Glorious Unbelievable Spring
Treks through Wills, Rice and Lupine Ridge
April 2018

Spring has sprung and we can't get enough of it!  April found us trekking up Wills,  down Rice and over ridges we never experienced before the burn.  We hiked in the early morning, the afternoon and even the evening when we had to rock hop across the river in the dark - and we loved every minute!

Our first foray into springness started in early April up Wills Canyon with a profusion of green; leaves, grasses the whole nine yards.  We spotted a few wildflowers along the way and we thought "ok this might amount to something special".  Then we topped over the saddle and headed into Rice  and the wildflower stupendousness began and it was lupine mania.

There were stinging lupines  (Lupinus hirsutissimus) with their spiny stems and amazing magenta flowers.  The ever present purple lupines covering the hillsides and slot canyons like blankets took our breath away.  Such an awe-inspiring sight after all the treks through the burn.  We soaked it up and are still soaking it up.

We climbed up onto the ridge that stands between Wills Canyon and Rice Canyon (we have named it Lupine ridge) and couldn't believe our eyes.  The two species of lupines were mingled together with their purple and magenta flowers making amazing bouquets on the ridge.

We didn't see any California Poppies, which was interesting, but we found Monkey Flower, Mariposa Lilies, Blue Dicks and Penstemon centranthifolius with it's beautiful scarlet flowers. Every twist and turn on the trail was a delight.

I especially love this dry creek bed with lupine covered banks!
 Every time I hike by it I take a picture I just can't help myself!

The burn is still with us but the ash has given rise to all kinds of plants.  The drought is still with us and we know we have to conserve water.  But for now we are trekking in the wildflowers and enjoying every moment and rock hopping across the river.

Waltz Among the Flowers!

Beth & Laura
Bodee & Luci