New Website

The new Strathcona Wilderness Institute website has been launched! Blog posts as well as background info will now all be available at www.strathconapark.org Check the latest post here!

First Rain

The first sprinkles of rain in more than seven weeks fell at Paradise Meadows yesterday - but luckily not till after the photo walk with Chris Carter. In fact overcast days are great for photographing many subjects as this example shows.

Rich colours & textures are enhanced in the diffused light.

Numerous king gentian and leafy aster are flowering in the meadows right now. There is a good patch of northern bedstraw blooming on the east Centennial trail, and still a lot of orchids, cottongrass, & Menzies' burnet. Sitka burnet & partridgefoot are mostly finished.

A blue heron was reported in the meadow ponds, an unusual occurrence , although it also happened last year.

Among the many visitors were a group of Junior Rangers from Tahsis & Port Hardy, enjoying several days of activities around the Park.

Photos in Paradise

Join nature photographer Chris Carter tomorrow at 1 p.m. for a photo walk around Paradise Meadows , looking for photo opportunities & compositions. Chris is known for his panoramas including the one featured on the interpretive signs on the deck of the Wilderness Centre.

 

 

More of Chris' work can be found on his website , viewed in person at the Centre, or the Comox Valley Art Gallery Shop.

New Volunteer

Strathcona Wilderness Institute is happy to have a new volunteer, all the way from Germany! Eduard Fischer will be assisting at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre several days a week, along with our other volunteer staff. Eduard is studying Conservation & Land-Use Planning at the University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg, and has previously volunteered in the Comox Valley, for MARS and Millard-Piercy Watershed Stewards. He is fluent in English, German & Russian, and is learning Swedish - so stop in to the Centre to say hi in any language!

Fog & Flowers

The road up the hill was socked in with fog all day , and the cloud cover only slightly higher at the Centre elevation of 1100 m, so the views of the alpine mountains were hidden. However still a lot of visitors , and a good audience for the Limnology talk & walk by CV Nature president Loys Maingon.

The latest blooms include king gentian (a month earlier than last year!) and one example of  ladies' tresses. A few new plants were discovered around the Centre also, as some of the weedier species take hold in the disturbed areas around the building & the trailhead.

A tall plant with delicate flowers, this white sweet-clover (Melilotus alba) is growing near the Centre entrance.

Tiny purple-leaved willowherb (Epilobium ciliatum) is growing in the picnic area - a relative of fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) which is also found at the trailhead.

And a great photo of mountain arnica growing in Piggott Creek (which flows out of Lake Helen Mackenzie) was sent by one of the regular Paradise Meadows hikers - thanks to Chris for the photo!

Birds & Blooms

Saturday was a busy day at Paradise Meadows with several activites appealing to hikers & naturalists. Members of Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS) came up to give two talks: first on Whiskey Jacks; then on owls. The first talk featured the friendly camp robbers which many people like to feed, but which should only be eating their natural food such as seeds & berries. The Wilderness Centre is displaying several posters highlighting appropriate interaction with these active birds. The second talk  featured MARS  Barred Owl Shakespear, who was  rehabilitated after an accident. The owl is now an educational ambassador since she cannot be released back into the wild due to loss of an eye.

The bird presentations attracted a great audience of all ages especially when Shakespear was presented.

 Bryony Griffiths of MARS with Shakespear

MARS mandate, to conserve & protect native wildlife & its natural habitat through education & rehabilitation, is an excellent & worthwhile cause - hopefully many of those who attended the presentations will continue to support the society's efforts. 

The regular Saturday 10 a.m. naturalist walks around the meadows are continuing, with the basic ecology interpretation about Paradise Meadows supplemented with notes on the particular flowers blooming. Although many of the blooms are tiny, they are appealing to photographers!

Changes & Updates

A few changes in the program schedule of Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre activities:

• Sat. Aug. 18, 1 p.m: Bryony Griffiths from MARS (Mountainnaire Avian Rescue Society) will bring Shakespear the Barred Owl rather than Otus the Western Screech Owl, who has a date in Smithers.

• 9 hr. Level 3 Hike to Johnston & Panther Lakes: changed from Sat. Sept. 1 to Sat. Sept. 15, start time 8 a.m. Please pre-register at coordinator@strathconapark.org to attend.

• 10 hr. Level 3 Hike to Moat Lake: changed from Sat. Sept. 8 to Sat. Sept. 22, start time 8 a.m.  Please pre-register at coordinator@strathconapark.org to attend.

Other programs remain the same, & there may be additional programs offered in September, so please continue to check the Google calendar at the bottom of the page for details.

Recent trail updates from a couple of sources: Bedwell conditions on Club Tread; and Flower Ridge from Ron Otsu's blog Outdoor Solitude. (also check out his amazing photos!)

 At Paradise Meadows, contractors will be repairing some sections of the boardwalk within the next couple of weeks.

And final news, the Comox District Mountaineering Club just did the classic 27 km traverse of Forbidden Plateau: report here.

Hike to Croteau

As a preview to the guided hike on Saturday, I did the trek to Croteau Lake via Battleship Lake & returned via the Lake Helen Mackenzie loop. The trails are all in great shape & the weather was (and will continue to be) excellent.

Getting beyond Paradise Meadows is a chance to see some flowers that aren't found in the meadows area, but are more typical in the woods & rocky bluffs heading for the lakes & the Plateau beyond.

Battleship Lake from the south

Red paintbrush at lookout east of Lady Lake

Mt Elma view from Croteau Lake

Davidson's penstemon at Croteau Lake

Mt Allan Brooks from island in Lake Helen Mackenzie

Copperbush along Lake Helen Mackenzie north shore trail

Saturday's hike with naturalist Robin Harrison starts at the Wilderness Centre at 9 a.m.  - it should be an easy pace, about 6 hrs. total, with lots of time to look at flowers.

Further Fauna

A couple of visitors have reported seeing salamanders with gills in the meadows ponds & lakes. After a bit of research on E-Fauna BC, it seems likely that these are the neotenic form of the Northwestern Salamander . The neotenic adult lives in water  and retains its gills. Thanks to these reports, I have learned something new!

Numerous pollinating insects are active in the meadows right now. Bees are around of course, this one on a subalpine daisy.
 

Menzies' burnet is starting to bloom & looks like it will be quite abundant this year. This is not a bee but a syrphid fly on a bloom that is just emerging.

This butterfly, a purplish copper , was feeding on a fully blooming Menzies' burnet, in the same location where I photographed the same thing last year!

Lost, Found, & Info

So far this season has been good for lost & found items - not a lot reported or turned in, with some successful reunions already to date.

A phone was reported lost near Cruikshank Canyon lookout a few days ago - please contact coordinator@strathconapark.org if found , to reunite with its owner.

Number one found item this year is sunglasses - we have several pairs, including a pair of prescription lenses in metal frames, left on the camp registration box a couple of days ago. Other items include several odd gloves, including a right-hand black Thinsulate - probably from the winter; a small key (perhaps to a lock); and a couple items of kids clothing - a child's black Nike hoodie, again from just a couple of days ago,  and girl's blue tye-dye hoodie. Please contact us at coordinator@strathconapark.org to reclaim any items.

Trails & campsites in the Paradise Meadows & Forbidden Plateau area are all reported in great condition. Several recent threads on Club Tread are discussing areas of Strathcona Park: Mt Jutland, Kwai Lake, Mt Albert Edward, and the Bedwell area. 

A report was forwarded by Gerry Roberts, volunteer host at Buttle Lake Info Hut:  "On the east side of Buttle Lake trails, there are snow patches at about 1500 m and a lot more snow than usual at higher elevations. Possibly because last summer's snow did not melt before it was covered with new snow. The route through Augerpoint to Albert Edward is in good condition."

Nature Closeup

Another beautiful day at Paradise Meadows, so after the hike to Croteau Lake departed, I was able to do a couple of nature walks around the boardwalk. There is something new to notice on every excursion - the second time around, many details & closeups caught my eye.

White bog-orchid (Platanthera dilatata)

Right now many of the blooms in the meadows are small, and white - but all have intricate flowers, once you get close up for the details.

Fringed grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia fimbriata)

Sometime the white flowers are pink or purplish - such as the sticky false asphodel , when not quite fully open.

And sometimes the pink/purplish flowers are white - such as the sickletop lousewort (usually pink in the meadows).

The tiny white spider-like flowers of the fern-leaved goldthread are long finished, but the seed pods are just as unusual.

Not all of the little gems of the meadows are flora - other small species can also be discovered. One of the benches along the boardwalk is at a sharp bend of Paradise Creek, where there is a great pool for viewing trout (henceforth to be called Trout Bend).  Apparently these are adults, although only about 6" long.

Gardeners in the Meadows

A great tour around Paradise Meadows with the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners - we took about 3 hours to cover the 3.8 km boardwalk loop which is about the right pace for looking at plants! Notable right now are subalpine daisy, Sitka burnet, Indian hellebore, bracted lousewort & sickletop lousewort.


The outing was a chance to try the new Paradise Meadows interpretive map & the on-line flower identification guide. Both are works in progress, being developed thanks to funding received from Mountain Equipment Co-op, to develop a script & map to guide interpretive nature walks. The information will be adapted for electronic media as well as eventually made available in a print form.

Deer-cabbage (Fauria crista-galli)

White clustered flowers, rounded leaves

 Sticky false asphodel (Tofieldia glutinosa)

White clustered flowers, long thin leaves

Many white clustered blooms in the meadows right now are a challenge to identify, and the flower guide should be helpful to sort them out. Click here to start exploring the guide for flowers - it will continue to evolve, but feedback is welcome in the meantime!

Indian hellebore (Veratrum viride)

Greenish clustered flowers, tall, lily-like leaves

Walks, Talks & Hikes in Paradise

A busy weekend coming up at the Wilderness Centre, with nature walks, talks & hikes. Friday morning, a group of Vancouver Island Master Gardeners will go on a tour around Paradise Meadows, looking at the native plants & subalpine ecology. On Saturday the 11th at 10 a.m. will be the next Meadows Interpretive Nature Walk for the public -  anyone visiting is welcome to just drop-in & come along around the boardwalk.

Also on Saturday is the next Level 2 Hike - Tim Penney of the Comox District Mountaineering Club is guiding an 18 km, 6-7 hr. hike, to Croteau Lake with an extension to Ball Lake lookout. Tim is also an excellent photographer - some of his work can be seen here. If you plan to attend please pre-register: coordinator@strathconapark.org

On Sunday, Alana Buchanan of the Marmot Recovery Centre at Mt. Washington will give a Nature Talk which will appeal to all ages - “Marvelous Marmots: Fun, Fact & Fiction”. This talk is a chance to see behind the scenes of the Recovery Centre: what the facility looks like, how it runs, and what they do with the captive marmots. The presentation will be indoors at the Wilderness Centre.
SWI programs are free, although donations are always  appreciated to support the operations of the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre.

Super Hot

The BC Day long weekend is traditionally the busiest for visitors at Paradise Meadows, and this year was also the hottest weekend of the season! The temperature was reading 30 degrees in the shade outside the Centre. Visitors came from several countries but the majority stopping into the Centre were from BC: notably other areas of Vancouver Island (both north & south) and from nearby islands.

Mt. Alexandra seen from the Wilderness Centre

Lots of hikers went up Mt. Albert Edward as well - no difficulties or full campsites were reported.  In fact the Lake Helen Mackenzie campsite was reported to be only 1/3 occupied. Several hikers were going to the Cruikshank Canyon lookout & the trail was reported to be mostly free of snow.

Five-leaved Bramble (Rubus pedatus)

The berries are small & were not usually collected by coastal indigenous people.

It might have been too hot for the Saturday hike up Mt. Allan Brooks, but the ethnobotany talk on Sunday was well attended & enjoyed by a wide range of ages. Alison Maingon of Comox Valley Nature gave an excellent indoor talk for about 40 minutes followed by a 2 + hr. walkabout around the boardwalk.

Sitka Burnet (Sanguisorba canadensis)

Several new plants signs were placed out in the meadows, and a few brought in, as some flowers were finished blooming. Globeflower, marsh marigold, fern-leaved goldthread and bog-laurel are finished, and the heathers and shootingstar are past their peak in the meadows. Now there is an abundance of subalpine daisy, sticky false asphodel, and Sitka valerian in the meadows, with Drummond's cinquefoil, Sitka burnet, common butterwort, sickletop lousewort and narrow-leaved cottongrass underway. Orchids are blooming and we found a few northern starflower and five-leaved bramble. A flower I hadn't noticed before in the meadows is the third lousewort there: bird's-beak lousewort.

Bird's-beak Lousewort (Pedicularis ornithorhyncha)

The Latin species name is very descriptive: 'ornitho'=bird; 'rhynchus'=beak

A Hairy Woodpecker was making lots of noise on some snags but was too quick to photograph well. Steller's Jays have also been rather noisy lately. Hikers reported goldeneye, which nest in the subalpine, on Battleship Lake. Salamanders were reported in the lakes but not enough information to identify exactly.

Hairy Woodpecker

The wheelchair was appreciated by several visitors this weekend including a 99-years-young grandmother visiting with her family. Hikers appreciate the water available at the Centre also, especially on this hot weekend. Donations for water bottle refills are always welcome, as Strathcona Wilderness Institute pays for all utilities at the Wilderness Centre (including water).

Donations in general are welcome! as the Centre is entirely staffed by volunteers for SWI - our mandate is to provide information and inspire appreciation for Strathcona Provincial Park.

BC Day Weekend Outdoors

Why not spend the upcoming BC Day long weekend in the beautiful BC outdoors? Strathcona Wilderness Institute has weekend programs coming up, all starting from the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre.

View from summit of Mt Allan Brooks

On Saturday August 4, naturalists Heather & Rolf Kellerhals will guide a hike to Mt. Allan Brooks. Starting at 9 a.m., this is a strenuous eight-hour hike to a mountain named for Major Allan Cyril Brooks, noted ornithologist & artist; and Allan Cecil Brooks (Jr), biologist & teacher. Pre-register at coordinator@strathconapark.org

Indian Hellebore- a plant respected by all indigenous peoples

On Sunday August 5 at 1 pm, Alison Maingon, retired archaeologist and member of Comox Valley Nature, will give a talk & walk titled “Ethnobotany in Paradise Meadows”. The outing will be an introduction to some of our native plants and their uses. Last year her talk was standing room only!

A new program for August is a regular weekly interpretive walk around Paradise Meadows. Every Saturday, the Wilderness Centre Naturalist will guide an interpretive walk around the boardwalk for anyone who drops by – just meet at 10 a.m. at the Centre.

SWI programs are free, although a donation of $5 –10 is appreciated to help with the Institute’s ongoing activities.

Summer Flowers

The next wave of summer flowers is blooming at Paradise Meadows.

Sub-alpine daisy comes out earlier in the season than its almost-identical twin, the leafy aster. The daisy has 30-80 outer petals while the aster typically has 15-60. The daisy has one flower per stem while the aster often has several.

Among the yellow flowers of the subalpine, arrow-leaved groundsel is easily recognized by its large triangular leaves.

 The little partridgefoot is worth a close look for its delicate flowers & leaves (branched like a partridges' foot)

 Queen's cup is blooming near the trailhead, at a location I haven't seen before.

Easily overlooked, alpine speedwell adds tiny spots of violet colour to the subalpine.

Strathcona West Side Updates

Updates received this weekend via Gerry Roberts, volunteer operator of the Buttle Info Hut for Strathcona Wilderness Institute:

Flower Ridge
July 25th. Large blow-down after about 4.5kms, difficult to get over. An unknown person has flagged a route around the roots take care to remember the route for coming back down. Small area at start of alpine clear of snow; snow starts before the first high point and is almost solid from then on.

Bedwell Lake
On July 26-27 to Bedwell Lake. Ran into snow just before Baby Bedwell and then had much more on the east side of Baby Bedwell on the ascent up to Bedwell. Continued with on and off snow along the east side of Bedwell with 2 stream crossings that required fords in the late afternoon on a sunny day (able to hop across on rocks the following morning when in a cool fog bank).
The tent platforms were melted out at Bedwell.

Tennant Lake/Mount Myra
The East Tennant Creek bridge is more or less intact. There is some damage to the railings on the up hill end and a section of broken railing has been replaced with rope. One note that might amuse you is that there are warning signs at Tennant Lake: "No diving in the dam" and "Do not walk across spillway". The water level in the dam is quite high and water is running across the spillway, maybe only about a half inch or so, not enough to get wet feet.. The spillway wall is about a foot wide and is not slippery.
The trail to Tennant is fine, just one big fallen tree a bit past the trail head, the same one that was there last year. However, there is a way around it. No difficulties. The platform at Tennant Lake is clear. There are patches of snow beyond Tennant on the way to Sandbag Lake. If you know the trail, it is easy to find. Sandbag Lake is pretty well still frozen over but the creek is running well so lots of drinking water. There are a few dry camping areas near Sandbag.
The route to Myra is mainly snow covered as is the route to Thelwood.

Thanks also to Pam for the updates on the East Tennant Creek bridge conditions!

Wildlife & Wildflower Weekend

A busy weekend at Paradise Meadows! with visitors, wildlife and a couple of nature programs.  Visitors to the Centre came from Japan, Singapore, Holland, Denmark, Ireland & Germany. A couple of visitors borrowed the wheelchair with FreeWheel attachment for exploring the boardwalk - after fixing the difficulties encountered on the first attempt, the second group successfully enjoyed the use of the chair. Andrew Pape-Salmon of the Vancouver Island Spine Trail Association brought up brochures & the latest newsletter of that society.

Black-tailed Deer

Several Black-tailed Deer were browsing by the roadside on the way up the hill in the morning, and a couple more at the end of the day on the way down. The last report of a Black Bear around the meadows was on July 19. Whiskey Jacks appear more numerous this year around the Centre - as with any wildlife, they should not be fed by humans - especially not junk food (i.e. white bread) which is no better for them than it is for people.

A frequent question is why there are no garbage containers outside the Centre - the first answer is in order to not attract wildlife (not just bears, but birds & mice) which can quickly learn unwanted behaviour. The second answer to the garbage question is of course a basic 'Leave No Trace' principle of wilderness ethics - 'pack it in, pack it out' ! This applies to doggie bags as well - perhaps the dogs could be trained to 'pack it out'?

Dwarf nagoonberry

The hike around the Lake Helen Mackenzie loop was enjoyed by several participants , a couple of whom extended the outing with a foray to search for a reported glacier lily (found at higher elevations) - alas this turned out to be a tiger lily, which makes much more sense.

The Lichen Nature Walk group however did find an unexpected plant - a dwarf nagoonberry (Rubus arcticus , probably ssp. acaulis) This shrub is not indicated as being found on Vancouver Island in  Pojar & MacKinnon's Plants of Coastal BC, but is on Hans Roemer's list of Plants of Paradise Meadows.  Thanks to Loys Maingon for the photo!

Weekend Choices

With a great sunny weekend forecast, it's going to be difficult to choose what to do outdoors - even at Paradise Meadows, when there will be two nature outings on Sunday July 29.

At 10 a.m. join Mandy Vaughan of  Comox Valley Nature for an easy 3-4 hr. hike around the Battleship Lake/Helen Mackenzie loop, about 8 km. Mandy is very knowledgeable about plants & birds so bring your binoculars!

Stunted trees of the sub-alpine

At 1 p.m. will be a leisurely Nature Walk suitable for all ages, with forester Margaret Symon focusing on lichens, trees, and the sub-alpine ecosystem. The walk will be a couple hours around the boardwalk.

For all activities: dress for the weather, wear proper footwear, bring lunch or snacks, plenty of water, bug spray and sun protection. No pets please on Strathcona Wilderness Institute guided nature walks & hikes.  SWI programs are free, although a donation of $5 –10 is appreciated to help with the Institute’s ongoing activities. All SWI activities start at the Wilderness Centre at the Paradise Meadows trailhead. 

Request for Updates

We received a request for an update on the condition of the bridge over East Tennant Creek on the Mt. Myra trail.  Apparently last summer there was some damage on the uphill side but the bridge (pipeline crossing) was still usable. Please comment below if you have updated info!

A Memorable Weekend

Parks Day at Paradise Meadows yesterday was a great day in spite of the partly cloudy weather! Displays by Comox Valley Ground Search & Rescue, Comox District Mountaineering Club, Friends of Strathcona and Island Alpine Guides attracted quite a few people to chat & learn more about these worthwhile groups, each with a great interest in Strathcona Park, as well as about Strathcona Wilderness Institute itself, which manages the Wilderness Centre.

Artist Brian Buckrell gave an excellent painting demo, getting a substantial start on two paintings. Brian has a painting entered in the Art for the Estuary fundraising & awareness campaign coordinated by Comox Valley Project Watershed, and many in the Comox Valley already own one of his beautiful pieces.

The chocolate cake at noon was a highlight of course & disappeared too quickly! Thanks to Thrifty Foods for donating the excellent cake, and thanks to BC Parks for providing further funding towards the day.

As a result of input yesterday, Search & Rescue are advising that people who would like to fill out a trip plan at the Centre, should leave the bright yellow form clearly visible on their vehicle dashboard - that way it is easy to spot vehicles to which hikers have not returned. Another suggestion was that the Centre display one of their wheelchairs fitted with a FreeWheel,  so that visitors know that these are available to borrow. Three wheelchairs and a child stroller are downstairs at the Centre, available at any time. Visitors can also borrow other items such as a dog leash, bear bells or umbrella - which would have been useful today!

The clouds of yesterday turned into a deluge by noon today , but many hikers were still visiting the Park. A couple of noteworthy visitors were Briony Penn from Saltspring, and some of her family - Briony is a noted environmental educator, author & naturalist.

And for the very first time, a wedding was completed at the Wilderness Centre! Many people were sheltering from the rain today, but one group needed a dry place to put the final signatures onto their registry - thereby becoming officially married inside the Centre. The background view of Mt Albert Edward was obscured by cloud but the group did not seem to mind. A memorable first for the Centre! and the sun came out by the late afternoon, so a happy ending for all.

Parks Day Tomorrow

Strathcona Wilderness Institute invites the public to celebrate Canada’s Parks Day on Saturday July 21, at the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre at the Paradise Meadows trailhead in Strathcona Park. The Centre, adjacent to Mt. Washington’s Raven (Nordic) Lodge, is open 9 a.m-4 p.m. daily for park and trail information thanks to volunteers for the Institute.

Parks Day is a day to celebrate and support parks and nature, to re-engage with our natural heritage to ensure that parks are protected for future generations to enjoy. Strathcona Park has a special significance as BC’s first Provincial Park, and the largest on Vancouver Island.

On Saturday July 21 you can browse information and displays from the Comox District Mountaineering Club, Friends of Strathcona Park,  Comox Valley Ground Search & Rescue, and Island Alpine Guides. There will be a nature walk in the Meadows at 10 a.m., and a special cake at noon generously provided by Thrifty Foods Courtenay.

At 1 p.m. join acclaimed artist Brian Buckrell for a ‘Plein Air’ demonstration in acrylics. Brian’s work includes many scenes of the Park and can be previewed at www.brianbuckrell.com

Also featured is SWI director Lindsay Elms’ new book, available for sale at the Centre. ‘Above the Bush: a Century of Climbing on Vancouver Island’ was written to commemorate the centenary of the Alpine Club of Canada's Vancouver Island Section. More information is at www.lindsayelms.ca 

SWI programs are free although donations are always appreciated. For more information on the SWI activities at Paradise Meadows check the calendar at the bottom of this blog.

Change to Nature Walk

A change in the Nature Walk schedule: the Lichen Walk with Margaret Symon will be on Sunday July 29 at 1 p.m. (rather than Sunday July 22) This is a popular outing suitable for all ages.

A couple of interesting facts about lichens: Did you know that the height of the lichens on the tree trunks can be considered an indicator of the average snow depth in the winter? Also, lichens are sensitive to air pollution, so an abundance of lichens indicates clean air.

Come to the July 29 walk to learn more interesting facts!

Weekend Updates from Buttle

Updates from the Buttle Lake area trails:

Reported on Saturday July 14, 2012
Philips Ridge and beyond: All areas snow covered with large dangerous ice cornices on descents from Philips Ridge to Carter Lake and the Schjelderup Lake routes on to Burman Lake. The party of two returned after four days and did not make it to the Golden Hinde. Of the two, though both well equipped only one was experienced, he thought that the risk was too high should he get hurt. They had planned to exit via the Elk River Trail but returned to the mine.
They then found a ride to the Elk River trail and hiked in to the Elk River Pass and spent two enjoyable days in that area and visited Landslide Lake; they had no difficulty fording the Elk River.

 
Bedwell Lake to Cream Lake:  Whole route snow covered, not difficult but care needed, it was nice to have crampons and ice axes on the steeper sections, care to avoid sink holes needed.


Reported on Sunday July 15, 2012
Crest Mountain Trail:  Ice on lake breaking up but summit plateau covered by snow.


New directional sign on the post with the small arrow at the first switchback, where the FOSP temporary trail joins coming from Mud Lake; a larger sign "CREST MOUNTAIN TRAIL" with a large directional arrow. This point has been a frequent problem to many European visitors.

Twelve Days of Summer

Twelve days & counting....of hot sunny weather at Paradise Meadows, in spite of a bit of cloud & wind this morning which soon disappeared, giving spectacular views of the mountains.

Photographer Chris Carter tipped us off to this great photo-op as the clouds cleared to reveal Mt. Brooks, Mt. Albert Edward, Mt. Regan & Jutland Mountain with arctic lupine in the foreground. Chris came up to deliver a beautiful panorama of the meadows in autumn which is now on display inside the Centre.

The latest flowers include mountain arnica and Sitka valerian, with  partridgefoot and white rhododendron just about to burst into bloom.  

With the hot dry weather the marsh marigold is almost past its peak in much of the meadows, although it is still abundant in the wetter areas.

The boardwalk is free of snow, and the Battleship Lake/Helen Mackenzie loop has just a couple of snow patches with some wet & muddy sections where the snow has recently melted. The tent platforms at Lake Helen Mackenzie are clear . Beyond Helen Mackenzie there is still a fair bit of snow, although many hikers have been going farther out, so there may be footprints to follow even if the trail is not visible. Much snow is melting every day so conditions are changing quickly.

Ridge Trails Info

Gerry Roberts at Buttle Info Hut received the following note about trail conditions:

"Tuesday July 10 -- FLOWER RIDGE first encounter of snow at1000m but still easily manageable following rock markers. Between 1m & 2m of snow al the way along the exposed ridge.

Sunday July 8 -- PHILIPS RIDGE snow well into the trees before the sub-alpine. Difficult to locate Arnica Lake finally found frozen and under more than half a metre of melt water. Lots of snow in area and completely covered up onto Philips Ridge between 1m & 2m."

All updates are appreciated!

Latest Blooms

Another beautiful day at Paradise Meadows! We installed some plant signs today, in preparation for the Spring Plant & Bird Walk on Sunday July 15 at 1 p.m with expert naturalist Betty Brooks.

The newest blooms (not all have signs):
white mountain-heather
deer-cabbage
three-leaved goldthread
arctic lupine
early blue violet
false azalea
Alaskan blueberry
oval-leaved blueberry
black huckleberry
American wintercress (by the amphitheatre)

 False azalea (or false huckleberry): the bell-shaped flowers look like a huckleberry, but the leaves are quite different - they appear in clusters. There are good examples of this shrub at the very first zigzag part of the Paradise Meadows trail.

 A good example of globeflower, alongside the marsh marigold: the main thing to notice is that the leaves are quite different, with the globeflower having segmented leaves while the marigold has rounded leaves. The flowers are also somewhat different ( in the meadows anyway) when seen side-by-side: the globeflower petals are much wider forming a full cup shape.

A preview of birds for Sunday's walk also: this female sooty grouse was by the side of the road, along with a couple of chicks that were too fast for the camera!

I will be placing a few more plant signs on Saturday, starting about 1 p.m. from the Centre  - anyone who wants to come along is welcome!