Just as the calendar turns the corner on the long days of summer toward the autumnal equinox, a verdant and glorious wildflower explosion is happening in the high country. This summer, above average temperatures coupled with unusually early monsoon moisture have sent the wildflowers into a frenzy, their beauty indomitable but fleeting. From the miniscule spotted saxifrage mounding delicately over rock outcroppings in the tundra to the robust green gentian—also appropriately known as monument plant because it can grow over 6 feet tall—each plant is having its moment in the sun. They know their time is short and they’re making the most of it.
A recent trip to a windswept 11,000’ mountain deep in the heart of the Flat Tops revealed summer in its full glory, suggesting that mid-summer in the Rocky Mountains might just be the most wonderful time of the year. Located a few thousand feet above the arid, south-facing slopes of the Colorado River valley are millions of acres of verdant green forest interspersed with wildflower meadows, overflowing with sky pilot, scarlet gilia, varieties of paintbrush and penstemon, and sticky geranium. Dense stands of mountain bluebells, sprinkled with bistort, monkshood, buttercups, and elephant head announce the presence of water—both standing and moving—in the rocky terrain. Pockets of plump Rocky Mountain columbine stand side-by-side with shoulder-high cow parsnip deep in the aspen forest. In the crevices of sheltered rocks, yellow stonecrop (an alpine succulent) coexists with mountain thistle (the good kind) and a variety of saxifrage. Basking in the meltwater from the few remaining snowbanks are carpets of purple violets. Observant hikers might even chance upon a singular glacier lily, its golden yellow flower hanging precipitously beneath an arching stem. At the top of the peak, hearty clumps of purple phacelia intermix with abundant perennial grasses.
Sharp cries announce the busy pikas, whose scurried movements amongst the boulders suggest they are already packing their dens with grass hay, seeds and other delectables for the long winter ahead. Marmots sun themselves on rock outcroppings, while butterflies and bees attend to business in the bustling cacophony of color. The flies it seems, have time to rest in between their own pollination spree. Their tiny bite is a distinct reminder of who’s boss, even at 11,000 feet.
A trip to the top of Vail Pass yields equally splendid vistas of wildflowers this time of year. Along Shrine Pass, varieties of paintbrush and lupine are in full bloom. A more secluded hike up 12,200’ Uneva Peak passes through a pine forest before ascending into the land above the trees where low-growing hearty alpines thrive amongst the talus fields, tundra turfs, and wet meadows.
Wildflower displays continue to evolve with the advent of afternoon rain showers during late July and August. Asters (of which there are an endless variety) intemix with the golden blooms of goldenrod, sneezeweed and showy goldeneye. Gentians, too, dot the landscape, their flowers closing with changing nighttime temperatures and frequent thunderstorms. Interestingly, the gentian’s unique ability to protect itself against the elements increases seed production up to 70 percent compared to flowers that remain open.
For a more in-depth look at alpine plants of Colorado and the world, visit Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. As the sole keeper of the nation’s exclusive collection of Colorado’s alpine flora, the Gardens is actively engaged in conservation of alpine plants from around the world. Included in the Colorado alpine collection are rare and endangered species endemic to the state, including the Parachute penstemon, an unusual plant that grows only in oil shale talus along steep cliffs in western Colorado, and the Hoosier Pass ipomopsis, a member of the phlox family that is found only above 10,000 feet in the Mosquito Range.
This piece was published in the Vail Daily on July 23, 2022.
