Carpenter Creek Run-off

This photo was originally taken during the last week of June during a Cessna flight we did with a friend. I forgot to post it at the time. It shows New Denver, and the mouth of Carpenter Creek flush with spring runoff muddied by significant erosion upstream, presumably in the Sandon area where there is considerable instability of the creek banks. A similar photo that we took has taken on a life of its own as an advocacy tool for various environmental stewardship groups who are trying to draw attention to the issues in Sandon.

New growth

Bright yellow on the forest floor

These asparagus-like stalks look for all the world like Pinedrops, a sort of parasitic plant that has abandoned photosynthesis in favour of absorbing nutrients from fungus that attaches to its roots. But pinedrops are typically pinkish/light-yellow, not this flourescent yellow. Information about mycotrophic plants here. We would love to know what these are. We also saw some wine-red ones.

Mossy trail

June rainfall record

Average June rainfall: 67 mm

Previous record June rainfall: 117.7 mm

June 2012 rainfall: 227.7 mm

Normally the access ramp to the dock slopes precipitously down. The lake is very high. The sump pump beneath the hospital floor is pumping hundreds of gallons a minute back out into the lake.

High Water

The bridge over the karenegare ("dry" river bed) at the Kohan Garden.

Secret Lupin Garden

Carpenter Creek

That tiny white stripe, up close. Islands swamped by logs and rushing water, cold and clear and flecked with glacial silt.

Soccer

Warming up for a soccer match at Centennial park, with lake, mountains and clouds in the background. 

Kohan Pond

Cherry blossoms 3

Cherry blossoms 2

Cherry blossoms 1

Cherry tree reflected in a window at the hospital.

Unfurling leaves

Please don't eat the crocuses!

Fences are necessary protection for the crocuses from hungry deer.

Turkeys

Wild turkeys. These two toms and their wives, scratching nearby.

Sun, melting and steam

The whole canyon fills with steam when the sun starts really melting the snow.

Laundry and snowbank

The snowbanks are almost as high as the laundry lines, but spring is in the air.

Carpenter Creek Mouth

Looking the other direction along Carpenter Creek towards where it empties into Slocan Lake. The gradually vanishing New Denver Glacier can be seen between the two peaks in the background.

Lupine colour

Peak colour at the Secret Lupine Garden.