Tom McCall Preserve, April 15, 2023
Today was the second of my volunteer naturalist days at the Preserve. I hiked the plateau trail, finding many groups of small flowered blue eyed Marys, some yellow bells still blooming, gold stars and sticky geraniums; there were buttercups and a few Nuttall’s larkspurs. Then I hiked up the McCall Point trail, finding grass widows still in bloom the higher I went. The peak is at 1762 feet. There were great areas full of glacier lilies and Columbia Desert parsley. Unfortunately I developed plantar fasciitis in my left heel and had to stop at about 1500 feet, then hobble back down the trail. The balsamroot are beginning to bloom, though the heart of the bloom is still a couple of weeks away. Lots of lance leaf spring beauties up higher on the hillside. Sometime when I am healthy again, I will go up again, hopefully on a clear day and get views of Mt Hood and Mt Adams; didn’t get those today.
Yellow bell in a checkered form
Glacier Lily
Ballhead waterleaf; check out the geometric patterns before it fully blooms
Popcorn flower
Patch of small flowered blue eyed Mary
Lance leaf spring beauty
Nuttall’s larkspur
