Plateau Traverse

Just spent a couple of days doing the 27 km Forbidden Plateau traverse, from Wood Mountain (the former site of the Forbidden Plateau ski lodge) to Paradise Meadows. Travelling at a naturalist's pace, we hiked to Douglas & McKenzie Lakes to camp one night, then the next day past Johnston & Panther Lakes to the Paradise Meadows trailhead.

Copperbush (Cladothamnus pyroliflorus) was blooming abundantly along the first part of the trail.

Pine white butterfly (Neophasia menapia) on Sitka valerian

Queen's cup (Clintonia uniflora), a flower more common at lower elevations.

Almost a century of history & stories behind the old Plateau signage.

When you see a sign with an arrow that says 'Viewpoint' - don't pass it by! Castlecrag Mountain is in the centre of the photo, with Mt. Albert Edward & Mt. Regan to the right.

The Comox Glacier from the viewpoint.

Douglas & McKenzie Lakes from the viewpoint, with logged areas visible outside of Strathcona Park , and Mt. Washington in the background.

Camp at McKenzie Lake

Meadows filled with great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)

Some interesting species in the meadows around the lakes - above: one-sided wintergreen (Pyrola secunda), below: round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) showing its tiny white flowers.

Abundant dragonflies, hunting the 'terrible trio' of camp pests: mosquitoes, black flies, and 'no-see-ums' (biting midges)!

Pacific tree frogs were calling in the evening.

Occasionally in the timber sections along the trail were saprophytes such as pinesap (Hypopitys monotropa),above, and flowers such as tiger lily (Lilium columbianum) below.

Old BC Parks signage

White rhododendron (Rhododendron albiflorum), very fragrant, were still in full bloom on the western part of the trek. Some pink & white mountain heathers were still blooming here near Panther Lake, although they were finished eastward.

Some of the prettiest meadows north of Panther Lake.

Narrow-leaved cotton-grass (Eriophorum angustifolium) & white bog-orchid (Platanthera dilatata) in the meadows.

Mount Elma from the south, with meadows of arnica (Arnica latifolia), pink mountain heather (Phyllodoce empetriformis), and lupine (Lupinus arcticus).