I would have chosen to go a week or so later, but Alyssa was here. and the weather was good. I can’t hike, but I can certainly ride my ATV. You have to imagine Alyssa squeezed between me and the dog!

Paintbrush and lupins were out a bit lower down but it was a bit early for the best of the flowers.

Near the treeline are a few clumps of my favourite mini Lyall’s lupin.

The old gold mining roads fork at the treeline. Alyssa set off with Pepita to climb Perkins Peak.

She took these pictures near the summit.

A lovely rendering of a grey-crowned rosy finch, which nests high in the mountains.

Meanwhile I headed up Chrome Creek. Jacob’s ladder with Perkins Peak in the background.

Potentilla diversifolia with Hell Ravin Peak behind.

An un-named peak with Mountain Avens below. A little more snow in the mountains and the cold June meant the face of this mountain was mostly white. Last year at this time it was almost bare of snow.

Yellow mountain heather.

Cloud shadows

Silky phacelia

Moss campion and Potentilla uniflora

The first creek.

Along the banks of which grew mountain marsh marigolds.

Cutleafed fleabane

More mountain avens

As I suspected, a big snowbank crossing the trail at the second creek meant my way was blocked.

Mares tails on the way home.

So I turned around and drove to the bottom of Perkins Peak to wait for Alyssa. As soon as Pepita saw me, she ran towards me. I thought she had missed me but not a bit of it. She ran straight to the ATV and jumped aboard. She was exhausted and she wasn’t going to budge!