Last summer, the meadows of Mount Outram had, without a doubt, one of the best shows of mountain flowers that I have ever seen. Truly, they were a floral wonder. Timing the meadows at their peak takes a bit of research and some luck as you don’t really know what you’ll get until you arrive. Not only does the floral show depend on timing within the season, it varies from year to year. A cold, wet spring and early summer can result in a late snowmelt and a poor show of flowers. Since the lower to upper meadows have about 400 meters (1,300 feet) of elevation change, it’s impossible for all the flowers to be at their peak bloom at the same time. You must accept what nature gives you and feel blessed that you are able to visit the meadows of Mount Outram.
At 1,800 meters of elevation gain, Mount Outram is definitely one of the more challenging hikes in the area. For that reason, and the long drive from my home in Vancouver, I only make it up there once a year.  If you haven’t seen it yet, please read my first post from the meadows, Flowers and Meadows of Mount Outram. Now, let’s revisit the meadows. Mount Outram is situated just outside of Manning Provincial Park in southern British Columbia, Canada. The trailhead is about 200 kilometers east of Vancouver. I briefly describe the history of the park in my light, little post, Ground Squirrels and A Bear.
I wish I had some blue sky for this photo: Looking toward the south with lupines at their peak. Lupines or lupins are members of the legume family with 280 different species in various parts of the world.
