2008-05-27 Cyp montanum...? Sort of...

So, every year for the past 4 years, I've driven to see the Cyp montanum on the East side of Mt Hood on pretty much the same day each year. This year, the mountain had a lot more snow... Usually, I see like a little tiny patch of snow at the entryway to Rd 48, and then drive on my merry 74F way. This year, I noticed that there was 3ft of snow on the side of the road near Government camp (near the turnoff for Timberline). Then I got to Rd 48. Never seen a flake of snow on it in late May...



Straight ahead is the road... supposedly... Mt Hood had a lot of snow (I think certain records were bent, if not broken); however, down in the Willemette valley, Portland received no more snow than usual (I think we got a whopping 2inches) but spring temperatures just refused to warm up. It was like March just extended itself into May. Global climate change or just a fluke? Probably both, just like everything else in life.

Anyhow, I turned around and went to one of the little camps along HWY26 at a lower alt and took some pics of Calypso to satisfy my orchid need. Again, these plants are usually blooming a full 4 weeks earlier! They were at their end, though. The one pictured was one of two still photographable plants out of several dozen faded ones.



So, I didn't get to see any Cyp montanum in N OR this year :-( Oh Well.