Wildflower updates, 2007

[Brent Doerzman]

Very nice Jesse!! What a perfect bunch of flowers! Pretty amazing seeing the rebirth of a place like that, isn't it? I need to get down there again!

[Jesse Speer]

It IS amazing. I went back and looked at your trip report recently. You'd really enjoy the resurgence of life there - especially around the streams. You should try some before/after shots ...

[Mel Ladewig]

White Ranunculus and a few other alpine plants are flowering in RMNP up to treeline.

[Gale Rainwater]

Hey guys when is a good general time frame date for wildflowers in yankee boy basin?
Thanks Gale

[Paul E. Martin]

Gale,

It varies a little from year to year depending on snowpack, but generally anytime from mid July to the end of July is a safe bet. With the warm temps, it could be on the early side, but I usually go up during the last couple of weeks in July.
Paul

[Gale Rainwater]

Paul Thanks
This one is on my to do list. I have never been there. If you have any shots from there I would be glad to see them.
Gale

[Kalin Wilson]

Jack (or anyone in the San Juans),
Any idea how things are shaping up for wildflowers around Ouray? I'm planning a week for photography either the week of 16 July or 22 July. In 2005 I went up to Yankee Boy about the 16th of July. It was good but hadn't quite hit peak. Any reason to expect the snow levels to change the season dates?

[Chris Rice]

I did a hike on Sunday up to King Lake, up and over to Skyscraper Reservoir (all from the Hessie t/h), and the wildflowers were starting to bloom. In some areas they were dense, with definite photographic potential. Beware though, the trail is still swampy and muddy in the lower elevations, and further on up there is still alot of snow. Gong to be awhile before it all dries out, but the meadows are fixing to explode with all sorts of color in a few weeks.

[Mike McCombs]

Hello! First time poster here. I have been back and forth between Rabbit Ears Pass and Estes Park in the past few weeks and have seen quite a few high mountain flowers starting to appear above treeline.

On Trail Ridge, you'll find some good early season variety of tundra flowers but it seems like it is slightly behind this year. By the Fourth of July it should be great!

[Joshua Hardin]

I was in RMNP on Saturday and several lupine and what appeared to be purple penstemons on the road to Bear Lake. There was some chiming bells and paintbrush along the river on the trail to Dream Lake. Up on Trail Ridge there were a couple alpine sunflowers and some sky pilot at the Forest Canyon Overlook but they were not prolific. Sky pilot is pictured above.