Checking Out The Burn

Last July there was a big fire over in the Yakima Valley. This is not too unusual, as wildfire often starts in the dry side. Earlier that year I had observed the workers at the Hanford reservation cutting and burning back the edges along the road to protect the reservation from fires due to careless drivers and the wildfires that swept down the hills onto the reservation.

When I heard on the news that the fire was on the Snow Mountain Ranch, my heart sank.

This beautiful property is held by the Cowechee Canyon Conservancy and I had paid (and told you about) a visit in March of 2010. Saturday I wanted to escape, yet again, the dreary weather of Puget Sound. Yakima is usually a good bet for fair skies. Usually.

Not today.

As soon as I gained the properly I saw evidence of the fire, a burned corral fence.

I selected a trail that would take me all the way up to the top of the mountain. The environment struck me as fairly quiet and I certainly expected more advanced seasonal bloom. Look at that Sky!!! Try to ignore the dark bits to the right, I did.

Then, it started raining. Not horrid drenching rain, rather the polite pitter splatter type rain. Then it stopped. Then it started, then stopped. And the sun came out.

and it was good.

As I gained some elevation, I noted that there was distinct plant groups and populations. The lupin is starting...

and the larkspur really loves the places where rocks over-ride the soil

As I cut up-slope into the more open area I was astounded at the abundance of Big-head Clover. I have never seen it so bountiful. Oregon Sunshine makes a pretty addition to the carpets.

The Gold Star is going strong.

But overall the flowers feel sparse. During my last visit it was impossible to make progress along the trail as there was such an abundance of flowers in such a variety that it was like a feast.

And bugs, tons of bugs.

Now it feels a bit sterile. Fire does sterilize the soil. It can be both good and bad. In many places the ground is burned and exposed.

The Conservancy will study the area well and see what effect the fire has in the short and long term. Some seeds in the July soil might certainly have been lost. The burn residue might add nutrients back to the soil. I found evidence of invading weeds and there was indication that steps were being taken to keep them out.

Upslope looks like a happy hike and I was heading there (still ignoring the sky)

but it started hailing...then raining...and then hailing again.

One thing about the dry side soils. In many places it is not rocky soil. It is sandy clayish soil, and when wet turns into "gumbo mud" as slick as boiled okra. My shoes were quickly enrobed with slippery muck and walking on the level was treacherous. Walking on any kind of slope darn near impossible.

I have to admit I threw in the towel pretty easily. I am sorry for it, a long drive for only a short time on the ground. I love the drive over here. Some day I need to stop and share the vision of the landscape between Ellensburg and Yakima. Many might feel it is a barren wasteland but I love the roll and contour of the shrub steppe hills.

So I cautiously picked my way back down. I encountered happy Fiddlenecks.

Brodiaea was abundant.

This slope certainly demonstrates the effect of the burn. Last year this area was riot with flowers.

The low area of the property is near meadows and marshes. Here I encountered more birds. The lighting didn't favor pictures for the most and the active wary nesting behaviors certainly made getting aim a challenge.

But I could look and I even remembered my binoculars today. I cannot remember what bird got me to look up in this old oak. I am glad I did.

Three Great Horned Owl fledgelings. Look at the downy pantaloons. These young birds will be flying next month. The angle and lighting was a misery so I could only capture one well.

But he has his "cool look" on. I have had owls every weekend for the last three. I am amazed as I almost never spot owls. They have been nemisis birds.

I am not sure when I can get back to this lovely place. I am sure time will heal all the wounds. Perhaps some delightful rarity will spring up having awaited the fire event. Perhaps the birds will find more bugs to eat in the exposed soils and the rotting deadwood.

We will see.

Catherine Creek, a beautiful blue day

Finding time to escape on the weekends seems to get waylaid by bad weather or the "needs of the many" at work.

Yesterday I escaped to a long delayed visit to Catherine Creek. This area first came to my attention via Flickr. A member had posted a photo of a wildflower the likes of which I have never seen.


Catherine Creek is located between the towns of Lyle and Bingen on the Columbia River. It is part of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

I hit the road super early. The drive is long and I knew I-5 was closed down to one lane at Olympia. The weather, however was spectacular. It was nice to see the sun rise and the weather was crystal clear all day.


Driving east on Hwy 14 is a bit of an adventure. Once I got outside of Vancouver, I experienced the winds the Gorge is famous for. The two lane highway is full of bends and twists and very soon you start climbing to the Cascades. While the mountains are not as high here owing to the effect of the river upon the geology, higher mountains are very near and snow is present in many bare areas. Across the river you can see waterfall after waterfall. The drive from Portland to Hood River is famous for the number of waterfalls. Unlike the Washington side, the Oregon side of the river supports and Interstate which is fast level and an easy option for those in a hurry.

At the highest point of the climb I pulled off at a place called "Cape Horn" to take in the view. Well named, the winds were howling and the trees whipping to the west.

Off in the distance I could see Beacon Rock , a basalt monolith that sits right in the river. It is a famous hike and climb site. There have been Peregrine Falcons nesting here in the past and sometimes the access to the climbs are restricted. You can see Beacon Rock just to the center below.

In a very short time you can tell you are in "eastern" Washington. Pine trees show up in the woods and balsamroot flowers dot the roadside. In Bingen the hills look nothing like one sees in western Washington.

Indeed the whole of this area is a geology wonder. The Columbia River, with its power and age as cut a typical river canyon. Much of this is lost now that the river impounds behind dams and runs much slower and deeper than when Lewis and Clark floated through. One can find evidence of the catastrophic Bretz Floods of 10000 years ago. These floods carved and formed the geography of eastern Washington. Notice how the rolling hill suddenly is lost to a carved out rock face.

Smoothly descending hills abruptly become cliffs. River valleys end and become sharp waterfalls. Hanging valleys were key in Bretz's evidence of catastrophic erosion of the gorge.

Catherine Creek has a paved trail system that allows visitors of all abilities a chance to experience the native plants. There are also wonderful benches that permit sitting and enjoyment of the sweeping views of the river,

and the small but stunning waterfalls of Catherine Creek. The basalt walls of the little mini-canyon were filled with flowers and plants that would be the envy of any rock gardener. A perfect picnic spot.

I will say however, for the best flowers one should climb and ramble in the area across the road. There were many groups of folks present. Hikers and photographers. A group of students from an Oregon college and many people with dogs.

The footing was a challenge as the soil is thin and basalt rock footing is sharp and often loose. Many areas were seeping wet rather than forming runoff channels or soaking in. There was a lot of grasses and mosses and often the moss growing directly over rock made for tricky footing.

The area supports a mix of pine trees and oak trees. Oak is a rare tree in the state and this area around Lyle supports some ( if not the only) Acorn Woodpeckers in Washington.

It was wonderful to be able to ramble the informal hiking trail and I had some great views of the geology of the river area. Mt Hood gradually appeared through burning off haze.

I didn't encounter many people once away from the parking lot. I had a chance encounter with a skunk, my first "live" viewing. It did not stick around for a photo-op. I also saw a Blue-tailed Skink who had the same opinion on having a photo taken.

But these bugs were very obliging. There is no better opportunity for bug photos than the balsamroot , buckwheats and agoseris of eastern Washington.

I did not have a map so without knowledge of the trail length or timing, decided to cut across country and follow a power line back down to the highway. Along this route I found two samples of the unique plant that brought me here ; Grand Hound's Tongue. It was another one of those lucky hits simply because I decided to ramble downhill where I did.

The clustered buds open to become this

Blue also dominated the landscape with fields of Camas. Shooting Stars were everywhere and they were mixed with Death Camas. Upland Larkspur were quite thick and in many places associated with the Oak trees.

I found some Brodiaea, a new flower to learn. I loved the detail of the pale blue stripe. This flower can be found in a dark blue form, depending on the quality of the soil it grows in.

I wish I could have had time for an overnight and a chance to fully explore this lovely area. Klickitat County is said to have the most diverse plant life in the state. It is easy to see that this is possible due to the meeting of east and west, wet and dry low and high altitude.