Friends and fellow nature enthusiasts,

I've had many requests to continue posting my nature programs and trips, so here goes: (You may want to read the text before clicking on any links, depending on your internet connection speed etc, downloads may take a bit of time - esp the "a-singing")

I will be leading a trip for individuals and families to the Columbia River Gorge to enjoy the native plants in bloom from beauteous Bitterroots - Lewisia rediviva to showy shooting stars (Dodecatheon).
We'll peer at reproductive parts of plants from Naked Broomrapes - Orobanche uniflora Barestem Desert Parsley - Lomatium nudicaule: and may even nibble on their luscious leaves.

(Yes, this trip will be "G" rated and family friendly.)

We'll also leer at and listen to other life forms, from the birds a-singing to the butterflies that we find along the way. (I'll also have nets so that we can examine the bugs more easily and perch a butterfly or 2 on our fingers or noses before they fly away).

I will rent a van, so everyone will go in one vehicle. We can then better enjoy the plants and animals on the drive as a group more easily than on carpool trips (not to mention greater fuel efficiency) .

We will spend the night at the hostel in Bingen. I am still working out the details of the just what time we will leave and return and whether I'd pick people up or meet somewhere. The price will be $165 per person including lodging at the hostel and all of the transportation costs and my fees. I will also include at least some snacks in this price. I'm still working out what we will do for meals. There are cooking facilities at the hostel if we want to cook. We can stop at a grocery store in White Salmon so we wouldn't have to bring the food for 2 days.

This is not a parks trip, but my trip. Contact me if you are interested.

See additional Columbia Gorge wildflower links below signature.

Stewart Wechsler
Ecological Consulting
West Seattle
206 932-7225
ecostewart at quidnunc.net

-Advice on the most site-appropriate native plants
and how to enhance habitat for the maximum diversity
of plants and animals
-Educational programs, nature walks and field trips
-Botanical Surveys

Mark Turner (Turner Photographics - Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest) has great photos of Columbia gorge blooms on his website. Below are links to his Columbia Gorge photos from 3/28 - 4/22. Click on any photo for a larger photo:

Turner Gorge photos March 28-31, 2003

Turner Gorge photos April 14-15, 2004

Turner Gorge photos April 16, 2003

Turner Gorge photos Apr 22, 2004

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