Picklejar Lakes trail

This was one of the reasons I decided to go on the Picklejar Lakes hike two days ago. Though I had seen this flower once before (on a different mountain top!), I really hoped to see one again. My photos of it were disappointing, but I thought I would still post a macro shot as a reminder to myself of the thrill of seeing one (actually two) again. At a very quick glance, you might think you were looking at "just" another purple and yellow Fleabane. Another plant that I was really hoping to see was the Orange False-dandelion - and it was exciting to see a number of them, usually looking most unphotogenic, ha. We even saw a new wild orchid up there - the Bog Candle - which has a wonderful scent. Parry's Townsendia is an uncommon, native wildflower and belongs to the Asteraceae family. It blooms July-August on dry hillsides and grassy slopes. The flower head is 5-7 cms across. The achene (fruit) is a pappus of long, soft bristles, just as attractive (in my opinion) than the actual flower.

Another photo from my archives, taken from the trail on an absolutely brutal hike in Kananaskis, on 6 August 2010. I still remember that two tough guys who do/did a lot of walking/hiking also used the word "brutal" to describe this day's hike : ) I can't do this kind of hike any more - my body likes "flat" not "steep"! The description of the botany hike that the leader had sent us, was so different from what it actually was. No shortage of beautiful valleys and peaks in Alberta, that's for sure. Apparently, this valley is very popular with Grizzly Bears, but fortunately we didn't come across any. Lots of wildflowers, but the walk was too fast-paced and I wasn't able to get many photos, which was so disappointing. However, we saw a number of new species, which was great. Location on my map is only very approximate. Gillean Daffern writes about the last bit of the trail in her book, "Kananaskis: Country trail guide": ".... Shortly, the trail turns due north and you drag yourself up a hot, dry, shaley hillside to the pass". All was true (except, thankfully the "hot") and "drag" was a most appropriate word. I've also read on some website a young guy's comment that this is a "short, easy hike". A good job I didn't read his comment before doing this hike : ) He must have been tremendously fit! It's definitely one of those days that I will never forget, ha.

Lol, there's no way I would say that the brutal hike last summer up to the Picklejar Lakes in Kananaskis, off Highway 40), was made worthwhile when we came across this little (macro shot) mushroom. However, I can say that I was happy to see this little fungus growing at the edge of the trail : )

These two TINY flowers are part of an elongated cluster of white flowers on a tall stem. This was the first time we'd seen one of these amazing native wild orchids. Found along the Picklejar Lakes trail in one location, on 6th August. The height of Bog Candle, Platanthera dilatata, (also called Tall White Bog Orchid) is 15-65 cm. The raceme (flower cluster) has 12 - 60 of these tiny flowers. Flowers are white, and vanilla or clove scented. The scent while down low, taking macro photos, was heavenly : ) I was out for seven hours today at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park (south west of the city) with a few friends, finding, Lichens , Mosses and Fungi. I was so tired out that I had a late supper and woke up around 1:15 a.m. still sitting in front of the TV! Three consecutive days of fresh air have totally wiped me out - yet again! Only a very few more weeks left and the season for everything that grows will be over. It's the beginning of the end : (

This was a new plant for us, when we did the brutal hike along the Picklejar Lakes Trail in Kananaskis on August 6th. The vast majority of Penstemons are blue or purple. Note: actually, according to Doug, "this is more likely to be Penstemon procerus as it was growing with many of that species with colors ranging from blue to pink to almost white. I believe P. confertus is quite distinctly a yellowish color."

This was the "easier" part yesterday - a nice, uncluttered trail, even if it WAS going uphill, LOL. At a rough guess, this was perhaps half way along the trail, if that, to the Picklejar Lakes in Kananaskis. Parts of the trail went through forested areas and other parts traversed open grassy slopes, covered in wildflowers. I would have had to quit early on if it had been a hot day, but thankfully, it was fairly cool with a helpful breeze, but overcast. The rain started as we began our climb down to the highway, turning the trail into slippery mud - have I ever been so thankful to see our cars before, LOL??? No sign of a Grizzly Bear, though this is a popular area for them. This trail starts from the Lantern Creek day use area on Highway 40, Kananaskis. It starts on the opposite (east) side of the highway slightly north of the day use area. I managed to get as far as the high lookout from where you got your first glimpse of the first Picklejar Lake, but there was no way I could have climbed down to the level of the lakes - and then back up the mountain side again, LOL. The trail from this point led across a rocky mountain side and down to lake level - and this can be dangerous. I believe we hiked about 9 km.

This was one of the wonderful rewards of our difficult mountain hike to Picklejar Lakes yesterday! The colour of these velvety-looking fungi was beautiful and some of them had clustered together into this amazing, almost flower-like grouping. Possibly Laccaria proxima?

I happened to notice one stem of this attractive White Angelica, growing along the edge of the highway when we were walking back to the car after our recent brutal Picklejar Lakes botanizing hike. I just happened to cross the highway a few moments before a couple of others, and then when the rest of the group met the highway, they walked on the far side of the road, so didn't pass this plant. I believe I have only ever seen this species once before. Needless to say, everyone else went back to see it : )

Landscape photography on an overcast day is never my favourite, but by the time I had finally reached this high point after a few hours of uphill hiking, I was determined I would not only take a photo but would post it no matter what, LOL! You can just see the western end of the first of four lakes. From this point on, the trail traversed a rocky mountain side - never my favourite to walk on - and I was just too exhausted to climb down to these lakes and then back up again before a few more hours of hiking down to the cars in the parking lot. The height gain from the beginning of the trail to the pass is 450 metres. LOL, just read the following words in Gillean Daffern's book, "Kananaskis: Country trail guide": ".... Shortly, the trail turns due north and you drag yourself up a hot, dry, shaley hillside to the pass". All was true (except, thankfully the "hot") and "drag" was a most appropriate word. I've also just read on some website a young guy's comment that this is a "short, easy hike". A good job I didn't read his comment before doing this hike : )