Boulder Subalpine Wildflower/Wildlife Alert!

If you have forgotten water lilies floating
On a dark lake among mountains in the afternoon shade,
If you have forgotten their wet, sleepy fragrance,
Then you can return and not be afraid.

But if you remember, then turn away forever
To the plains and the prairies where pools are far apart,
There you will not come at dusk on closing water lilies,
And the shadow of mountains will not fall on your heart.

                                                         Water Lilies -Sara Teasdale

The snowbanks have just about  melted in Boulder’s Indian Peaks Wilderness area. The Indian Peaks and glaciers are named (from left/south to north/right) Navajo Peak, Navajo Glacier, Apache Peak, Isabelle Glacier, Shoshoni Peak, Pawnee Pass, Pawnee Peak, Mt. Toll, Paiute Peak and Mt. Audubon. Brainard Lake at 10,300 ft/3100m above sea level is in the foreground…

Indian Peaks Vista Captured 27 July 6:45am 2010 @ 40.07753,-105.572498 (Brainard Lake)

Soon the snow will retreat to the glaciers.  High Country wildflowers have a brief time to attract pollinators before the cold returns setting the stage for a competitive display of  vibrant subalpine color. I took a short hike (about .5mi/.8km) on the Jean Lunning Trail  to capture this multi-hued show…

Rocky Mountain High Flowers Captured 15 July 11:40am 2010 @ 40.074049,-105.587604

Here are some shots of the flowery palette…

Bistort (Bistorta bistortoides) Hosts Pollinator

Scarlet Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)

Sulphur Paintbrush (Castilleja suphurea)

Elephant Head (Pedicularis groenlandica)

Here’s why it’s called Elephant Head…

Why Elephant Head?

Saffron Groundsel (Packera corcata)

Showy Daisy (Erigeron speciosus)

Parry Primrose (primula parryi)

I soon discovered that I was not the only one appreciating the foliage as this moose came into view…

Bullwinkle J. Moose (Alces alces)

I also encountered this male pine grosbeak…

Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)

Not all the snow has melted making Mandy one happy hot dog…

Mountain Mandy (Canis chilloutis)

Before returning home we stopped at Red Rock Lake to catch a glimpse of these lilies of the aquatic type…

Red Rock Lake Pond Lilies (nuphar polysepala)

This view would have stopped Claude Monet in his treks…

Les Nénuphars

I got my feet wet to bring you this closeup…

Water Lily Mugshot