was..Thank you!
LikeLike
Comment by Roberta — September 14, 2011 @ 9:51 am
Pearly Everlasting is a very good flower to use in dried flower arrangements. It smells nice and when dried, lasts for a long time. It’s one of the last of the flowers here for the insects to feed upon in the fall.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 14, 2011 @ 8:33 pm
Another great selection of shots, always impressed by how well you handle the direct light – but I guess the smoke helps avoid blown out sections!
LikeLike
Comment by daveabirding — September 14, 2011 @ 10:54 am
Certainly direct sunlight is a major issue in photographing scenes in the high country. I like clear days for the long distance views, but they make photography difficult.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 14, 2011 @ 8:36 pm
The first photo of the cone and needles is wonderful. Such good composition. Hopefully the fires will be squelched by rain soon!
LikeLike
Comment by Wild_Bill — September 14, 2011 @ 11:19 am
Thanks Bill. We have a slight chance of rain this weekend and that will help if it comes. Otherwise, some of these fires will burn until the snow comes. I hope you’re feeling better already!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 14, 2011 @ 8:38 pm
So odd, seeing the pine cone charred, and the needles are perfectly green.
LikeLike
Comment by thedailyclick — September 14, 2011 @ 12:33 pm
Actually, the cone is just that dark color naturally. Where it is growing there is never a fire because the trees are so sparse and there are no grasses on the ground.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 14, 2011 @ 8:40 pm
these are stunning photographs! and a lovely blog overall 🙂
LikeLike
Comment by berlinplants — September 14, 2011 @ 12:52 pm
Thank you, and thanks for the visit!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 14, 2011 @ 8:43 pm
Looking at your photos is such a pleasure, thank you.
LikeLike
Comment by westwood — September 14, 2011 @ 1:18 pm
Thank you westwood!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 14, 2011 @ 8:46 pm
is that ice on the fur cone?
LikeLike
Comment by Sandy — September 14, 2011 @ 1:35 pm
Not yet, Sandy: that will come soon enough. It’s sap. Really sticky!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 14, 2011 @ 8:47 pm
I really like these closeups. They might fit into your wildflowers of Montana book as soon as you get it written.
Malcolm
LikeLike
Comment by knightofswords — September 14, 2011 @ 2:45 pm
Well, they are in my photo collection, awaiting a time to do more with them. Maybe some winter…
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 14, 2011 @ 8:53 pm
Lovely, delicate wildflowers but they must be tough to grow and flourish in the rugged moutainside. I love the Pine White Butterfly!
LikeLike
Comment by Anna — September 14, 2011 @ 3:31 pm
THey are amazingly hardy, Anna! I’ve seen them blooming in the very hot late summer sun and with frost on them the net day, followed by a few inches of snow. A week alter, they look like they just started to bloom. I have so much admiration for all of the plants: they are incredible!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 14, 2011 @ 8:56 pm
Great selection of beautiful flowers. It was a great pleasure to me to take a look at Your photos. They all are lovely, but most of all I love #1 and #5.
LikeLike
Comment by sartenada — September 15, 2011 @ 10:44 pm
I am fascinated at the number of species that flourish on those mountains, and especially in late summer and early fall. Every year at this time I look forward to seeing them again.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 15, 2011 @ 11:16 pm
Sorry to hear about the smoke..hope it’s cleared by now. But -as you’ve said – even with the smoke..the images are clear and exquisitely beautiful!!!
LikeLike
Comment by Marcie — September 16, 2011 @ 11:42 am
Some of the smoke here has cleared today as a soft west wind came in. Some places even had a bit of rain. It all helps. I’ve been waiting for a clear cold day to make a rather difficult but (I’ve heard), beautiful one.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 16, 2011 @ 10:00 pm
I’m sorry to hear that you’re copying what’s been happening here in central Texas, where the Bastrop fires are still not entirely out even after almost two weeks.
Steve Schwartzman
http://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com
LikeLike
Comment by Steve Schwartzman — September 16, 2011 @ 3:30 pm
Wildfires here are normal for this time of year. They have been pretty smoky this year, but not as damaging as in many years. Some, I think, have been beneficial for the forests.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 16, 2011 @ 10:01 pm
WOW… that butterfly on the goldenrod is beautiful… I’m really enjoying your beautiful posts!
LikeLike
Comment by Victoria — September 16, 2011 @ 10:33 pm
Thanks, Tory! I am constantly amazed at how many beautiful things I encounter when in the back country. There is always something special!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 17, 2011 @ 10:51 pm
Beautiful pictures as usual. I am about 2 hours from our major forest fire, the one devouring our Boundary Waters protected area … but, the smoke can not be seen and rarely smelt here … other areas to the east are suffering from that.
LikeLike
Comment by bearyweather — September 17, 2011 @ 7:14 am
We have been lucky in this little valley this summer in that we haven’t had a lot of heavy smoke. In the Missoula valley and south from there through the Bitterroot valley there has been heavy smoke and some inversion layers that kept it in the valleys. That can be miserable!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 17, 2011 @ 10:54 pm
Thanks for the shrubby penstemon photo, montuck. I missed them this year, not having time for alpine hiking. Yes the smoke has been wretched in the Missoula Valley, and we can’t even escape it by going to the lake, as it’s been far worse up at Georgetown Lake from the 41 Complex fire.
LikeLike
Comment by Kim — September 18, 2011 @ 1:33 pm
I’ve felt bad for you folks who had all that smoke! It doesn’t bother me all that much, but my wife has severe respiratory problems anyway and smoke is terrible for her.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 18, 2011 @ 8:23 pm
p.s Do you have any idea WHICH goldenrod that is? It looks just like the one up at Georgetown.
LikeLike
Comment by Kim — September 18, 2011 @ 1:33 pm
My best guess is Canada Goldenrod, Solidago altissima, Solidago lepida or Solidago canadensis.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 18, 2011 @ 8:29 pm
Terry, I wish you had a ‘Like’ button here because often I look at your photos and don’t know what to say in a comment other than ‘I Like’. Except it would be better to have a ‘Love’ button and an ‘Appreciate’ button… and I don’t suppose there’d be room for all those.
LikeLike
Comment by Val — October 3, 2011 @ 2:51 pm
Hi Val. We do have a “like” button and I just turned it on. I know what you mean. Thanks!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — October 4, 2011 @ 7:36 pm