Spring in late July! The Snowy Range fieldtrip to Wyoming

Silene acaulis

I have a bad habit of going to other places when the Colorado Rockies are in Superbloom. In this case, I was nearly a week in northern Wyoming in late June and almost two weeks in California up to last week...although the Medicine Bow (Snowy Mountains) are technically in Wyoming (just barely) they shared Colorado's explosive bloom this year. July 26 is pretty late to see alpine flowers--but the deep snows delayed quite a few choice plants--these were all blooming on our field trip last Saturday!

Silene acaulis

Moss Campion is of course widespread and circumboreal. But seeing these stunning cushions in full bloom is worth it!

Silene acaulis

Wouldn't this look lovely in your rock garden?

Phlox pulvinata

I was pretty sure this wouldn't be blooming: WRONG! Of course, the masses of it around the Observation Tower were long gone, but we found some in a chilly hollow a quarter mile or so down the slope. I love the icy blue color of the petals!                                                                                                

Phlox pulvinata

These smell heavenly!

Caltha leptosepala

There were masses of Marsh Marigolds around a little tarn--including a few that are IN the pond!

Allium brevistylum

A high point for me was finding this stunning onion--which grew in the greatest abundance I've ever seen in this species. I have seen it thriving in Yampa River Botanic Park--would it would do so for me!

Anticlea (Zygadenus) elegans

A particularly compact and cute form of Death Camas: mine is blooming at home riht now-- much taller and less appealing...

             

Pentemon whippleanus

There were masses of this Southwest of the Observation Tower: I was charmed by the lavender blue color of the corollas--this all over the west in a garden--it would be pretty impressive (varying from nearly black to near yellow, and a dizzy range of maroons, near reds and even gray!

Mertensia brevistyla

I-Naturalist named this for me: hope it's right!

Viola vallicola

Viola nuttallii in the Great Plains morphs into this at altitude. I'll buy that!

Erythronium grandiflorum

I was shocked to see glacier lilies still in bloom at altitude (some even still in bud!)

Aquilegia coerulea

But the kicker was finding these masses of Colorado Columbine, looking so lush!

Aquilegia coerulea

It was worth the drive just to find this massive clump of Columbine!

Picnicking rock gardeners

I was struck that our field trip of a dozen or so alpine plant lovers perched on rocks, just as the plant we love perch on our rock gardens: performance art at its best!