Flower Update - Rowena/DMR

I went to scope out the current conditions today, and was surprised to see the lupine already up. It is still in it's early blooming stages, not blooming at the tips yet. I think it will peak in one week, maybe a little later at Rowena which seems a little behind the washington side. It looks to be a very good year though, with the lupine and balsam blooming at the same time.

Happy hunting.

Thanks Zack, I am going on a photo trip for a week and I am a little worried I might be too late. Do u think there is at least another 2 weeks ? Thanks Kevin

Thanks, Zack. Appreciate the info.

I was out there today also. I don't think it will be at the peak in one week out at DMR, It'll be nice but not peak. I'd bet the peak is at least two and a half to three weeks away. As for Rowena, maybe even a month from now. Today on my drive through I saw almost nothing blooming. It's very interesting and exciting that there is so much lupine (relatively) out now compared to the Balsamroot. If this year is not a good year as far as quantity goes, at least it will be a very colorful year.

Mark, you may be right, especially with this cold weather we're having. It was actually snowing and hailing on me when I was out there today. Good news for you Kev, it sounds like it should still be happening in 2 weeks, if not at peak.

Thanks Zack and Mark. I'll have to try and hit it, but will probably miss this year. Heading to Death Valley next weekend, then Bend the weekend after that, then its off to Cancun for two weekends. I might be able to hit a day or two after work the first week of May but we're changing out our Internet Edge routers and that's a HUGE and potentially hairy project.

Thanks for the update all! I have a few days off at the end of the month and I'm hoping to work the eastern gorge. I've been out there several times in past years, but am hoping to apply lessons from my prior mistakes and improve on photos I have.

Thanks for the update Zack and Mark. Looking forward to get out there in the next week or two. Come on Spring!

Any new updates?

I walked through Rowena yesterday (4/25) and saw a fair amount of flowers out but nothing awesome. All the bunches looked quite young so there is hope. There is some Paintbrush in the usual places but hardly any Lupine yet.

That's weird, Mark - I was there, too. Even took a few photos of the balsamroom near the main overlook (in full bloom), although I was mostly along the west rim and near the bridge. Windy!

I know, here we are, almost the beginning of May and the Balsamroot bloom hasn't really hit yet. It's going to be interesting to see what finally happens.

Hmmm, I wonder if it will be worth it to come down this weekend?

It's worth it depending on what you want. If you want fields and fields, then don't. If you want to try more intimate shots, then it's probably okay. If you drove from Hood River to the Dalles Mtn Road on the Washington side you'll see lots of oaks, desert parsley, blasamroot, lupine and rocks. If you drove back to Hood River on the Oregon side, and went up to Rowena, you could wander around there.
Still though, fields and fields ain't what you're going to get.