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Trophy Meadows, Wells Gray Provincial Park, B.C.
Waiting for alpine lichen season to begin is challenging, but Jason and I have been spending the past month adventuring around Idaho, Washington, and north-central B.C. My favorite by far has been the Trophy Meadows in in the Upper Clearwater area of B.C.. Purely enchanting.
Looking northeast from the upper part of Trophy Meadows.
The upper Trophy meadows and a magical tarn. The ridge behind the tarn is where are the alpine lichens are found.Dactylina arctica! My first encounter with these lovely tube alpine / arctic lichens. They’re usually found in the Rocky Mountains, so we won’t be seeing them for alpine field work for another few years, which is a shame cause my oh my they are compelling!Pseudephebe pubescens. A classic arctic/alpine lichen.A Steereocaulon, don’t ask me to guess species on the fly, this genus is a challenging one. Sometimes tufts of hair are found near the microscope of someone keying them out, head hair, human head hair in tufts. Yes, they can be that challenging.Growing on the ground? Bushy? Blackened bits? That means its Alectoria ochreleuca! These lichens form lovely eye catching mats in the alpine.Loving time! … That could be taken so many ways — loving the time, or time for loving. Both meanings apply in this case.Gentian glauca. Yes, the blue in this photograph is accurate. Striking, eh?Alpine waterfall cascades. From far away I thought these were seasonal waterfalls, with white deposits streaking the rock. But as I approached, their rushing wild song told me otherwise long before my eyes glimpsed their surreal beauty.
