Nature Vancouver

Nature Vancouver hiked to Ptarmigan Ridge at Mount Baker on Saturday 13 September 2008. Fourteen of us started the hike; the Mount Baker Wilderness limits party size to twelve, but we generally manage to split up into slower and faster groups. The split was facilitated by the appearance of two Sooty Grouse perching in firs not far along from the beginning of the hike, which a few of us spent a fair bit of time looking at.

This trail is considered to be more challenging during the summer season due to a number of steep patches where snow tends to stay late in the season or year-round, but by mid-September the snowfields have mostly melted away and following the trail is easy. The trailhead at Artist Point is at nearly 5200 feet elevation so most of the climbing is done on the drive up, and most of the trail is a fairly easy hike.

The weather was clear and warm though not as hot as forecast, making for perfect hiking conditions and perfect views. Hikers, many with dogs, were out in force, and several extra keen hikers were carrying skis and snowboards to try out the more distant snowfields. As with other Baker area hikes, late-melting snow and warm late-season weather produces a profusion of wildflowers even well into September when other areas have long since dried out.

Birding activity was better than on August’s hike to Skyline Divide. On the way back we were entertained by two Common Ravens dive-bombing each other off the cliffs below Table Mountain, but the birding highlight was one and possibly more Snow Buntings which flew over near Camp Kiser.

A sign at the ranger station warned us to be extra alert for bear activity due to a poor berry crop in the mountains, but no bears appeared. Mammalian sightings included several pikas, and a herd of fourteen mountain goats on a distant snowpatch near the end of the trail.

Birds seen or heard: Sooty Grouse, Cooper’s Hawk, Clark’s Nutcracker, Common Raven, American Robin, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Snow Bunting. Alas, no ptarmigan. Capping off the trip, we watched about twenty Vaux’s Swifts putting on an aerial show above the town when we dropped a couple of passengers at their cars in Sumas on the way back.

Partial plant list:
Agoseris aurantiaca – orange false-dandelion
Arnica cordifolia – heart-leaved arnica
Arnica latifolia – mountain arnica
Boykinia elata - coast boykinia
Castilleja miniata – common red paintbrush
Castilleja parviflora – small-flowered paintbrush   
Cassiope mertensiana – white mountain-heather
Cirsium edule – edible thistle
Epilobium angustifolium – common fireweed
Epilobium luteum – yellow willowherb
Epilobium ciliatum - purple-leaved willowherb
Erigeron peregrinus – subalpine fleabane
Leptarrhena pyrolifolia – leather-leaved saxifrage
Lomatium martindalei – Martindale’s lomatium
Luetkea pectinata – partridge-foot
Luina hypoleuca – silverback luina
Lupinus arcticus – arctic lupine
Mimulus tilingii – mountain monkey-flower
Mimulus lewisii – pink monkey-flower
Petasites frigidus – sweet coltsfoot
Phyllodoce empetriformis – pink mountain-heather
Saxifraga bronchialis - spotted saxifrage
Saxifraga ferruginea -  Alaska saxifrage
Saxifraga tolmiei - Tolmie’s saxifrage
Senecio elmeri – Elmer’s butterweed
Senecio triangularis – arrow-leaved groundsel
Sibbaldia procumbens - sibbaldia
Sorbus sitchensis – Sitka mountain-ash
Spiraea densiflora – subalpine spiraea
Valeriana sitchensis – Sitka valerian
Veratrum viride – false hellebore
Veronica wormskjoldii – alpine speedwell
Veronica americana – American brooklime