Wildflowers bloom on Summer Solstice at Corey Peak, Nevada

Delicate flowers bring gentle beauty to a rugged mountain pass

My quest to record photographically the rare occurrence of desert wildflowers that bloom in the spring has taken me to very remote and interesting locations.  Timing is critical and best planned after there has been some rain.  However, trekking out on dirt roads after a desert rain can be tricky and must be approached with caution.

On a calm, fair weather day, just before Summer Solstice, I made a day trip to Corey Peak in search of wildflowers.  Corey Peak is the second highest summit in the Wassuk Range, at 10,520 foot elevation (3206 m) and lies to the east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

After turning off from Lucky Boy Pass. the road to Corey Peak is not as well maintained or as wide as the  Lucky Boy Pass road.

Ascending higher, the road becomes narrow with large rocks and ruts that must be carefully negotiated.

Looking down at the switchbacks that made for an interesting and challenging drive!

The view from the summit is breath-taking with dormant volcano peaks rising  up and the  Sierra Nevada Mountains with traces of snow in the background.

To my delight as I climbed in elevation, I began to see clusters of wildflowers on both sides of the winding road that were thriving in the rocky terrain.  The fragrant, yellow flowers of Bitterbrush seemed to be everywhere, creating a garden setting in the rugged landscape.

The Desert Milkvetch was in full bloom, with its pale purple flowers.

The deeper purple Newberry's Milkvetch shared its space with yellow flowers of Woolly Grandsel.

A beautiful bouquet of red Paintbrush accented with lavender Milkvetch flowers stood out against green and grey desert plants. What an arrangement of nature's artistry!

As the day progressed, clouds started moving in from the west.  I was thankful for the diffused lighting, however I also had to keep a close watch on the weather changes these clouds might bring.  Driving down this narrow, rocky road in a downpour would be next to impossible.

Rounding a curve and I noticed a graphic rock-outcropping.  I  stopped for a photo and the  the moon began to rise in the east, coming up behind the rocks.  Feeling at peace with this awesome landscape, I imagined welcoming the summer solstice with the ancient ones.  What a fun and inspirational adventure this wildflower quest turned out to be.

Check back and follow my blog where I will be posting more details about the wildflowers from my Corey Pass Wildflower photo shoot.

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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Wildflowers Along Gabbs Valley Range

Part II, What's Blooming on Rabbit Springs Road

Part two on my discoveries of wildflowers along the Gabbs Valley Range takes me back to Rabbit Springs Road from the side trip to Benton Spring.  While driving a short distance, to my disappointment I began to notice that this area appeared very dry.  Most of the moisture from any clouds just happens to become stalled over the Gabbs--Reese River area; however weather patterns in this portion of the Great Basin Desert can be quite unpredictable and also fickle. 

I was beginning to fear that the lack of moisture was not going to allow for many wildflowers on this trip. As I was driving higher up and to the north on Rabbit Springs Road, I saw my first indication with a few small white petals of Spreading Phlox.  This plant can grow to become so dense that the tiny flowers completely cover the leaves. Spreading Phlox mounds rarely grow higher than 4 inches above the ground.  Maybe my luck was about to change and I would find more flowers as I drove up higher.

While walking around the area of the Spreading Phlox, my eyes were drawn to something red against the green needles of a pinyon pine.  A closer look found just the one Desert Paintbrush, but what a striking scene it made with the pine needles.  The Desert or Indian Paintbrush has brilliantly colored, torch-like flower spikes that range from electric pint to scarlet red.  Growing on sagebrush slopes, the Paintbrush adapts by hooking its roots to the roots of a host plant.  

The Pinyon Pine is a low, bushy evergreen that can reach a height of 15 to 35 feet, (4.6-10.7 m) and has adapted well in the high desert soil.  Producing the edible pine nuts, the seeds are still collected by Native Americans for both cultural and economic purposes. 

Gaining higher altitude, around 7,000 feet (2133.6 m) were a nice grouping of Silvery Lupines accenting the road-side with their deep blue-violet blooms.  A member of the pea family, Lupines are found in rocky soils at 7,000 to 10,000 feet (2,134--3,048 m) elevation.  A note of caution--the genus Lupins and especially the seeds are toxic to humans and animals if ingested.

 Mixed in with the Silvery Lupines was an occasional Dwarf Lupine.  

After reaching the higher altitudes more varieties of wildflowers were coming in view.  The lavender flowers of a Crescent Milk-vetch were just starting to bloom.  Preferring sandy or gravelly soils, this interesting plant is also known as Locoweed and comes with a word of caution as it is toxic to both humans and animals.  When ingested, a disorder known as locoism will result. Locoism occurs chiefly among sheep, horses and cattle and is characterized by weakness, impaired vision, paralysis and irregular behavior.  

Just as I was driving past, I noticed the tall, deep purple blossoms of a Subalpine Larkspur.  The showy flower grows along shady, subalpine streams and meadow edges so I was curious as to why it was on the bank of this rocky dirt road.  This plant too comes with a warning and contains toxins if eaten which can be fatal to both humans and animals.  

My drive had now taken me to the mountain pass and it was time to turn around.

 The interesting aspect of outdoor photography along a trail is that everything looks different on the trip back.  The lavender trumpet flowers of Purple Mat were blooming off to the side.  Purple Mat has been known to carpet the desert floor with ample rain.

  

A little further on, the white Desert Pincushions were just starting to bloom.   These small multiple flowerheads accent the slopes, hillsides and shrublands in many areas of the Great Basin Desert.

The last group of wildflowers to my delight was a bunch of Spreading Fleabane nestled against rust colored sandstone rocks.  The small daisy-like blossoms are short-lived, so this was a very exciting finale for a day of wildflower photos. 

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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Wildflowers Along the Gabbs Valley Range

Part I 

Exploring around Benton Spring 

With the desert wildflower season starting to bloom, I took a chance on what I might find in the Gabbs area.  The Gabbs Mountain Range extends 40 miles southeastward from Walker Lake to the Pilot Mountains, at 38.6718674 North and -118.1854009 West. Located in the Great Basin Desert, this area seems to have its own micro-climate when the rain producing clouds stall over its rugged mountain ranges.  

As I approached the highest point of highway 361with the colorful rock displays, I turned off on to Rabbit Springs Road which wanders through the Gabbs Range.  If I kept driving on the winding dirt road, it would eventually take me back to Walker Lake, however that was not my goal for this flower seeking quest.

Turning on the first established trail to the east, I was interested to see what might be blooming along the route to Benton Spring. What I didn't anticipate was that this turn would lead me to some interesting discoveries. 

No sooner had I turned when my eye caught the yellow flowers on a prickly pear cactus. 

 

Walking to the cactus, I almost stepped on a well camouflaged horned lizard waiting near by to catch any insects that were drawn to the blooms.

A short distance ahead I noticed a large bush that was full of yellow blooms. 

Drawing closer, I realized the healthy plant was a Bitterbrush.  Regardless of its name, this plant is a major year around food source for wildlife and livestock, especially in the dead of winter.  

Walking higher up the trail, a stand of Narrowleaf willows stood out next to the canyon, an indication of the presence of water.  

As I ascended further up the trail, there was a depressed area in the base of the canyon that looked like it might be a cave. 

Sure enough as I came closer, I discovered that it was the opening to a rather large cave.  Looking down on the dirt trail, I began to notice animal tracks leading to the cave entrance. Most had been left from cattle; however there was a set that might belong to a cougar.  Not knowing what might be enjoying the coolness of the cave, I held back and began to check for additional prints.  To my surprise and just a short distance from the cave was the partially devoured skeleton of a cow.  Since the weather was so warm, I deducted that this had been a recent kill.  

Curiosity got the better of me and I quietly approached the cave's entrance.  A shallow pond of water marred with cow prints lay at the opening and I was not that curious to go wading through the dirty water.  Better judgment then took over and I decided to get back with my wildflower photos.  Maybe one day I will do a return visit and be more prepared to go cave exploring!  

Coming down the trail, I stopped for a photo and began to marvel at the landscape with its "Badland" scenery. 

What a feeling of desolation one gets from being alone in this primitive area.  My imagination could run wild as I gaze over the Pliocene lake deposits against the sandy brown limestone that were left from the Jurassic age. 

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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Wildflowers at Walker Lake, Nevada

Springtime in the Great Basin Desert!

Whether it is intense heat in the summer or frigid cold during the winter, Nature in the desert is always being challenged to adapt to harsh conditions.  These challenges, when nature must adapt to survive, present fascinating photo opportunities and are the reason that I am so drawn to the desert. 

At rare times, Nature's tenacity is revealed when conditions come together at just the right time.  The barren desert thrives and becomes a showcase of nature's bounty.  Such were the conditions during the past winter of 2013 when areas within the Great Basin Desert received adequate moisture from rain or snow. 

To the northwest of Walker Lake lies a sandy flat area facing east that is protected to the west by the Wassuk Range.  Within this area of approximately one mile radius (1.609344 km) the desert was in bloom with a number of wildflowers and shrubs.

  
 What first caught my eye were the patches of Desert Plume accenting the landscape and standing tall over the yellow blanket of Desert Dandelions.

The Desert Plume, Stanleya pinnata or Golden Prince's Plume can grow up to 5 feet tall (153 cm) in the alkaline soil.   The slender wands of yellow hairy flowers attract bees and other pollen gathers.

Brilliant Desert Dandelions were growing in batches through out the region.

One of the plants edible by humans and often the first wildflower to bloom, Desert Dandelions provide vital nourishment for bees coming through the winter.

My timing for these wildflower photos was right on since the Spiny Hop Sage Grayia spinosa was in bloom throughout the desert.

The small shrub of Spiny Hop Sage only shows its colorful fruit for a short duration in spring and then turns into a woody gray thicket when the climate dries and begins to warm. 

Even the Burrobush Hymenoclea salsola or Cheesebush was showcasing its tiny white flowers.  Its common name Cheesebush is due to the pungent odor when the leaves are crushed.

The broom like shrub of Mormon Tea was just beginning to show buds.  Mormon Tea gets its name from the early Mormon settlers who brewed a tea from the stems and leaves.  The tea was also used by Native Americans for stomach disorders and made into poultices for burns or sores on the skin. 

Many of the wildflower seeds are annuals or ephemerals like the Desert pincushion.  Their seeds lay dormant waiting for just the right amount of moisture and sunlight. At which time they will spring to life thriving only for a short period to be pollinated by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds before the climate becomes too hot or dry.  

Unlike annuals that last only for a season desert plants that are considered perennials, as with the Tufted Evening-primrose will re-bloom and come out of dormancy only when adequate water becomes available. 

A variety of other flowers and shrubs were just beginning to bloom.  It will be interesting to return in a few days and after the latest rains to see what else is there, waiting for my camera. 

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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