In late June, I went to Tacoma, Washington to visit my daughter. I love this area. The stark, rugged profile of the Cascades is awe-inspiring. Mt. Rainier is a behemoth among mountains, dwarfing all the other peaks and showing off her ever-present dome of snow. In contrast, the Olympics remind me of a more rugged, younger version of our beloved Appalachians, before the forces of time eroded their jagged edges into the softer ridges found today.
Wilderness options galore!
Last summer, Bernie and I camped and hiked at Mt. Adams, followed by a backpacking trip to the Enchanted Valley in Olympic National Park. In 2017, we hiked the PCT and other trails near Mt. Hood. This was at the same time that surrounding areas were experiencing not only soaring temperatures, but also the unrelenting fury of wildfires along the Cascades.
The Pacific Northwest boasts an array of scenic vistas and diverse habitats to explore. Washington State has a variety of public lands, with three national parks and nine national forests. Add in wildlife refuges, scenic and conservation areas and national monuments. What more could one want?
Wildflowers of the Hood Canal
On this trip, we did a few short hikes in the Hood Canal area of the Olympic Peninsula, while taking my grand-dogs on their inaugural camping trip.
My daughter adopted a bonded pair of 18 month- old brother and sister Great Danes. I promptly fell in love with the majestic pups!
Here is one of the most common wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest- common foxglove. It is incredibly prolific, presenting in large clumps and towering over other herbaceous plants. Foxglove has a showy raceme of brightly colored, spotted, tubular flowers that are beloved by pollinators.
Another frequent sighting is Bleeding Heart, with a delicate, pale pink sac dangling from the stem. You can see two of the Eastern species of Dicentra here for comparison https://hikescape.org/i-like-big-blooms-theyve-sprung-at-big-ivy/
Salal is a shrub used for ornamental, medicinal and agricultural purposes by the First Nations people of the Northwest regions. Its berries shine like bright jewels in the damp and dense thickets where it is found.
I was excited to see the Spotted Coralroot Orchid in bloom. After finding the first beauty, we easily located others along the trail.
Western Lupine is lovely and widespread. Lupines always reminds me of Monty Python and the Holy Grail: http://www.montypython.net/scripts/dennism.php
Deep Creek and Noble Knob
Next up was a hike in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, heading up Deep Creek toward Noble Knob. The forest road leading to the upper junction to Noble Knob trail was closed due to wildfire damage. We walked among burned, fallen trees and scorched earth, along with areas where the understory is recovering. Some areas showed little to no impact from fire.
The creek flowed across moss-covered fallen trees and slick rocks. I was so grateful to experience this solitude and beauty. It was a slice of Washington State heaven!
We left the cool temperatures and rushing sounds of the creek behind, and climbed up the drier switchbacks, with fire resistant wildflowers popping up along the trail.
Here’s always the bizarrely colorful Candystick, which is almost alien-like in appearance. https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/allotropa_virgata.shtml
Both penstemon (aka Beard Tongue) and paintbrush can be found in the Appalachians as well- a touch of native plants away from home!
As we ascended, the views along the ridgeline were beautiful, and below us was a steep drop off over the rocky edge. It was one of the warmer days during my trip- most of the time, I wore a jacket.
The Western lilies had not yet opened, but an insect bored a hole into the tightly closed petal, revealing a glimpse of the speckled interior.
Delicate beauties…
A frequent wildflower in the Pacific Northwest is Twinflower, which is actually a shrub. It grows in dense mats, sporting these pendulous, pink-paired flowers. If you are planning a trip to this area, a good native plant resource is “Plants of the Pacific Northwest” by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon.
Another Appalachian relative is the Pipsissewa, which is has much larger flowers and leaves in the Cascades and Olympics. I love how the pink hues of the flower are reflected and deepened in the stem.
As I wrapped up this trip, the list of future wildflower habitats to visit grew exponentially, and I am already planning the best time and locations for more orchid sightings. While it is always good to return home, part of my heart will always remain in Washington State- for at least as long as my daughter lives there!
So long and Happy Trails to you! I look forward to more time on the trail.
