An ongoing record of wildflowers as they bloom, from Difficult campground on the west side of the Pass (8,100’) to Twin Lakes on the east (9,200’), and everything up to (and over) 14,000’!

click on the images below to read more, and click here to see the written checklist

Featured
The King of Funk
The King of Funk
Another awesome thistle
Another awesome thistle
The red huckleberry
The red huckleberry
Not exactly bay-side
Not exactly bay-side
Damaged goods welcome
Damaged goods welcome
Entirely sticky
Entirely sticky
The giant of the louseworts
The giant of the louseworts
And yet another . . .
And yet another . . .
Featured
And another . . .
And another . . .
An invasive, dang it
An invasive, dang it
Maybe the most noxious of all
Maybe the most noxious of all
2022 abundance!
2022 abundance!
Mind the sheep
Mind the sheep
The low-lying geranium
The low-lying geranium
Another east sider
Another east sider
Twin Lakes varietal
Twin Lakes varietal
Twin Lakes beauty
Twin Lakes beauty
Lupine finally!
Lupine finally!
All about four
All about four
Stalking the stemless
Stalking the stemless
Oh so osha
Oh so osha
A seed-making monster
A seed-making monster
Don't be fooled
Don't be fooled
Pulling me softly
Pulling me softly
The only white, water buttercup
The only white, water buttercup
The nerve! (all three of them)
The nerve! (all three of them)
An invader in our midst
An invader in our midst
Our smallest gentian
Our smallest gentian
Late summer orchid
Late summer orchid
The tundra's final act
The tundra's final act
Genus vs. genus
Genus vs. genus
A late summer star
A late summer star
A Rocky Mountain namesake
A Rocky Mountain namesake
Decorating our roadsides
Decorating our roadsides
The crazy-making daisy
The crazy-making daisy
A bit of a stiff
A bit of a stiff
Featured
Needn't make you bitter
Needn't make you bitter
Douglas the polygonist
Douglas the polygonist
O-tay, Buckwheat!
O-tay, Buckwheat!
The nerve(s)!
The nerve(s)!
Dandelion lookalike
Dandelion lookalike
Featured
Another fuzzy wuzzy
Another fuzzy wuzzy
Osha-light
Osha-light
Let's be blunt
Let's be blunt
Our most widespread orchid
Our most widespread orchid
Greenland's national flower
Greenland's national flower
The end is nigh
The end is nigh
A tall bedraggled fella
A tall bedraggled fella
A slender fella
A slender fella
Three families want this one
Three families want this one
Your late July roadside companion
Your late July roadside companion
Hostess with the leastest?
Hostess with the leastest?
A Draba question mark
A Draba question mark
First dragonhead on the Pass
First dragonhead on the Pass
Three heads are better than one
Three heads are better than one
Telltale turions . . . or no?
Telltale turions . . . or no?
A phlox on you!
A phlox on you!
The wide-mouthed one
The wide-mouthed one
The asters are out!
The asters are out!
A late-blooming daisy
A late-blooming daisy
A nodding, unpronounceable beauty
A nodding, unpronounceable beauty
Autumn arrives early in the high country
Autumn arrives early in the high country
Indy Pass mascot
Indy Pass mascot
Deep purple
Deep purple
Precious few
Precious few
Family feud
Family feud
How much trampling can a flower take?
How much trampling can a flower take?
Carl's favorite
Carl's favorite
A wet woods dweller
A wet woods dweller
A bashful fella
A bashful fella
Featured
Bring it on!
Bring it on!
Grandaddy goldenrod
Grandaddy goldenrod
Leave it to cleavers
Leave it to cleavers
Circumboreal
Circumboreal
And another . . .
And another . . .
Lakeside hemlock
Lakeside hemlock
The higher goldenrod
The higher goldenrod
Terrestrial dolphins
Terrestrial dolphins
Viviparous, indeed!
Viviparous, indeed!
Modesty in the name of the future
Modesty in the name of the future
A cut above
A cut above
Good guess, Carl, but . . .
Good guess, Carl, but . . .
Alpine ragwort's smaller variant
Alpine ragwort's smaller variant
The other fuzzy alpine cinquefoil
The other fuzzy alpine cinquefoil
Rare & twisted
Rare & twisted
A first!
A first!
There's gold in them thar hills
There's gold in them thar hills
Weirdly wonderful
Weirdly wonderful
Harbour no regrets
Harbour no regrets
Be proud, Coloradans!
Be proud, Coloradans!
Reindeer pollination
Reindeer pollination
Senecio sunshine
Senecio sunshine
Ah-choo!
Ah-choo!
A ragwort never looked so good
A ragwort never looked so good
Boggling Boecheras
Boggling Boecheras
Gangly Gayophytum
Gangly Gayophytum
A crowning achievement
A crowning achievement
Yet another senecio
Yet another senecio
Mickey #2
Mickey #2
Featured
A (non) ray of sunshine
A (non) ray of sunshine
A rare delight
A rare delight
Fish food, toilet paper, and self-serving all in one
Fish food, toilet paper, and self-serving all in one
For your parking pleasure
For your parking pleasure
The next round of daisies
The next round of daisies
An even bigger clown
An even bigger clown
Naturalizing nicely
Naturalizing nicely
Beautiful sandwort (if you can find me!)
Beautiful sandwort (if you can find me!)
Angelic carrot
Angelic carrot
A world beater
A world beater
Don't call a medic!
Don't call a medic!
Not a huge bind
Not a huge bind
Good thistle!
Good thistle!
Lily of the Aspens
Lily of the Aspens
The runt of the (lovely) litter
The runt of the (lovely) litter
The Scottish bluebell
The Scottish bluebell
Itsy-bitsy
Itsy-bitsy
Wood nymph-o-mania!
Wood nymph-o-mania!
Satellite saxifrage
Satellite saxifrage
A beefier draba
A beefier draba
Alpine delight
Alpine delight
A higher (lower) brand of dandelion
A higher (lower) brand of dandelion
Colorado's own
Colorado's own
A most golden weed
A most golden weed
Beautiful and delicious
Beautiful and delicious
She's a rambling man
She's a rambling man
Another hairy beast
Another hairy beast
What a ballhead
What a ballhead
Daisy vs. fleabane
Daisy vs. fleabane
Featured
The daintier meadowrue
The daintier meadowrue
A long-limbed star
A long-limbed star
Welcome to the royal family
Welcome to the royal family
You got this one!
You got this one!
Aspen vs. Showy
Aspen vs. Showy
Calling Luke Skywalker
Calling Luke Skywalker
Friendly fire
Friendly fire
This is a knee-bender
This is a knee-bender
Our smallest saxifrage
Our smallest saxifrage
The good kind of spots
The good kind of spots
Red runners, red runners
Red runners, red runners
The big fuzzy wuzzy
The big fuzzy wuzzy
A deadly beauty
A deadly beauty
Go ahead, be crass
Go ahead, be crass
A little licorice, anyone?
A little licorice, anyone?
Finally the fairy slipper!
Finally the fairy slipper!
Wind River draba
Wind River draba
Difficult drabas
Difficult drabas
The leaves have it
The leaves have it
Our best berry?
Our best berry?
Wormskjold makes his mark
Wormskjold makes his mark
Arnica #2
Arnica #2
Lady of the Evening
Lady of the Evening
You needn't get bogged down
You needn't get bogged down
I am not a parasite
I am not a parasite
Featured
Another lousy wort
Another lousy wort
Tricky tansymustards
Tricky tansymustards
The abundance
The abundance
Breathe deep
Breathe deep
A thistle to love
A thistle to love
Not a lawn dweller
Not a lawn dweller
Ain't no sunshine (needed)
Ain't no sunshine (needed)
Feel the burn
Feel the burn
Black hairs matter
Black hairs matter
The elephants have arrived!
The elephants have arrived!
Satellite saxifrage
Satellite saxifrage
Whip's veneration
Whip's veneration
The cow's bane
The cow's bane
A Colorado native who never left
A Colorado native who never left
Baby blues
Baby blues
Eat but don't touch (?)
Eat but don't touch (?)
Not just a pretty face
Not just a pretty face
Worst named flower?
Worst named flower?
Green with envy
Green with envy
Triangles in nature?
Triangles in nature?
Pledge allegiance
Pledge allegiance
Seems a little early, but . . .
Seems a little early, but . . .
Oy, vetch!
Oy, vetch!
What a clown
What a clown
Short life but many offspring
Short life but many offspring
Things are looking rosy
Things are looking rosy
Another pygmy
Another pygmy
Don't take umber-age
Don't take umber-age
Bedding down for the summer
Bedding down for the summer
Featured
Little and/or common
Little and/or common
Here, kitty, kitty!
Here, kitty, kitty!
Break on through
Break on through
As good as the real thing
As good as the real thing
See me!
See me!
Skunks are beautiful!
Skunks are beautiful!
East side white wonder
East side white wonder
Another smelly beauty
Another smelly beauty
How a flat top became rosier
How a flat top became rosier
Colorado goodness
Colorado goodness
Serious science vs. mickey mouse
Serious science vs. mickey mouse
Alp lily
Alp lily
Huckleberry hounds, unite!
Huckleberry hounds, unite!
Climate change bellwether
Climate change bellwether
These berries won't kill you
These berries won't kill you
The white in red, white & blue
The white in red, white & blue
The most delicate draba
The most delicate draba
Bluebells abound
Bluebells abound
A most inelegant name
A most inelegant name
Tobacco's waning appeal
Tobacco's waning appeal
It's official: it's invasive and bees love it
It's official: it's invasive and bees love it
The shrinking snapdragons
The shrinking snapdragons
Your lower roadside companion
Your lower roadside companion
A work of art
A work of art
Pin cushion
Pin cushion
Drilling down on reproduction
Drilling down on reproduction
Featured
Rocky Mountain Regal
Rocky Mountain Regal
Red clover, red clover . . .
Red clover, red clover . . .
The shrubby one
The shrubby one
Alpine cinquefoil
Alpine cinquefoil
Down, girl
Down, girl
A hairy beast
A hairy beast
In the cross hairs
In the cross hairs
A pretty potentilla
A pretty potentilla
Meet me by the lake
Meet me by the lake
Fuzzy, wasn't he?
Fuzzy, wasn't he?
Looks good, smells good, tastes . . . well . . .
Looks good, smells good, tastes . . . well . . .
A culinary delight
A culinary delight
Narcissim on display
Narcissim on display
Happy to smell a skunk
Happy to smell a skunk
At home in the great white north
At home in the great white north
Berry unappetizing
Berry unappetizing
A wonder of creation
A wonder of creation
Patience pays
Patience pays
Another daisy for your delight
Another daisy for your delight
A rare find
A rare find
A crowning achievement
A crowning achievement
Purple jewel of the alpine
Purple jewel of the alpine
Hoary, not Hairy
Hoary, not Hairy
Lucky clovers
Lucky clovers
Our fuzzy alpine daisy
Our fuzzy alpine daisy
Mr. Parry scores another
Mr. Parry scores another
Yellow lupine?
Yellow lupine?
The choke's on you
The choke's on you
Peas be careful where you step
Peas be careful where you step
It's all about the leaves
It's all about the leaves
Featured
Let the Draba games begin!
Let the Draba games begin!
Follow the sun and the flies will follow
Follow the sun and the flies will follow
First wild blueberry
First wild blueberry
O-tay, Buckwheat
O-tay, Buckwheat
My old man
My old man
Smokin' soft
Smokin' soft
The elegant one
The elegant one
Kinnikinnik spelled backwards
Kinnikinnik spelled backwards
The east side's favorite daisy
The east side's favorite daisy
Packing in the Packeras
Packing in the Packeras
Ugly? Not!
Ugly? Not!
Fireworks on their way!
Fireworks on their way!
Mama bear of parsleys
Mama bear of parsleys
A rose is a rose is a . . . (?)
A rose is a rose is a . . . (?)
A social climber
A social climber
Pika produce
Pika produce
Best name ever
Best name ever
Never to be forgotten
Never to be forgotten
Sufferin' saxifrage!
Sufferin' saxifrage!
Carpe diem!
Carpe diem!
Big daddy dandelion(s)
Big daddy dandelion(s)
A pointilist paintbrush
A pointilist paintbrush
Bursting with abundance
Bursting with abundance
What makes a wildflower a weed?
What makes a wildflower a weed?
In a daze
In a daze
How low can you go
How low can you go
This daisy doesn't like to be pigeon-holed
This daisy doesn't like to be pigeon-holed
Berry yummy!
Berry yummy!
Beauty subjective
Beauty subjective
Visualize whirled peas
Visualize whirled peas

may 2022

Featured
Cinquefoil #2
Cinquefoil #2
Yellow to the west, lavender to the east
Yellow to the west, lavender to the east
Berry uncertain
Berry uncertain
Orphan #2
Orphan #2
Let me paint you the scene . . .
Let me paint you the scene . . .
Give it a nod
Give it a nod
Waiting for the wolves
Waiting for the wolves
Stars of the forest
Stars of the forest
In search of family
In search of family
I am not a sham
I am not a sham
A frog's best friend
A frog's best friend
A slender fella
A slender fella
A woolly one
A woolly one
Featured
A perennial favorite
A perennial favorite
Elderberry wine, anyone?
Elderberry wine, anyone?
A marigold's best friend
A marigold's best friend
Goodbye snow, hello marigolds!
Goodbye snow, hello marigolds!
Word of the day: "cleistogamous"
Word of the day: "cleistogamous"
Shiny, beautiful things
Shiny, beautiful things
Dozens of flowers in one
Dozens of flowers in one
Free eye test
Free eye test
The first of three
The first of three
Look for me high and low (and hard)
Look for me high and low (and hard)
Multi-colored harlequin
Multi-colored harlequin
The first of many (daisies)
The first of many (daisies)
Pollinators need not apply
Pollinators need not apply
A beary important berry
A beary important berry
A hairy problem
A hairy problem
Bigger isn't always better
Bigger isn't always better
These fireworks don't happen every year
These fireworks don't happen every year
Visualize whirled peas
Visualize whirled peas
Cultivating appreciation
Cultivating appreciation
All things bright and beautiful
All things bright and beautiful
Good day sunshine
Good day sunshine
This could be the bane of your existence
This could be the bane of your existence
How low can you go?
How low can you go?
With a name like "ragwort" . . .
With a name like "ragwort" . . .
Cat fights
Cat fights
One tuft candy
One tuft candy
Evergreen (and yellow and red)
Evergreen (and yellow and red)
(Not) singin' the blues
(Not) singin' the blues
What a dandy
What a dandy
First wildflower of 2022!
First wildflower of 2022!

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.        — ed abbey