Meager Columbia Gorge Wildflower Season?
The Oregonian’s Terry Richard says he found the Columbia Gorge wildflower season to be a bit meager this year. He has high hopes for the Dog Mountain hike, as do I; I’m headed there next week to try to catch the peak bloom.
Anybody else have experiences to relate? What’s your impression of the flower season this year?
Dog Mountain Flower Report
Every year about this time, one of the most popular hikes around is to the top of Dog Mountain. That’s because the whole top of the mountain is a big meadow covered in wildflowers, the most conspicuous being balsamroot:
Now, imagine about a million of those blooming all at one, 3,000 feet above the Columbia River. That’s Dog Mountain at peak wildflower bloom.
In fact, you don’t have to imagine it at all. Here’s a shot from a few years back:
And that wasn’t even at peak bloom!
Well, it’s getting time for Dog Mountain in 2012. According to this report on PortlandHikers.org (thanks, TrailMom!), the summit meadows are about two weeks away, but the action is going strong on the way up.
So get your legs ready; it’s getting to be time for the wildflower show on Dog Mountain.