May 27, 2011

Blooming in the Wild

The high desert of the Wild Mountain area is in its early spring bloom. The photo above is a panorama taken from 8600 feet, looking down on Diamond Plateau with Split Mountain in the background just to the right of center.
Springbeauty carpeted the ground at 7500 feet.  This flower is one of the first to bloom after the snow melts.
We also saw phlox,
bluebells,
Nuttall's violets,
and balsamroot.
On the hillsides at around 8000 feet, barrel cactus offered unexpected beauty.
Beetles took advantage of its nourishment.
Amost back to our trailhead, we saw this group of young bucks, apparently a bachelor herd.  Their velvety antlers are growing.   The one on the right seems to have only one antler.  I wonder if the lady deer will scorn him for being lopsided...

16 comments:

  1. Those mountain flowers must be hardy organisms.
    I wonder if the young one-horned buck is actually an asymmetric unicorn??

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  2. I like the barrel cactus the best. At 8000' I am surprised it has bloomed so early. I am at a little over 100' and my barrel cactus have a bunch of buds but they have not opened yet.

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  3. I love all of the spring flowers in your area --and I love seeing the deer.. BUT--that panorama of the Diamond Plateau and Split Mountain (which really is split, isn't it?) is marvelous.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  4. Wow, a lot of beautiful flowers up very high and great panoramas.

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  5. The flowers on the mountain are beautiful -- and they don't have to be tended! I hope the young buck will be able to find a young lady even if he is lopsided. I love your panorama shot.

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  6. I love seeing the similarities and differences of the plants that grow in Utah and those that grow here in Ontario. For instance, spring beauties grow in deciduous forests here...not out in the open. :)

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  7. Wonderful new header!

    We saw some phlox on our outing last weekend, and possibly some balsamroot--I will have to compare my pictures.

    Haven't been to The Mountain yet, but roads are now open. My guess is that there is still plenty of snow but that there might be some avalanche lilies peeking through.

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  8. The barrel cactus looks painful. I was fending off vegetation in the swamp today. By the end I think the plants won!

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  9. Your views were fabulous both long-range and closer to foot! Love all the blooms you've encountered. Spring has sprung in UT!

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  10. I thought of you as we drove out to Denver via Grand Junction. As we drove west of Price toward the border there were TONS of white primrose and Scarlet Globemallow blooming off the side of the road. I think I also saw Prince's Plume and some penstemon but it was hard to ID them at 75 mph~!

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  11. I think one antler makes him unique, and just as special as those beautiful blooms. I'm not seeing a whole lot here yet from 8200-8800 ft. Sure do look forward to it though.

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  12. I'm excited to see the flowers! I feel sorry for the lopsided deer.

    I think it is finally spring here. It hasn't snowed since Tuesday and it is warming up. Maybe I can stop being lazy and get back to blogging!

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  13. The colorful flowers you happen upon at 8000 ft are beautiful and unexpected. I love the pink cactus flower in you header photo, Janie.

    be Well and Happy,
    Pam

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  14. Beautiful flowers Janie.
    I imagine the lady deer will find this young buck to have other assets worthy of their attention. :)

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  15. wild flowers are my favorite...so pretty...love the herd...

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  16. I love wild flowers, too. These are really lovely. I wonder how that buck lost his antler? Poor thing.

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