Meadow of Glacier Lilies
Roseroot
Alpine meadow
Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus / Parnassia fimbriata
White-tailed Ptarmigan - my first ever!
Black eyes and beaks are a give-away
Now you see them ... now you don't
Glowing White-tailed Ptarmigan
Gathering of the White-tailed Ptarmigan
White beauty
Resting on a bed of snow
Almost a disappearing act
White-tailed Ptarmigan in the sun
Master of camouflage
Almost-disappearing act
White beauty
It's those white birds again
White-tailed Ptarmigan
White-tailed Ptarmigan camouflage
Time to rest
Having one's head in the clouds
Near north end of Plateau Mt. Ecological Reserve
A view from south end of Plateau Mt. Ecological Re…
Mountain Dandelion
Endless alpine meadows
Sibbaldia / Sibbaldia procumbens
Subalpine Larch / Larix lyallii
Plateau Mountain
Moss Gentian
Pink Alpine Forget-me-nots
Pretty little Golden Fleabane / Erigeron aureus
Roseroot in flower
Showy Jacob's-ladder / Polemonium pulcherrimum
Alpine Arnica
Plateau Mountain
Spotted Saxifrage / Saxifraga bronchialis
Parry's Townsendia
White Mountain-avens
Splashes of green
A rainbow cloud
Alpine paradise
Roseroot in the mountains
Moss Campion
A mystery Sedge
Location
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218 visits
Feeling on top of the world
Yesterday, a small group of us were privileged to be able to access the Plateau Mountain Ecological Reserve. This mountain (SW of Calgary) is at the southern end of Kananaskis, located in the Livingstone Range of the Rocky Mountain Region. The plateau rises gradually from about 2,280 metres in the north to 2,519 metres at the summit near the south end of the plateau. There is a gate across the road up to Plateau Mt. that is kept locked, preventing access other than for workers checking the small gas plant at the top, and for certain people who have permission to go for scientific reasons. We walked from the south end to the north end (about 9 kms round trip, which was much further than many of us were expecting, lol!)). At the north end, we saw the plaque giving information about the Ice Cave that is somewhere in this area, gated so that no one can enter. This was a perfect place to stop for our picnic lunch, after which a few people walked on a little further. They found one of our target plants, the rare Pedicularis flammea (flame coloured lousewort). I was thrilled to find a little cluster of them (mainly leaves and just one flower in bloom and another with dead flowers), without having to walk that extra distance to see theirs! Will eventually post a photo of this tiny plant with its unusual flowers. By the way, I was down on all fours in water from the melting snow to get photos of it, ha. Can you imagine finding one very tiny plant of a certain species on a mountain top like this? It always amazes me when it happens. As you can see from my photo, it was a beautiful day (though it was not hot, thank goodness), sunny with great clouds filling the sky, and a strong and cooling wind. A good variety of plants - and great company, some very familiar faces and some new, which is always nice. Thanks so much for the ride, Stephen - as always, greatly appreciated!
"This nearly flat high-elevation plateau is recognized for several unique features. There is an internationally recognized ice cave with ice crystals, curls, sheets and pillars (ice crystals are so fragile that a temperature increase of one degree Celsius can cause melting). The periglacial features (known as "patterned ground") in the reserve include active permafrost, sorted stone circles, polygons, steps and frost boils. The area also contains critical winter range for bighorn sheep." From www.albertaparks.ca/plateau-mountain.aspx
There are no public roads in Plateau Mountain Ecological Reserve; the road to the mountain top is leased by Husky Oil; to prevent vandalism to natural gas production facilities and to lessen impact on the area's natural features, access is controlled by the locked gate; travel in the reserve is by foot only; there are no facilities on site and overnight camping and open fires are prohibited."
www.albertaparks.ca/media/2741526/plateau_mtn_mgmt_plan.pdf
Note: 12:35 p.m. Hold your Clicks ....
"This nearly flat high-elevation plateau is recognized for several unique features. There is an internationally recognized ice cave with ice crystals, curls, sheets and pillars (ice crystals are so fragile that a temperature increase of one degree Celsius can cause melting). The periglacial features (known as "patterned ground") in the reserve include active permafrost, sorted stone circles, polygons, steps and frost boils. The area also contains critical winter range for bighorn sheep." From www.albertaparks.ca/plateau-mountain.aspx
There are no public roads in Plateau Mountain Ecological Reserve; the road to the mountain top is leased by Husky Oil; to prevent vandalism to natural gas production facilities and to lessen impact on the area's natural features, access is controlled by the locked gate; travel in the reserve is by foot only; there are no facilities on site and overnight camping and open fires are prohibited."
www.albertaparks.ca/media/2741526/plateau_mtn_mgmt_plan.pdf
Note: 12:35 p.m. Hold your Clicks ....
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