Down year for Rainier flowers

According to multiple ranger sources I talked with this past week, this is one of the worst years for Lupines in the parks history. Peak season for most other flowers is right now, some of which are abundant in normal levels, but the Paradise area has only 5% of its usual Lupine bloom (the dominant wildflower in the area) and other areas of the park are well below average, as I found in a recent visit. The cause of the problem is unknown at this point.

That is so strange, I wonder if the flooding had anything to do with it? Jefferson on the other hand had fields of wildflowers! just adds to the mystery I suppose.

It was a fairly heavy snow year (still 10' at the parking lot at Artists Point at Baker) even if Rainier is mostly melted out, so I wonder if they're just behaving oddly due to the recent weather oddities. I'm headed up next Saturday, hoping not to be completely skunked in one way or another yet again.

Bryan, Rainier is pretty much melted out. Snow levels above paradise are almost non-existant, with only a few tiny patches remaining. Exactly the type of conditions one usually associates with the peak bloom. At the same elevation, and even higher (5700-6400ft) on the mountain's North side, I found some decent Lupine blooms near Mystic Park. Careful examiniation of the Paradise plants shows some shriveling leaves and stunted growth.

Marie and I were up there this last weekend, and although it's not the incredible displays that I've seen you guys post pictures of, it's still doggone purdy up there. lots of paint brush, some lupine, a little heather, and tons of strange little white doo-dads that look like white fluffy walnuts. Sorry, I'm not a very skilled naturalist. And a few bear grass scattered here and there. But we didn't go very high either. Just a little beyond Myrtle Falls.

We also noticed a lot of shrivelled brown heather blooms, which I thought was a bit odd.

Having just returned from a couple of days at Paradise I can confirm what Marc is saying about the flowers. Actually I'm not sure Paradise has even 5% of its normal lupine bloom. The paintbrush is peak but a little down in numbers from years past, plenty of anemones on Mazama, very little bistort. Strange year. The bugs far outnumber the flowers.

Another unfortunate thing about 07' - it's an unusually good year for mosquitos!

Any suggestions for specific areas of the park to visit if I were to go this weekend?

Boy Howdy on the skeeters! I left the deet in the truck at reflection lakes and Marie went for a walk with the keys! I just about got eaten alive! Will, Paradise is nice even without the dramatic flower bloom. Get there early though, or you'll be hiked out before you get to a trailhead! With all the construction going on, parking is limited and it fills up quick. If you've never been there before, take the drive along the whole Stevens Canyon Highway. It's worth the gas!