An ongoing record of wildflowers as they bloom, from Difficult campground on the west side of the Pass (8,100’) to Twin Lakes on the east (9,200’), and everything up to (and over) 14,000’!

click on the images below to read more, and click here to see the written checklist

AUGUST 2021

Featured
Good thistle
Good thistle
Groundsmoke!
Groundsmoke!
What's up, doc?
What's up, doc?
Ah-choo!
Ah-choo!
#1 scourge, delightful as it is
#1 scourge, delightful as it is
Pulling me softly
Pulling me softly
Smooth operator
Smooth operator
A bit of a stiff
A bit of a stiff
A world beater
A world beater
Next round of daisies
Next round of daisies
Grin and bear it
Grin and bear it
Twisted, in the best way
Twisted, in the best way
Black, bristly, and delicious
Black, bristly, and delicious
Maybe the worst thistle
Maybe the worst thistle
Not afraid of the dark
Not afraid of the dark
The nerve! (all three of them)
The nerve! (all three of them)
An invader in our midst
An invader in our midst
What are you doing at 11,500'?
What are you doing at 11,500'?
Another tall, serrated yellow fellow
Another tall, serrated yellow fellow
Pineapple, anyone?
Pineapple, anyone?
A new orchid!
A new orchid!
The tundra's final act
The tundra's final act
The crazy-making daisy
The crazy-making daisy
Decorating our roadsides
Decorating our roadsides
Our smallest saxifrage
Our smallest saxifrage
High arnica
High arnica
For your parking pleasure
For your parking pleasure
Rorippin' mustard
Rorippin' mustard
Autumn arrives early in the high country
Autumn arrives early in the high country

July 2021

Featured
To which kitten does this tail belong?
To which kitten does this tail belong?
With a name like curlycup gumweed . . .
With a name like curlycup gumweed . . .
Circumboreal
Circumboreal
Senecio atratus close-up roadside 10,300' 7.23.21.jpg
The Independence Pass mascot
Deep purple
Deep purple
Your roadside companion
Your roadside companion
Poisonous, especially when masting
Poisonous, especially when masting
A horny dude
A horny dude
Senecio sunshine
Senecio sunshine
A ragwort never looked so good
A ragwort never looked so good
Three families want this one
Three families want this one
A Rocky Mountain namesake
A Rocky Mountain namesake
The monarch's staple
The monarch's staple
A phlox on you!
A phlox on you!
What a ballhead
What a ballhead
An unpronounceable, nodding beauty
An unpronounceable, nodding beauty
A late summer star
A late summer star
Beautiful and delicious
Beautiful and delicious
Viviparous, indeed!
Viviparous, indeed!
Bottom of the ninth
Bottom of the ninth
Don't be fooled
Don't be fooled
Itsy bitsy
Itsy bitsy
Leave it to cleavers
Leave it to cleavers
Good guess, Carl, but . . .
Good guess, Carl, but . . .
Calling Luke Skywalker . . .
Calling Luke Skywalker . . .
Don't need no stinkin' sunshine
Don't need no stinkin' sunshine
The "Asters" are out!
The "Asters" are out!
Fuzzy wuzzy #2
Fuzzy wuzzy #2
Goldenrod granddaddy
Goldenrod granddaddy
A late bloomer
A late bloomer
Featured
Our best berry?
Our best berry?
How much trampling can a flower take?
How much trampling can a flower take?
How to wash a bear's mouth out with soap
How to wash a bear's mouth out with soap
Good thistle
Good thistle
Bring it on . . .
Bring it on . . .
You GOT this one!
You GOT this one!
Lily of the aspens
Lily of the aspens
Feel the burn
Feel the burn
Family feud
Family feud
A cut above
A cut above
Fish food, toilet paper, and self-serving, all in one!
Fish food, toilet paper, and self-serving, all in one!
Bashful, indeed!
Bashful, indeed!
HELLO . . .
HELLO . . .
Tricky tansymustards
Tricky tansymustards
What a random wander can reveal
What a random wander can reveal
A rarity
A rarity
Modesty in the name of the future
Modesty in the name of the future
Mickey #2
Mickey #2
Dandelion lookalike
Dandelion lookalike
Reindeer pollination
Reindeer pollination
Alpine angel
Alpine angel
Snaekobbi!
Snaekobbi!
Harboring no regrets
Harboring no regrets
Surprise!
Surprise!
Rare, imperiled, worthy of care
Rare, imperiled, worthy of care
Be proud, Coloradans!
Be proud, Coloradans!
Not a huge bind
Not a huge bind
Weirdly wonderful
Weirdly wonderful
Huckleberry hounds, unite!
Huckleberry hounds, unite!
A slender fella'
A slender fella'
Featured
A long-limbed star
A long-limbed star
Bucking for species status
Bucking for species status
The consummate babbling brook beauty
The consummate babbling brook beauty
Terrestrial dolphins
Terrestrial dolphins
Not just a pretty face
Not just a pretty face
A (non) ray of sunshine
A (non) ray of sunshine
Snow-white east side wonder
Snow-white east side wonder
She's a rambling man
She's a rambling man
Not just any LYF
Not just any LYF
A Colorado native who never left
A Colorado native who never left
There's gold in them thar hills
There's gold in them thar hills
The Scottish bluebell
The Scottish bluebell
Wet woods dweller
Wet woods dweller
Beautiful sandwort (if you can find me, that is!)
Beautiful sandwort (if you can find me, that is!)
Telltale turions
Telltale turions
Another hairy beast
Another hairy beast
Synching with cinquefoils
Synching with cinquefoils
Worst named flower?
Worst named flower?
A most golden weed
A most golden weed
Valerian #3
Valerian #3
The nerves!
The nerves!
Valerian #2
Valerian #2
Genus vs. Genus
Genus vs. Genus
Showiest in show
Showiest in show
The big fuzzy wuzzy
The big fuzzy wuzzy
Black hairs matter
Black hairs matter
Wood nymph-o-mania!
Wood nymph-o-mania!
Hostess with the worstest?
Hostess with the worstest?
Wormskjold, indeed!
Wormskjold, indeed!
Ranunculus redux
Ranunculus redux

June 2021

Featured
Rare & twisted
Rare & twisted
A first!
A first!
The elephants are here!
The elephants are here!
Death camas
Death camas
O-Tay, Buckwheat
O-Tay, Buckwheat
A perennial favorite
A perennial favorite
A work of art
A work of art
Follow the sun and the flies will come
Follow the sun and the flies will come
A crowning achievement
A crowning achievement
Daisy vs. fleabane
Daisy vs. fleabane
Dr. Parry scores another
Dr. Parry scores another
And another . . . .
And another . . . .
I'm a knee-bender
I'm a knee-bender
Pin cushion plant
Pin cushion plant
The cow's bane
The cow's bane
Sucking not recommended
Sucking not recommended
Satellite saxifrage
Satellite saxifrage
Whip's veneration
Whip's veneration
Go ahead, be crass
Go ahead, be crass
Featured
Welcome to the Royal Family
Welcome to the Royal Family
Sage advice
Sage advice
I'm my own buttercup
I'm my own buttercup
There's silver in them hills
There's silver in them hills
You needn't get bogged down
You needn't get bogged down
You won't find this in your lawn
You won't find this in your lawn
What's not to love about thistles?
What's not to love about thistles?
Lady of the evening
Lady of the evening
Mad for fours!
Mad for fours!
Rocky, sandy soil wanted
Rocky, sandy soil wanted
Don't take umber-age
Don't take umber-age
Green with envy
Green with envy
Another lousy wort
Another lousy wort
Hoary, not hairy
Hoary, not hairy
I am not a parasite
I am not a parasite
Break on through
Break on through
A (typically) late bloomer
A (typically) late bloomer
Things are looking rosy
Things are looking rosy
Yet another pygmy
Yet another pygmy
Three heads are better than one
Three heads are better than one
These red berries won't kill you
These red berries won't kill you
Common and little
Common and little
Elderberry wine, anyone?
Elderberry wine, anyone?
In the cross-hairs
In the cross-hairs
What's new, pussytoe?
What's new, pussytoe?
Yet another Senecio
Yet another Senecio
One in a million (or at least 30,000)
One in a million (or at least 30,000)
Here, kitty, kitty
Here, kitty, kitty
Boggling Boecheras
Boggling Boecheras
Featured
If this were your last summer in the mountains
If this were your last summer in the mountains
What a clown
What a clown
Friendly fire
Friendly fire
Naturalizing nicely
Naturalizing nicely
Why ciliate-margined petioles matter
Why ciliate-margined petioles matter
Triangles in nature
Triangles in nature
Baby blues
Baby blues
Shrub pride
Shrub pride
Oy, vetch!
Oy, vetch!
Seems a little early for yarrow, but . . .
Seems a little early for yarrow, but . . .
Red clover, red clover . . .
Red clover, red clover . . .
See me!
See me!
Climate change bellwether
Climate change bellwether
Another smelly beauty
Another smelly beauty
The white in red, white & blue
The white in red, white & blue
Purple jewel of the alpine
Purple jewel of the alpine
A higher brand of dandelion
A higher brand of dandelion
The leaves have it
The leaves have it
Fireworks!
Fireworks!
A little licorice, anyone?
A little licorice, anyone?
A pretty potentilla
A pretty potentilla
The most delicate Draba
The most delicate Draba
Pledge allegiance
Pledge allegiance
Kinnikinnik spelled backwards
Kinnikinnik spelled backwards
Pearly vs. Pussy
Pearly vs. Pussy
Skunks are beautiful
Skunks are beautiful
Bedding down for the summer
Bedding down for the summer
Meet me by the lake
Meet me by the lake
The mama bear of alpine parsleys
The mama bear of alpine parsleys
Featured
What's new, pussytoe?
What's new, pussytoe?
The alpine cinquefoil
The alpine cinquefoil
A hairy mess
A hairy mess
Difficult Drabas
Difficult Drabas
A Fall superstar
A Fall superstar
A Rocky Mountain regal
A Rocky Mountain regal
I could be 80 years old
I could be 80 years old
Alpine daisy
Alpine daisy
A pointed difference
A pointed difference
A culinary delight
A culinary delight
Looks good, smells good, tastes . . . well . . .
Looks good, smells good, tastes . . . well . . .
Fuzzy was he!
Fuzzy was he!
The abundance
The abundance
Narcissist!
Narcissist!
Smokin' soft
Smokin' soft
Pika produce
Pika produce
Bluebells abound
Bluebells abound
How low can you go?
How low can you go?
Peas mind where you're stepping
Peas mind where you're stepping
Lucky clovers
Lucky clovers
Good news: I smell a skunk!
Good news: I smell a skunk!
A rose is a rose is a . . .
A rose is a rose is a . . .
Worldly, indeed
Worldly, indeed
Tobacco's waning appeal
Tobacco's waning appeal
Pygmy bitterroot (yep, that's my name, alright)
Pygmy bitterroot (yep, that's my name, alright)
A woolly one
A woolly one
Social climber
Social climber
Drilling down on reproduction
Drilling down on reproduction
Painting a pretty picture
Painting a pretty picture
Little white berries enjoyed by no one
Little white berries enjoyed by no one
Featured
Welcome to the wonderful world of cinquefoils (and good luck to you)
Welcome to the wonderful world of cinquefoils (and good luck to you)
Good morning, evening-primrose!
Good morning, evening-primrose!
Pollinators need not apply
Pollinators need not apply
Eat your peas!
Eat your peas!
Wondrous creation
Wondrous creation
Goodbye, snow, hello, Marsh marigolds!
Goodbye, snow, hello, Marsh marigolds!
A marigold's best friend
A marigold's best friend
Sufferin' saxifrage!
Sufferin' saxifrage!
Yellow to the west, lavender to the east
Yellow to the west, lavender to the east
Never to be forgotten
Never to be forgotten
Smelowskia--say it out loud!
Smelowskia--say it out loud!
Big Daddy Dandelion
Big Daddy Dandelion
Patience pays
Patience pays
Carpe diem embodied
Carpe diem embodied
The chokes on you
The chokes on you
(Don't) call a medic!
(Don't) call a medic!
Exactly WHICH yellow daisy is this?
Exactly WHICH yellow daisy is this?
Waiting for the wolves
Waiting for the wolves
The current currant
The current currant
Fireworks!
Fireworks!
Erigeron compositus Grottos Wall 9,600' 6.2.21.jpg
This daisy doesn't like to be pigeon-holed
First orchid of 2021
First orchid of 2021
King of the genera
King of the genera
A pointilist paintbrush
A pointilist paintbrush
This could be the bane of your existence
This could be the bane of your existence
A flower looking for a family
A flower looking for a family
All things bright and beautiful
All things bright and beautiful
Stars of the forest
Stars of the forest
Good day, sunshine
Good day, sunshine

may 2021

Featured
Define "beauty"
Define "beauty"
Word of the day: "cleistogamous"
Word of the day: "cleistogamous"
Shiny, beautiful things
Shiny, beautiful things
Number two of three wild blueberries
Number two of three wild blueberries
Bursting with abundance
Bursting with abundance
I am not a sham
I am not a sham
Precious few wild blueberries
Precious few wild blueberries
Visualize whirled peas
Visualize whirled peas
Pussytoe vs. Pussytoe
Pussytoe vs. Pussytoe
Packing in the Packeras
Packing in the Packeras
Cultivating appreciation
Cultivating appreciation
Bigger ain't alway better
Bigger ain't alway better
Berry yummy!
Berry yummy!
What's in a weed?
What's in a weed?
A slender fella
A slender fella
A beary important berry
A beary important berry
With a name like "ragwort" . . .
With a name like "ragwort" . . .
First daisy of the year
First daisy of the year
A purple, white, sometimes lavender harlequin
A purple, white, sometimes lavender harlequin
Frog-inspired
Frog-inspired
A weed? Maybe not . . .
A weed? Maybe not . . .
A dandy, indeed
A dandy, indeed
Get low
Get low
An early evergreen
An early evergreen
A hairy problem
A hairy problem
How good are your eyes?
How good are your eyes?
Dozens of flowers in one
Dozens of flowers in one
Look for me low to high
Look for me low to high
Singin' the blues!
Singin' the blues!
First wildflower of 2021!
First wildflower of 2021!

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.        — ed abbey

QUE TUS SENDEROS SEAN TORCIDOS, SINUOSOS, SOLITARIOS, PELIGROSOS, QUE CONDUZCAN A LAS VISTAS MÁS ASOMBROSAS. — ED ABBEY