The Wild Flag is a member of the Iris family.
Tag: Washington
Candy Flower (Montia sibirica)
The Candy Flower is also know as Sibrian Miner’s Lettuce a close relative of Miner’s Lettuce (Montia perfoliata). The flower has 5 petals and measures about 16mm across.
The stem and leaves are succulent in nature, very similar to traditional Miner’s Lettuce.
Paradise, Mount Rainier National Park
The meadows of Paradise are arguably the most popular summer hiking destination located within Mount Rainier National Park. Late each summer, peaking around the second week in August, massive amounts of flowers burst into bloom across the spectacular meadows of Paradise.
You will find many hiking trails in Paradise. Trails range from less than a quarter mile on a paved surface to the five mile dirt, gravel and snow, Skyline Trail which travels the circumference of the meadows. Common flowers that you will find are Indian Paintbrush, Daisies, Lupins, Beargrass and many many others.
Points of interest:
- Panorama Point – 6,800 feet elevation
- Alta Vista – 4,940 feet elevation
- Skyline Trail – Round Trip 5.0 miles
- Skyline Trail (Golden Gate Trail shortcut) – Round Trip 4.1 miles
- Nisqually Vista Trail – Round Trip 1.1 miles
- Waterfall Trail – 0.21 miles long
- Avalanche Lily Trail – 0.41 miles long
- Golden Gate Trail – 1.0 miles long
- Glacier Vista Trail – 0.31 miles long – 6,336 feet elevation
Directions:
Paradise is located on the south face of Mt. Rainier. Follow Washington State route 706 to the Nisqually entrance. Continue east for 18 miles until you reach the Paradise Visitors Center.
Tolmie Peak, Mount Rainier National Park
The trail to Tolmie Peak provides a wonderful hike. The hike is full of spectacular views unique to the Mount Rainier area. Colorful meadows full of seasonal flowers are one of the many rewards of venturing into this sometimes damp but always rewarding wonderland.
Starting at Mowich Lake (4,950 feet elevation), your hike will follow a part of the Wonderland Trail around the southern edge of the lake. Departing from the relatively level lakeside trail, you rise briefly and continue west until you reach the Ipsut Pass / Tolmie Peak junction From here, you travel south down a few switchbacks and resume your westward travels. Reaching the low point in the hike, you will begin to climb the switchbacks to Eunice Lake. Just before arriving at the lake, you will discover exquisite meadows of seasonal flowers. The meadows are not as vast as those found at Paradise, but they are no less spectacular.
Take a short break to enjoy the views before continuing up the final steep mile to the lookout atop Tolmie Peak (5,939 feet elevation). The final mile is very steep and strenuous. Upon reaching the top of Tolmie Peak you will have a spectacular view of Mount Rainier to the east and directly below you can see Eunice Lake. You should be able to make out the North Mowich and Russell Glaciers on the northwest face of Mount Rainier. Expect to find cold and windy conditions at the top.
Plan for about a 6 hour round trip if you plan to hike all the way to the top. If you stop at Eunice Lake 4.5 – 5 hours round trip is about average.
Directions:
Tolmie Peak is located on the northwest side of Mt. Rainier. The road is open from July 1 until October 10. Follow Washington State Route 165 for 6 miles past the park entrance where the gravel road will end at Mowich Lake. You can obtain National Park permits at the Route 165 entrance so don’t be fooled into thinking that you have to travel out of your way to the Carbon River entrance to obtain a permit.
Mount Rainier Summit, Washington
You can see cracks in the glacier all over the bright southeast face of Mount Rainier.
Mount Rainier Crater, Washington
Here it is!! 14,411 feet and you didn’t even sweat one drop to get the view. Notice the jagged shadow within the crater bowl. The rising sun on the left amplifies the rugged crater rim creating the jagged shape. Carvases are just under the jagged surface of the glacier in the upper right
- Picture of the Summit of Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier, Washington
The tallest peak in the Cascade Range, Mount Rainier towers at a dizzying 14,411 feet (4,392 M). The snow covered peak is blanketed by glaciers year round. This mountain is known as Mount Tahoma to the Nisqually Native American tribe. It waits, dormant but not dead.
More Pictures of:
Mount Saint Helens, Washington
Mount Saint Helens is famous for it’s May 18, 1980 eruption, spewing smoke and ash as far east as Montana. It is now 8,364 feet (2,549 M), before the eruption it was 9,667 feet high. Both the North and South forks of the Toutle River were flooded with mud flow and debris. Spirit Lake, north of Mount Saint Helens, has a large portion of it’s surface area covered with floating logs. Twenty years later these logs are still floating and can be seen easily from the air.
In 1987 the southern slope of the mountain was reopened to hikers. For more information please call the Climbing Information Line at (360) 247-3961.
Mount Adams, Washington
Mount Adams is located in the southern portion of Washington, east of Mount Saint Helens. Mount Adams is 12,276 feet (3,742 M) high. Pictured here looking east in late September, the morning sun is beginning to peek over the south face of Mount Adams.