I am going to combine two flower photography sessions into one post.
The first half will be the wild flowers I saw at Little Lake Lyman, the second half will be the wild flowers fields I saw in Albion Basin a few days later.
Reportedly one can see 75 kinds of wildflowers in a half of a mile in the Wasatch mountains where Albion Basin is located.
I have no information on how many can be seen in the Uintas mountains (where the lake was located), but there seems to be a lot.
Here's a few flower photos from Little Lake Lyman:
Little Lake Lyman...with Bernie's fishing while I scout out flowers.
I was walking around the lake taking flower pictures; this was where the lake meandered into a meadow.
I loved this scene...floating water flora counts as flowers, right?
All the lichen moss...actually micro flowers I am told.
And now Albion Basin wildflower meadows...
The wind was blasting away and the temperatures were dropping enough that my hands and ears got cold.
That's why the photos are not super sharp: no sense setting up a tripod with the flowers are all blowing around.
The effect is rather water color-ish, don't you think?
This flower smells like Double Mint gum and the scent makes me feel a bit giddy for some reason.
Look closely and you will see the "path" I am walking.
I walked through the meadow flowers which were growing between knee high and waist high.
Occasionally there were matted down places where obviously some family group had had their pictures taken.
Oh how I wanted to drive back home and make my son and his family come up for pictures too!
Wait a second...is there some fauna in this picture too?
Sure enough!
He just hunkered down while I shot the Michaelmas daisies (aka Asters.)
Say cheese!
I love his silly smile!
Albion Basin is part of the Snowbird Ski Resort.
The meadow is often under at least 10 feet of snow in winter; the resort routinely gets 300 inches of snow a year.
At an altitude of 9,500 feet, (which is why I was feeling a bit chilly), it has been documented to have 120 species of flowers.
And can you believe it: it is located just 15 miles from Salt Lake City center.
All these photos were taken less than a quarter mile from my car; and I never lost sight of my car while I took them.
Just sayin' so you know I didn't hike much...it was more like just wandering around a neighborhood.
(That's because I am actually pretty lazy.)
Each July there is a Wild Flower Festival with guides to take one up hiking further into the mountain area.
How I have managed to miss taking a guided tour to learn the names of all the flowers I can not figure out.
Maybe next year I won't be so lazy and will actually hike a bit.
And maybe I still will round up the kids for some photos!
