Summer Glory

The glory of the Rocky Mountains in the summertime are the wildflower displays that may be found in abundance in many locations.

In the summer of 2024, celebrating our 46th anniversary, we travelled to the west side of Grand Teton National Park out of Driggs, ID. Finding a nice campsite along the Teton River, we planned a hike to the top of Table Mountain, hoping to capture views and photos of the less seen west face of the Teton Range from a vantage point at 11,000 feet in. To our disappointment, forest fires had filled this area with a smokey haze that obscured the peaks even though we were only two miles away, but “when life gives you lemons, make some lemonade” as they say. We had discovered that it was peak wildflower time.

All along on this hike, we witnessed abundant and impressive displays of wildflowers, especially just below the summit.  On our return from that summit, we chose to take another trail down that led us beside a small streamside filled with blooming flowers among which were the blue lupine and a flower rare to Colorado but abundant in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, the Pacific Cascade ranges and the California Sierras. That flower is called “Lewis/purple monkey-flower.” Named after Meriwether Lewis, famed explorer of the “Lewis & Clark” expedition. Erythranthe lewisii is found frequently along moist stream sides with showy displays of pink to deep magenta petals and yellow throats.  It’s a perennial plant and its leaves and stems are covered with fine hairs. What a delight to photograph this one group framed out with exquisite blue lupine.  Ahh - The Glory of Summer.