The following plants were photographed during a hike on Excelsior Ridge from Damfino Lakes on September 18, 2005. The hike was with the Vancouver Natural History Society, led by Bill Kincaid.

The elevation varied from 1275 m at the Damfino Lakes trailhead, to 1580 m at trail junction at the first col. We also hiked to the minor peak just to the east, at 1680 m. We took 5 hours for the 6.5 km, at a very leisurely pace.

As most flowers were long done, it was a time to identify plants from their leaves, and to examine mushrooms, mosses and fungi. Mt. Baker was well hidden by clouds during the hike, but was seen from the road before and after the hike.

Scroll down to see all the photos.     Click here to see other wildflower photos.

Photo     Time     Comment
#2227   11:12   Coral fungus - Hericium abietis

#2234   11:43   Tiny orange mushroom/fungus growing on a log

#2236   11:49   Angel Wings (fungus) - Pleurotus porrigens

#2239   11:55   Tiny yellow-orange mushroom/fungus growing on a log.
Did a squirrel eat the heads off, or is this the way it grows? - Calocera cornea

#2240   11:58   Tiny orange mushroom growing amid moss (about 2 cm high)

#2247   13:11   Lunch at the first main trail junction (at the col)

#2251   13:25   Fall colours with dew on blueberry leaves

#2254   13:57   Looking west along Excelsior Ridge

#2260   14:06   Fireweed near the ridge with a sleepy bee

#2263   14:07   Looking back SE along the ridge, where Mt. Baker ought to be

#2265   14:10   Seed head, possibly of an Aster engelmannii

#2266   14:16   Silverback Luina - Luina hypoleuca - P. 292

#2268   14:16   Parsley Fern - Cryptogramma crispa - P. 426

#2270   14:18   American Bisort - Polygonum bistortoides - P. 125

#2273   14:21   Blueberries (their berries have a dull surface, while huckleberries have a darker berry with a shiny surface)

#2276   14:30   Button mushrooms at the col

#2277   14:31   Trail junction at the col

#2278   14:41   Sitka Mountain-Ash - P. 71

#2279   14:43   Colourful blueberry leaves

#2281   14:44   Coming down off the ridge #1

#2286   14:50   Coming down off the ridge #2

#2287   14:51   Sitka Mountain-Ash - P. 71

#2289   15:05   Mountain Mare's-tail - Hippuris montana - P. 346

#2291   15:06   A Liverwort, possibly a Jungermannia

#2295   15:13   Trail-side scene in the old growth (lots of Amabilis Fir)

#2297   15:25   Sweet Coltsfoot - Petasites frigidus var. nivalis - P. 294

#2298   15:29   Deer Fern - Blechnum spicant - P. 420

#2301   15:42   Returning around one of the Damfino Lakes

#2302   15:47   Another delicate fungus - a Ramaria species

#2303   15:50   Queens Cup with its metallic blue berry - Clintonia uniflora - P. 104

#2306   15:52   Tiny orange-red fungus - a species of slime mold

#2307   15:54   Mushroom on a log (6 cm across)

We also saw lots of ripe blueberries and huckleberries with red fall colours, colourful mountain ashes, frostbitten valerian, cow parsnip & hellebore in the meadows. Partridgefoot leaves were abundant as well as Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus.

Thanks to Eva Nagy and Terry Taylor with help in the plant IDs. Please let me know if you can help with any other IDs.    

Reference pages are given from:     J. Pojar and A. Mackinnon, "Plants of Coastal British Columbia," Lone Pine Publishing, Vancouver, B.C., 2004.