[MooseAndSquirrel]

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good as far as the weather goes. Hey, you saw lots of the same stuff, what the hey. I've heard from a little bug in my ear (hopefully not a tick) that a National Enquirer-esque photo of the dufus, doofus, dofuss, doozy, dusey...will shortly be posted for everyone's mocking pleasure. Stay tuned.....

[JimK]

Nice photos. That really is a nice flower hike in the spring. Here is a little different feel. Last October it was 35 degrees, rain, sleet, and snow plus the larch were turning color. A different kind of beauty that day.

Iron Bear Larch

Iron Bear Clouds

[MooseAndSquirrel]

Hey you ripped off my shots man! I copywrote those, and I saw them first. I had dibs, I had dibs! I did like the way you turned the "Can you hear me now?" spokesman dweeb into a tiny red insect. That was a neat trick! Aren't you proud of me for getting Ballhead waterleaf right? You KNOW how much trouble I had remembering that darn plant name. Ballhead can't be right- I'm thinking of a photo tripod ballhead. Must be Bullmoose watercress (that's my first cousin once-removed...well, actually permanently by a hunter....) Maybe Balljoint waterlily, Ball Four Jim Bouton, Ballroom Dancing Leaf...ah nuts. Alan, I really like your Ponderosa triplets photo- I was concentrating nearer the ground and you captured a nice scene higher up! You are so right about too many darn trees and things getting in the way of photos- next time it's no more mister nice guy- out come the loppers.

[JimK]

Very nice photos Alan. That balsamroot shot gives a nice look at the snow conditions on Navaho and Little Navaho. The red bug is not one I ever remember seeing. I saw my first Tweedy Lewisia on that hike. I have been back to the same spot and never seen them there again. I did have a very nice spring day in 2002 to enjoy the flowers on that trail.

Hillside Flowers

[Allison]

Nice pix guys. Think there will be anything to see on Iron Peak around June 456, or will it be too late?

[Alan Bauer]

Ha, you hit most of the new names for that flower right on in that post---bravo for somehow remembering it right! The Ponderosa Pine Triplet image---funny thing about it? You were standing smack next to the biggest, closest one in the image while I was focusing on my shots higher up. I bet your head wasn't a foot out of my composition range on that one! You walked up as I was focusing in and I was gunna yell at you...but then realized you weren't 6'8" tall so I was OK JimK--thanks. And that vantage point really gives a great snow report for Navaho and Earl Peaks (and even Jolly Mountain, Elbow Peak, and likely Sasse Mtn farther west)! Snow is melted out fast this year. Very fast. Marylou---I have no clue what flowers will be like on Iron Peak then since we weren't anywhere near it. I would best bet guess it'll be fairly snow free up to the saddle, but then snow to the summit---more snow piles up there than Teanaway Ridge, higher elevation. No flowers at all hardly from the saddle onward, and that is where the best stuff is on that hike. From the 5600' saddle down to the trailhead? Oh sure, there will be lots of the typical teanaway early stuff.

[MooseAndSquirrel]

[Allison]

You think it would be worth it to do a one way from Beverly for more flower action? Where the heck were you guys? I was trying to find it on a map earlier!

[JimK]

ML, That's the weekend that the Mountaineers scramble class has it's final exam field trip in Bean Creek Basin. It will be on Saturday and Sunday. There will be cars filling the lot and parked down the road from the Beverly trailhead both days. Be early or head anywhere else in the valley.

[MooseAndSquirrel]

Yeah don't let some rogue Mountaineer outing try to spoil yer day! Invasive lunch spot tactics and rude cellphone behavior gives that fine organization a bad name.

[Allison]

Thanks. You think I'd be safe at the Iron Pk TH and/or the Esmerelda?Ingalls TH? Our Teeth of Spring thing is in the Teanaway that weekend, hopefully the bastards won't steal our campsite!

[RollingB]

As always you two post some great shots. Thanks

[Newt]

Sounds like you guys had a great time in a Botanical Garden. Sorry no Steerhead. It's way up on my list. Maybe next year. Nice photos.

[kleet]

If you two twits only knew where to look for Steerhead Dicentra...

[marta]

Great photos and trip report! I appreciate the update and I hope to get over that way soon. wanderin - Look up Hydrophyllum capitatum in your wildflower guides. You may be able to find it by the botanical name.