We hiked to
Memaloose Lake in the Mt. Hood National Forest, and found it a peaceful oasis. The woods were stunning, with clumps of western coralroot orchids everywhere, and the lake was full of frolicking newts and egg masses.
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| Queen's cup. |
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| Western coralroot orchid. |
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| Pinesap. |
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| Sickletop lousewort. |
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| Woodland penstemon. |
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| Rough-skinned newt. |
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| Subalpine spirea. |
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| We saw this weird critter, 3" or so, flattened and with no obvious head, ripple across the water and bury itself in the mud. We wondered if it could be a flatworm? Now, I think it's a leech! Unfortunately, I have been unable to find an excellent guide to freshwater leeches of the Pacific Northwest, so the mystery may remain unsolved. |
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| A (deceased) dragonfly nymph? |
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| Egg masses, most likely from the newts. |
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| The cone of a noble fir? |
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It looked like some kind of mysterious tropical fruit. Someone had been
eating it. |
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| Slime mold. |
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| Oval-leaved blueberry. |
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| Western coralroot. |
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