High Sierra Topix

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, but this one seems to get more hits, so I'll post here

Has anyone hiked/backpacked/camped in or around the Carson Pass area recently? Specifically the Woods Lake, Winnemucca Lake area. I'm thinking of taking a drive up there just to do some leisurely hiking and hunt for wildflowers. I don't know if it's too early, despite the relatively low-snow winter we had. I was just up there last weekend but we hiked north from the pass to Red Lake Peak, and that side was maybe a bit early (most of the Mule's Ears were still green and emerging). I am interested in finding the elusive Steer's Head, which I know only comes out near melting snow patches, so maybe now's a good time for that. But then again, if nothing else is really blooming, perhaps I may want to wait a few weeks.

Thanks!

Carson Pass ranger station said that the peak is about 1 to 1 1/2 weeks away in that
area, and that an average to below average showing is to be expected this year due
to the low snow pack.

I did Showers Lake from the Caples Lake maintenance station (up and over the ridgeline) on Sunday and barely saw flowers. Spectacular views tho and no snow on the trail. My friend did the Sorenson's cliffs yesterday and she saw lots more flowers than she did last week...so they are starting to come out.

Thanks for the input. If it's 1-1.5 weeks away, that means the July 4 weekend? I'm busy that weekend, so my choices are this weekend, or the July 14-15 weekend. I would assume that would be better than this weekend, considering there may not be much at all to see...

Just returned from 4 days of day hikes, including Carson Pass to Roundtop Lake, Big Meadow to Dardenelles Lake, and Meiss Meadow at Carson Pass to Round Lake to Big Meadow (2 cars). The flowers are just getting started, along with the mosquitoes. Looks like a short season as some are appearing earlier than usual, but others froze before getting a good start. Irises in meadows are scant, compared to last year. Last summer was fantastic. I think the peak was in August when I was there--a veritable paradise of flowers! Here's a very short video I did this week.

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Backpacked last weekend into same volcanic geology areas and elevations at Ebbetts Pass. Sunny exposures probably peaking this weekend. Most open areas may peak next weekend. And wet meadow and forest flowers mid July. All usual species were present so someone looking for closeups ought to find plants to work with. However many plants small with few or no flowers as is typical when precipitation is low. Snow melted quickly and roots soaked up relatively lower amounts during brief melt period draining down through soils than after big winters. Most dominant species in these areas are always mule ears a perrenial. Lots of small plants just putting up a few leaves that will not flower and instead simply manufacture organic chemicals while leaves remain green to be stored back down in their roots in order to be more robust when they flower in following summers after next wet winter.

Thanks for the replies. We went anyway last weekend. It was ok, nothing to write home about. There were enough individual examples for us to enjoy and photograph, but no unbroken endless fields of color. Looks like in a few weeks, it may be better, so we'll probably go back in a few weeks. A few pics from what we did see:

Great pics of asters, Cassiope (white heather), Sierra primrose, elephant heads, and languid ladies (one of its common names)!

Here are a few from last summer. Most of them are from August except the last one (steershead) which was taken May 24, 2011.

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Fran wrote:Here are a few from last summer. Most of them are from August except the last one (steershead) which was taken May 24, 2011.

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Where did you find the Steershead? I was looking around for it (carefully), but didn't see it. I'll have to wait until next year I know, but it's a cool looking plant I have yet to find.