My Peruvian Apple Cactus...

Bloomed...  The Peruvian Apple Cactus (Cereus repandus)... was planted in my yard by some renegade cactus planters right after we moved in a tore up the front lawn... about 5 years ago.  At the time it had one fruit, a "pitaya" which looked like a dragon fruit, so I ate it.  And it was amazingly delicious.  

But these flowers bloom once a year mainly at night... and currently I only have one.... and there's still research out on if these can be self-pollinated or not.  Guess I need to plant a few more.  

Found some good info here for my reference:

http://tastylandscape.com/2013/04/24/a-very-tasty-cactus-cereus-peruvianus/

Wildflowers on the Evolution Loop

Ranger's Buttons or Woollyhead Parsnip http://www.sierrawildflowers.org/sphenosciadium_capitellum.htm

Well, here's a long overdue post!  I couldn't ID some of these flowers for a while, so it took a while.  and I've been busy lately... well better late than never.  

Sky pilot (Polemonium eximium)

Monkeyflower

sunflower

I think the pink flowers are mountain spiraea, but the purple ones are Mountain Pennyroyal.  My favorite flower as it smells so nice!

Little Elephant's Head http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/botany/wildflow/wildflowers.asp?w_id=25

Pink Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)

Crimson Clover?

Now I have no idea what these are... but judging from the fact they they aren't green, and kinda resemble snow plants I'm gussing it's a type of monotropa.  

Pink Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)

Larkspur - Glaucus?

Camus Lily?

24 hr Northern Cascades Tour... Shasta & Brokeoff!

I had a rare free day to myself, so I decided last second to go tag Shasta.  I hadn't done it yet this year, and I wasn't going to let this be another 2009 when I didn't get to climb it for the first time in 10+ years.  I believe this was my 20th time to the summit.  I did my bit of research and made sure I had a good weather window.  zero chance of rain, no wind... and no storms in the radar.  

So I left around 9 pm, got to the trailhead around 2 am, slept until the sun came up, ate some food, got my summit register and took off up the trail!  

Here are some resources for your next climb... and some maps below.  

http://shastaavalanche.org/ - forecast, conditions, etc...

http://www.skimountaineer.com/CascadeSki/CascadeSki.php?name=Shasta - Amar's Shasta page

http://www.scaruffi.com/travel/shasta.html - Scaruffi's page with lots of info...

http://www.summitpost.org/clear-creek/157378 - summitpost on the route

http://pantilat.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/mount-shasta-clear-creek-route/ - and my inspiration for the day

Mud Creek Falls... fed by Konwakitikon Glacier.  

Nice sandy trail for the first few miles.  

The clear creek spring.  Your last source of water until the snow above...

Castle Crags!

Yeah B!

Yeah, it was that nice out...

On the way down I put my gaiters on... which worked quite well.  

Back at the spring...

After 7500+ ft of elevation, I was surprisingly feeling good.  And it was still before 2 pm.... so I scarfed down another rice ball and drove towards Lassen.  When I finally got there, it turns out that the Lassen Peak Trail is closed due to trail construction... http://www.nps.gov/lavo/parkmgmt/reach-the-peak-project.htm Be warned, it looks like they'll be doing construction on the trail for the next few years.... so just do it in the winter/spring time.  

Hmmmm I'm not so sure about these "reststops"...  whatever.  I guess it'll be nice when it's done.  

Anyway... so I decided to go check out Brokeoff Mountain so that I didn't have to waste the drive. http://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/hiking_brokeoff_mountain.htm

Hadn't been up here in the summer time... http://telek.smugmug.com/Backcountry-Skiing/2005-winter-2006-spring/Lassen-wTimmy-and-Nick-Dec-2

The trail up Brokeoff is quite nice... easy grade, and I could run up the whole way.  I'll be sure to do this again.  If you have 2 hrs in Lassen, this is a good way to spend your time.  

Lassen from the top of Brokeoff

And Shasta!  I was there a few hours ago!

Summit Pic.  Pretty much the same attire as Shasta.  Minus a camel back and T-shirt.  Just ran with one water bottle.  

Silverleaf Lupine!  Still kinda blooming... I could also smell some Coyote Mint, but couldn't locate any.
http://www.nps.gov/lavo/forkids/upload/Wildflower-Guide-web.pdf

Made it home around 8 pm to put Kai down, and yes I was sore the next day.  Here's the numbers for the day.... definitely something I'd do once or twice a year.  Too much solo driving... 

• 2 mountains
• 20 miles
• 10,000 ft of elevation
• passed 2 folks on Shasta, and one person on Brokeoff
• 6 hours up Shasta + 2 hours up Brokeoff
• 600+ miles in 10 hours of driving
• 4 hours of sleep
• 6 rice balls + a bunch of bars... 

TR: Mt Aeneas in Jewel Basin, MT

After our short jaunt in Glacier/Waterton National Parks, we were still hungry to hike.  So after consulting with a few guidebooks and rangers we settled on hiking Mt. Aeneas.  Located in the Jewel Basin, Mt. Aeneas is an ideal peak.  Not too long (6 mi?) and it's a loop.  There aren't very many peaks you can hike on a loop hike, and pretty much the entire trail was beautiful.  From the wildflowers, the ridges, the lakes, and to Kai bear's bum.  OK, I'll let the pics do the talking from here.  

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), flowers, young leaves, shoots are all edible... in fact, I'd love to try some fireweed ice cream next time I'm in AK.    

Elderberries - Elderberries contain more vitamin C than any other fruit except for rosehips and black currants and are an excellent source of phosphorus and potassium, anthocyanins, vitamin A and a fine source of calcium

beautiful colors on the well maintained trail...

Kai is out...

once you reach the ridge, you reach a microwave tower...

And a beautiful view of the lakes in Jewel Basin below.  In our counter clockwise loop, we stayed on the ridge up to the summit then dropped back down past these lakes on our way back to the car.  

big horn sheep poo... we saw some, but they were really far away.  Need a zoom lens.  

Looks like a fun destination in winter too.  

Summit snack for Kai.  

Summit shot!

down at Birch Lake

forgot what this is called... anyone?  

our post hike celebration beverage...

And soon, we were following some arrows pointing to the Mahaffey's.