Wilderness Wildflowers

It’s early Spring in Oregon Badlands Wilderness. It has been a fairly wet winter out there in the Badlands Wilderness! When we re-installed a sign a couple of weeks ago, the moisture level was pretty deep, so the desert flowers and vegetation should be breaking out soon from their winter sleep, with energy http://img1.meetupstatic.com/3250963246259337556533/img/smileys/cool.gif. Let’s go and take a look at the wildflowers, May 5, anticipating their arrival about then, or just before. To make the hike more interesting, there will be a little competition and prizes (a $10 gift voucher to a local brewpub) for the Fobbit who identifies and recognizes the most number of wild flowers, and another $10 voucher for the best photo of a wildflower.

The hike will be about 6 miles, much off-trail, the better to see the wildflowers and unusual lava flow formations. Interpretive Fobbit guides for the wildflowers, junipers and lava flows will be along on the hike to add to the knowledge of Oregon Badlands Wilderness. Do bring your wildflower and desert flora books.

This is not your well known all-on-trail hike; some of the most memorable formations are off-trail. We’ll be visiting such formations as Jennifer’s Joint, Bobcat Caves amongst others, and probably have lunch on Tum Tum Ridge, with great views of the wilderness area and the Cascades.

Early May is a great time to be in Oregon’s newest wilderness, with average high temperatures over the last 75 years being 65F.

Bring your lunch, sufficient water and appropriate layered clothing for the day. As we’ll be off-trail for the majority of time, long trousers are recommended, as we walk our way through the sagebrush.

Meeting time is 0815 hrs (8.15 am), and we depart promptly at 8.30.