Two Flowery Fourth Outings

Colorado Columbine

Colorado blue columbine, Aquilegia coerulea, abundant near the beginning of the V Mountain trail

Golden Banner

Thermopsis rhombifolia, Golden Banner, abundant on the lower section of the V Mountain trail.

Wild Rose

WIld Rose, Rosa woodsii

Thimbleberry

Rubus parviflorus, Thimbleberry, abundant alongside the trail.

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The climb up V Mountain is fairly steep, and the day warm, as Keetna can attest.

Mountain Dandelion

Agoseris aurantiaca, Mountain Dandelion.

Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Penstemon strictus, Rocky Mountain Penstemon, abundant in this location, not too far from Geode Hill

Horned Lizard

Greater Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi), on Geode Hill

Scarlet gilia

Scarlet gilia, Ipomopsis aggregata

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Shooting Star, Dodecatheon pulchellum, on V Mountain near Pagosa Springs, CO

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At the beginning of our second hike of the weekend, at Poison Park, there are Polemonium foliosissimum , Leafy Jacobs ladder

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The SJOC gang walking past False Hellebore as we start the Poison Park-Hossick Creek hike.

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Subalpine Delphinium, Delphinium barbeyi (Larkspur). Lots of this along the Poison Park trail!

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Nodding Sunflower, Helianthella quinquenervis

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Wood's rose

Thimbleberry

Rubus parviflorus, Thimbleberry, quite abundant on this trail.

Mariposa Lily

Calochortus gunnisonii, Gunison's Sego Lily

Spotted Coralroot

Corallorhiza maculata, Spotted Corralroot, a little past its prime.

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Sue and Keetna, Joan looking on . It's hard to catch Keetna when she is not moving!

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Yes, there is some blow down on the Hossick trail. Fortunately, most of it was easy to go under, over or around.

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Jim striking a pose at the Hossick knob overlook

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View of the 12,000 ft peaks near the Continental Divide. This one apparently lacks a name.

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Orange Sneezeweed, on our return hike

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Blooms of False Hellebore, AKA Corn Lily, Veratrum tenuipetalum