High elevation sunset

Photo taken from Patrick’s Knob, western Montana ~ color provided by smoke from a large wildfire just to the south of the peak.

Western Montana’s newest fire:

This plume of smoke burst on the scene some time between one and four o’clock this afternoon. I drove down to check its location and found that the fire is about ten miles beyond the mountain range in the photo, putting it about 30 miles away. For more perspective, the peak in the center of the photo is about 6,800 in elevation (4,400 feet above the level of the river in the foreground). With the current high temperatures, extremely dry conditions and present wind velocity it will quickly become a very big fire.

Baneberry

It fascinates me to see a plant in flower, then later to see its fruit. I probably should try to show this more often when I recognize both.

Baneberry ~ Actaea rubra: Photo taken on June 3.

Baneberry: Photo taken on July 20. (The fruit is most often red, but can also be white.)

While the blossom is very pretty and the fruit is quite attractive, all parts of this plant are highly poisonous. The common name “Baneberry” comes from the Anglo-Saxon “bana”, meaning “murderous”.

In the thick of things

What can be found in a thick tangle of brush like this? Well, there is water, and a few rays of sunlight filtering through the trees, and the green things of the wilderness will find and use both, and as you push your way through the foliage, interesting things appear.

Blue Elderberry ~ Sambuscus caerulea

Pathfinder

Clustered Thistle ~ Cirsium brevistylum

Great Mullein~ Verbascum thapsus

Devil’s Club ~ Oplopanax horridus

Enchanter’s Nightshade ~ Circaea alpina

Clustered Thistle

A short hike on USFS trail 223 ~ July 11, 2017

Sometimes it’s nice to begin a hike with a pleasant scene.

USFS trail 223 starts along the river at an elevation of about 2,400 feet, climbs up and over a small hill then proceeds up the river for another 7 or 8 miles. In their seasons, wildflowers along it are diverse and plentiful. Those included in this post are the late-season ones.

Evening Primrose (Oenothera villosa): the first one I had seen this year.

These bluebells are everywhere this time of year and I can seldom pass up a chance to photograph them.

As the trail enters the lower and most dense part of the forest, the color is intense.

The shade-loving Three-leaf Foamflower ~ Tiarella trifoliata 

The berries of the Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus) are just beginning to turn red.

I did mention that I love these bluebells, didn’t I?

Slender Hawkweed ~ Hieracium triste

The seed head of the Blue Clematis, (Clematis occidentalis)

I love the steeper parts of this trail: there is a small stream below.

Another flower which grows at just about all elevations, Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea).

These are the fruit of the Clasping Twisted-stalk (Streptopus amplexifolius) which is a plant that I have seen in only two locations. It is interesting because the flowers and fruit appear on the underside of the leaves.

White Sweet-clover ~ Melilotus albus

Miscellaneous

Photos from the last couple days as I try to catch up on posting:

Western Canada Goldenrod ~ Solidago lepida

Thimbleberry ~ Rubus parviflorus

This is a Thimbleberry blossom photo from early June.

Bumblebees on Fireweed