BY KAREN BOSSICK
Check out the flowers of Bald Mountain on Saturday when the Wood River Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society offers a wildflower hike on the slopes of Sun Valley Resort’s premiere ski hill.
Participant will ride the Roundhouse gondola up at 9;30 a.m. and take the Christmas chairlift from there to the top.
They’ll then hike down the Bald Mountain Trail drinking in views of the Pioneer Mountains as they go. The hike will end at the Roundhouse Connector no later than 3 p.m.
Participants can ride the gondola down from there or follow the Roundhouse connector back to the Bald Mountain Trail to get down.
“Although it’s mid-summer in the Wood River Valley, wildflowers still bloom vividly at high elevations,” said chapter president and trip leader Mary McClanahan.
McClanahan, who has a bachelor’s degree in rangeland ecology and a master’s degree in restoration ecology, has spent her professional life surveying and cataloging naïve plants and restoring ecosystems with native plants.
“Baldy sits at about 9,000 feet, easily accessible via the River Run gondola and Christmas chair lift, which give easy access to these beautiful high elevation wildflowers,” she added. We’ll discuss native trees and shrubs that thrive at these high elevations and address the importance of forest health.”
The hike is deemed medium-difficult to difficult because of the high elevation and downhill trails. Participants should be prepared for unexpected inclement weather by bringing a raincoat and jacket. Attendees should also bring drinking water, lunch, sun hat and sunscreen and hiking poles (optional). A hand lens or magnifying glass can offer an up-close look at fascinating flower parts. Binoculars are a nice addition, too.
Hailey and Bellevue participants may meet at Hailey’s Hop Porter Park at 8:30 a.m. to carpool. There should be no delays due to road construction on Saturday. They will join those from Ketchum and sun Valley at the picnic table at the base of River Run at 9 a.m. where they will prepare to board the gondola. Gondola tickets cost $20 per person.
Participants are asked to leave dogs at home, as dogs are not allowed on the Christmas chair.
The Idaho Native Plant Society is a non-profit statewide organization with more than 600 members. To learn more visit https://idahonativeplants.org/wood-river/.