Not Hinkhouse Peak, Esmeralda Peak, and Fortune Peak revisited

On July 1st, David, Maggie, and Hayden set out for the Wenatchee Mountains for the first fieldwork of the 2025 season (and Maggie and Hayden’s first fieldwork as interns on the project).  On the first day we sampled on Not Hinkhouse Peak, just southwest of Mount Stuart.  Conditions were sunny and warm, and the hike to the top was fairly straightforward.  The peak included a fair amount of serpentine rock serpentine associated plants.  By the end of sampling we counted a total of 53 species.

Hayden and Maggie near the top of Not Hinkhouse Peak

On July 2nd, we got an early start hiking up Esmeralda Peak, a bit southwest of Not Hinkhouse.  The trail was empty, and conditions remained sunny, albeit a bit chilly at the peak due to wind.  Both the geology and the flora at the peak were starkly different from Not Hinkhouse.  Rock at the top was much patchier and included some basaltic outcrops.  Non-serpentine portions of the peak also included many species not observed the day prior.   By the end of sampling we had a total of 67 species, making it the most diverse peak on this trip.

On July 3rd, we decided to spend our final day revisiting Fortune Peak to look for any species in addition to what was found the previous year.  This was our tallest peak this trip at 7,382 feet, and conditions at the peak were sunny, breezy, and fairly cold.  We managed to find an additional 9 species, bringing the total for the peak up to 51.  Some highlights were finding Smelowskia ovalis in full bloom, as well as copious amounts of Allium crenulatum on the southwestern face of the peak.

Allium crenulatum was abundent on Fortune Peak

Smelowskia ovalis in full bloom

Overall this was a pleasant and productive trip and a great start to the 2025 season.