I recently joined a group of native plant enthusiasts for a hike up Lookout Mountain near Mt. Hood in north-central Oregon. Mid-summer wildflowers were plentiful, and being with others much more versed in what to look for and what we found was great fun.
Using a macro lens, I focused mostly on wildflowers, but of course a few birds and other wildlife caught my attention. This butterfly (right), and a companion, below), were spending time on an arrow-leaved groundsel (in the Aster family).
Mountain Chickadee at our lunch spot on the mountain top (left). Butterflies on flowers near the top of Lookout Mountain (near left).
Thank you to Ron Klump, our leader from the Suksdorfia chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society, and to the WNPS and Portland chapter of the Native Plant Society of Oregon for organizing these hikes.
Penstemon
Dwarf Bramble
Phlox
Lupine
Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder
Fleabane
Fleabane
Lupine
Shootingstar
Fleabane
Elephant's Head
Skyrocket
Mariposa Lily
Elephant's Head
The view from the top of Lookout Mountain was spectacular in all directions. To the south we could see Mt. Jefferson and others toward the Three Sisters, west of us was Mt. Hood, and to the north Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Adams were all visible.
Mt. Jefferson, Three Sisters and Friends
Mt. Hood
Mt. St. Helens
