Little Cottonwood Canyon and its resorts attract people from many places and for many reasons. The latter tend to be big and full of purpose. Your blogger, no stranger to the fun and satisfaction of a great speed wing line or powder run on a country club day, would agree. Much of the time.
But wandering the slopes of Alta and Snowbird in the summer contains a certain kind of magic that can only be found in the tiny and in the moment by pausing.
This Independence Day was one of those wanderings. Around mineral basin Canyon Blog repeatedly stopped to smell the flowers (and fungi). Not the flowers appearing in this column from time to time like columbine or bluebell or porcini mushrooms. Rather, those small and often overlooked blooms and petals that are so important to the many varieties of pollinators that also wander the slopes.
So, included here, in no particular order, and without scientific taxonomy, are a few of your correspondent’s favorite overlooked flora and fauna.
Alright, dandelions deserve mention. Not only are they plentiful and imbued with a brilliant color, but who hasn’t blown a wish on dandelion seeds? They’re also edible. But for Canyon Blog, their special place originates from Ray Bradbury’s wonderful and surreal wanderings of 12-year-old Douglas Spaulding’s summer of 1928 in Dandelion Wine.
Enough of that. Rounding out our sampling is a lone ladybug, busy keeping the flowers free of hazards.
Followed by a mountain butterfly sunning her wings.
Okay, and maybe one shot of Canyon Blog’s 4th of July ski line in Baldy’s Bowl…
Wherever you find yourself this holiday may you enjoy good friends and family. And don’t forget to stop and smell the overlooked flowers in your yard, especially those dandelions.