June 29 - Sandwort

This sandwort (Minuartia articia) is very similar to the more common arctic sandwort (Minuartia macrocarpa) but has more of a purple color and the flowers are more sprawling.  It also has narrower leaves.  I found it growing in patches amongst the ridge line rocks.

June 29 - Tall Sandwort

The tall sandwort (Arenaria Capillaris) is blooming along the dry, rocky ridge of Antler Creek.  This little flower is less than an inch and only about 6 inches (15 cm) tall.  It grows in clumps with long, narrow, grass-like leaves.

June 29 - Whorled-leaf Lousewort

The whorled-leaf lousewort (Pedicularis verticillata) has leaves that grow in a whorl around the stem with the flowers just above the whorls.  I found this growing as soon as I started hiking up the ridge, and it continued all the way to the high alpine meadows.  

June 29 - Arctic Lousewort

This arctic lousewort (Pedicularis langsdorfii) was found in the high alpine meadows on the north side of Mount Healy.  The flowers have a magenta pink hood and a lighter pink, almost lavender color beak.  The leaves are narrow and long with red teeth.

June 29 - Oeder's Lousewort

Oeder's lousewort (Pedicularis oederi) was growing in the alpine where the tundra was really wet.  It has a spike form, about 6 inches tall (15 cm) with hooded lemon-yellow flowers.  The hoods are a dark brown color.  

June 29 - Capitate Lousewort

The capitate lousewort (Pedicularis capitata) was growing high in the alpine meadows.  This flower is only about 3 inches tall (8 cm).  It is a light yellow color with tinges of pink.  The tip of the hood is a brownish color.  Arctic ground squirrels like to eat this one.

June 29 - Maydell's Oxytrope

Found Maydell's Oxytrope (Oxytropis maydelliana) growing along the rocky alpine ridge.  This plant is about 5 inches (13 cm) tall with pinnate leaves.  Flowers are clustered at the end of the stem.  The calyx and stem are very fuzzy.

June 29 - Yellow Spotted Saxifrage

The yellow spotted saxifrage (Saxifraga bronchialis) was the most abundant flower I saw on my hike up Antler Creek ridge, growing amongst the rocks.  As the name implies, these cream colored flowers have bright yellow dots on the petals and form clusters of flowers at the end of the 6 inch (15 cm) stem.

June 29 - Frigid Shooting Star

I found an alpine meadow full of frigid shooting stars (Dodecatheon frigidum) on the north side of Mount Healy.  The leaves are basal and spade shaped.  The magenta colored flowers have five petals.

June 29 - Arctic Poppy

I only found two arctic poppies (Papaver lapponicum) blooming today in the high alpine meadows.  This plant has a long, slender, hairy stem about 6 inches (15 cm) tall.  Leaves are found at the base and lobed.  The four-petaled flower is about 1.5 inches (4 cm) and takes the shape of a cup.  It is one of my favorite flowers to find.  They are also a favorite food of animals, and are often eaten bore maturity, so they are hard to find.  

June 29 - Pink Plume

Lots of pink plumes (Polygonum bistorta) blooming in the alpine meadows today.  These plants are about 6 inches tall (15 cm) with long, pointed, edible leaves.  The flowers are clustered into a cylindrical spike on the upper 2 inches (5 cm) of the stem.  

June 29 - Weasel Snout

I've never been lucky enough to catch the bloom of the weasel snout (Lagotis glauca sap. minor) in the high alpine meadows of Mount Healy before today, but they were abundant, mostly growing along the edges, or right in the center of little pools of water.  The bluish-purple flowers grow in a cylindrical spike at the top of the stem.  A did find a few flowers that were mostly white.  

June 29 - Bear Flower

I can always count on finding a meadow full of bear flowers or Richardson's saxifrage (Boykinia richardsonii) on the north facing slope of the higher elevation Antler Creek ridge.  These tall flowers are over a foot high, usually white with maroon colored sepals and large, round, toothed leaves.  The leaves closer to the flower are smaller.  In this meadow, I found lots of pink bear flowers as well.  Apparently bears really like these flowers.  I'm glad I didn't find a grizzly bear hanging out in this beautiful alpine meadow.

June 29 - Large-Flowered Wintergreen

I was surprised to find a small meadow full of large-flowered wintergreen (Pyrola grandiflora) on the lower tundra covered slopes of Antler Creek Ridge, only because I've done this hike so many times and have never seen it here before.  I didn't get a picture of the leaves, but they are very thick, round and glossy clustered at the base of the plant.  Flowers have long, yellow anthers.  The plant is about 6 inches (15 cm) tall.

June 29 - Death Camas, Camas Wand Lily

Lots of death camas or camas wand lily (Zygadenus elegans) blooming today along the rocky ridge above Antler Creek.  Compared to all other flowers found along the ridge line, this is a tall plant, growing over 12 inches (30 cm) tall with long narrow leaves.  As the name implies, it is a highly toxic poisonous plant.

June 13 - Hairy Arctic Milk Vetch

The Hairy arctic milk vetch (Astragalus umbellatus) was found blooming in the tundra covered slopes above the Savage River.  This plant was about 6 inches tall (15 cm) growing on a hair covered stem with a grouping of 6 flowers at the top.  

June 13 - Reflexed Saxifrage

This was the only saxifrage I found blooming along the higher tundra slopes of the Savage River.  I'm not certain, but I think it is the reflexed saxifrage (Saxifraga reflexa).

June 13 - Small Yellow Violet

Found this small yellow violet (Viola biflora) blooming along the damp scree slopes of the Savage River canyon.  The leaves have a unique rounded kidney shape.  

June 8 - Moss Campion

The moss campion (Silene accaulis) is just starting to bloom along the rocky, alpine ridges.  I found many of these cushion-like mossy mats, but few with flowers blooming.  The leaves are short and flat.  The light pink flowers have five petals with ten stamens and are very aromatic.

June 8 - Purple Mountain Saxifrage

The purple mountain saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia), or French knot plant is blooming in the alpine rock gardens.  This plant forms very unique, small, dark green leaf rosettes that look like French knots.  The cup-shaped, five-petaled flowers are magenta to purple in color.

June 8 - Lapland Diapensia

Lapland diapensia (Diapensia lapponicum ssp. obovata) is blooming on the rocky ridges up in the alpine.  This plant has hard, oval evergreen leaves that form small rosettes in a tight mat.  The white bell-shaped flowers have five petals with five stamens.

June 8 - Arctic Sandwort

The arctic sandwort (Minuartia macrocrpa) is starting to bloom amongst the rocks in the alpine.  Flowers are cup shaped with five white petals on short stems.  Leaves are small and narrow on this mat-forming plant.  

June 8 - Lapland Rosebay

Lapland rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum) is blooming along the rocky ridges of the alpine.  These magenta colored flowers have long stigma.  The small, oval, evergreen leaves are whorled along the stem and have a rusty color on the underside.  

June 8 - Shrubby Cinquefoil

The shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruiticosa) is just starting to bloom.  Only found a couple shrubs in bloom on my hike and they were at lower elevations, growing on rocky slopes.  This plant is also called the tundra rose.  These shrubs can get very bushy and beautiful with all the flowers blooming.  The flower petals are about an inch long and very rounded.  Leaflets have 5 narrow leaves.  

June 8 - Arctic Willow

The arctic willow (Salix arctica) catkins are blooming in large numbers along the alpine ridges.  The catkins, leaves and stems are amazingly furry; an adaptation to the harsh environment it lives in.  This dioecious dwarf shrub has male and female catkins on separate plants.

June 8 - Rosewort

The rosewort (Sedum rosea) is blooming amongst the forget-me-nots in the lower elevation rock gardens.  This deep red little flower is about 4 inches tall with slightly-toothed flat leaves.  It is also known as roseroot because the root smells like roses when it is cut open.  Young plants are edible.

June 8 - Bell Heather

The moss heather (Cassiope tetragona) is just starting to bloom in the alpine meadow slopes.  Most of what I found was still very dried out and brown, but some of it was greening up with buds and flowers.  This plant is really a dwarf evergreen shrub with leaves that look like stacked columns.  It has a nice aroma.  

June 8 - One-flowered Cinquefoil

The one-flowered cinquefoils (Potentilla uniflora) are now blooming in the high alpine rock gardens.  These bright yellow flowers have an orange spot at the base of each petal and are about an inch in diameter.  The petals are very soft and velvety.

June 8 - Sticky Oxytrope

Sticky oxytrope (Oxytropis viscida) is abundant right now in the sub-alpine meadows.  The flowers are lavender colored.  Both the leaves and the calyx feel slightly sticky.  

June 8 - Smooth Draba

I found some smooth draba (Draba hirta) blooming in the higher alpine meadows.  This very tiny plant is the smallest flower I've ever tried to photograph -- very tough in the wind with just a Cannon PowerShot Elph.  

June 8 - Narcissus-flowered anemone

The narcissus-flowered anemone (Anemone narcissiflora) is very abundant right now from the high alpine meadows to the lower sub-alpine woodlands.  This plant is about a foot tall with flowers about 2 inches in diameter; much larger than most other alpine flowers right now.  The white flowers have a bluish color on the underside.  They have a unique modified leaf just below the flower that completely surrounds the stem.  

June 8 - Mountain Avens

The mountain avens (Dryas octopetala) are starting to bloom in the alpine meadows but not at higher elevations yet.  We need more rain still up high, its very dry with all the wind we have had lately.  Mountain avens are also called eight-petaled avens and are part of the rose family.

June 8 - Purple Cress

I found two different colors of purple cress (Cardamine purpurea) in the high alpine meadows.  This tiny flower is part of the mustard family.  It is only a couple inches tall with a cluster of tiny, four-petaled flowers at the top.  The leaves are surprisingly tasty and really good added to a salad.

June 8 - Rock Jasmine

Rock Jasmine (Androsace chamaejasme) are blooming like crazy in the alpine meadows.  I've never seen so many of them in one hike.  They were everywhere!  This tiny little white flower is only a couple inches tall and has a distinctive yellow center.  The flowers are tiny -- about 1/3 of an inch, and are clustered at the top of a hairy stem.  The leaves are very small and found in tight rosettes at the base.

June 8 - Wooly Lousewort

The alpine meadows are full of wooly lousewort (Pedicularis Kanei ssp. Kanei) right now.  The flowers are a vibrant pink surrounding a thick wooly stalk.  The leaves are fernlike and purplish when the plant is young.

June 8 - Arctic Lupine

The arctic lupine (Lupinus arcticus) is just starting to bloom on the lower alpine slopes.  I found lots of leaves of this plant but very few flowers blooming; it's still a little early for them. 

June 8 - Alp Lily

The alp lily (Lloydia serotina) was blooming up high in the alpine meadows.  This tiny flower is only 3 or 4 inches tall.  It has a creamy-white color with distinctive purple veins.  Leaves are very narrow and look like grass.  

June 8 - Purple Oxytrope

The purple oxytrope (Oxytropis nigrescens) was the dominant flower of the day on my hike up the east side of Mount Healy.  I started to see it in the sub-alpine and it was blooming everywhere in the high alpine meadows.  There are generally two tiny, purple flowers per stem.  The calyx is covered with fuzzy hairs.