[Karen]

I'm pretty tired from a long day and drive to Cowiche Canyon so there will be some typos, more than usual so bear with me. This seems to be a good time for flowers along this trail -- we saw many we couldn't identify but saw buckwheat, penstemon, phlox (showy and spreading), lomatium, larkspur, locoweed, balsalmroot, desert parsley, many, many more. We hiked the main trail from Weikel Road to bridge number 8, then hiked the Uplands Trail, a new stretch of trail put together by the Conservancy. It gains about 200 feet from the junction. Nice views. Even more flowers. So many flowers that one field guide was not enough and there were many we weren't certain we could name, not to mention the numerous shrubs near the creek. No rattlesnakes. Back to the junction and then we hiked to bridge No. 11 -- through a bower or Nootka roses and other shrubs. More columnar basalt, cottonwoods. The air was sweet with sage, Nootka rose and other flowers. It was like being in a Walt Disney movie. Back at the trailhead just as we approached the car we heard a sound that scared the crap out of us -- it turned out to be two braying burros in a nearby yard. Then we looked for the east trailhead on Cowiche Canyon Road and found it but more interesting than finding the trailhead was coming across an ancient flume over the road. God only knows what is holding this leaking concoction together -- but it was quite a sight to behold. It looks like it could fall down anytime. Took both the digital camera and the SLR (for close up flower photos). Will scan in some of the prints later in hopes of getting some help from you identifying flowers. We hiked about 6 miles round-trip, only about 400 feet gain but we truly dawdled. We were having too much fun to even call it a hike, there was so much stuff to look at and photograph. And we heard crickets, the first time this year. Karen

Cowiche Canyon

Uplands Overlook, Cowiche Canyon

This old flume looks like it's going to collapse any day

[GeoHiker]

Nice TR, you could have at least parked the fancy car under the flume and got a good pic of it getting crushed!........

[kleet]

Nice TR, Karen. Please do post more pics. I did this one early last year but didn't come across the flume - I'll have to look for that next time.

[Karen]

I picked up the prints from yesterday's hike to Cowiche Canyon/Uplands. Mostly took flower photos and am having a hard time identifying the white flower and the shrub. Anyone recognize these? Also, I believe the purple flowers are sand penstemon -- if I am wrong, enlighten me. My ego is not involved in this, I just find the field guides at times more confusing than helpful. Took a few more flume photos but they aren't any better than what I have posted. Got a note from a friend this morning who has seen it and called it an aquaduct. Excuse my ignorance but is a flume the same thing as an aquaduct? Whatever it is, it is very old and just plain looks hazardous. An accident waiting to happen. By the way, I meant to acknowledge the great driving directions provided by Alan Bauer/Dan Nelson in the "Desert Hikes" for finding this place. Thanks! Karen

I don't know the name of this shrub. Anyone?

I can't identify this one.

Am I right?

[marta]

The white flower is large-flowered Collomia Collomia grandiflora. Here is another picture from WSU. I don't think the penstemon is sand penstemon. Penstemons are tough and I had a hard time identifying this. But I think it is Gairdener's Penstemon Penstemon gairdneri. Here is a link to the WNPS plant list for Cowiche Canyon. It lists Gairdener's but not Sand (Penstemon accuminatus). I have no idea what the shrub is.

[Allison]

The shrub looks a lot like either False Solomon's Seal, but it could be a near relative. It's close, but the leaves are a tiny bit different and the flowers on SS droop. Crazy, I used to see tons of False Solomon's Seal as a kid, but never see it any more.

[Quark]

Sure you do, ML. You must be mistaking it for something else; it doesn't look quite like the thing in Karen's photo. Unless I'm mistaking it...there's a lot of starry fss getting ready to bloom. Saw them today, and LUPINE blooms too!

[Allison]

Get OUT!! I think being sick for three weeks almost is making me hallucinate....what I'd give for a good restful night's sleep right about now. I may be spending 12+ hours a day in bed, but I'm sure as hell not getting any sleep! EDIT: See, it's pretty close....

[marta]

You must be hallucinating. Karen's shrub doesn't look anything like fss. The leaves are glossy and leathery versus thin lance-like with ribs. Fss flowers are hanging bells shaped versus rose-like on an inflorecense. The stems look stiff and almost woody. BTW, have you tried Sleepytime Tea with Valarian? It helps to get to sleep.

[Karen]

Marta, Thanks for your expertise on the flowers. As for the shrub, I should have mentioned that there are lots of them growing near the stream and that some of these shrubs (trees?) are dense AND tall, up to 6-8 feet in heighth. I wish I had taken more photos because the one I present here is one where the flowers have only partially opened. Now, of course, I can't remember the details of the flowers that were more fully in bloom. Karen ML Have you tried Melotonin? I swear by it.

[Rich Baldwin]

Karen, do you suppose the shrub is a chokecherry? The leaves and racemes look about right. Take a look at this web page and view the different photos on the bottom.

[Rich Baldwin]

Marylou, I think your photo might be of twisted stalk. Twisted stalk has little bell-shaped flowers, one per leaf, hanging below the branch. False solomon's seal has its flowers at the tip of the stems.

[marta]

Rich, I think that is the shrub. Especially from those last two pictures. And it is listed on the WNPS list for Cowiche Canyon.

[Karen]

Rich and Marta, Yes, that's it. It's chokecherry without a doubt. Thank you! Karen