On the north side of Blewett Pass, Washington, there is a beautiful green meadow where two extremely rare plants grow nowhere else in the world. In Camas Meadows:

1. Wenatchee Mountains Checkermallow (pink); and

2. Wenatchee Larkspur. Took the flower photos in 2017 when we could walk in the meadows.

Today Karen, Gro and I hiked all-the-way around Camas Meadows- up-and-down two peaks- for 8.3 miles total with over 4,000 feet of elevation gain.

Some areas of the trail were so steep, I sat down and slid downhill for a stretch. Whee! A quick, safe and fun way to descend an extremely steep, slippery trail.

"We don't want anyone walking in Camas Meadows," a Forest Service employee gravely told us. "The Wenatchee Mountain Checkermallow and Wenatchee Larkspur are extremely rare."

I thought about how in years past, locals drove jeeps and hunted in Camas Meadows. Not anymore. Motorized vehicles, ATVs, hunting and shooting were banned 31 years ago. Posted signs on all sides of the meadows include maps of the protected area.

It was fun to stand high on a ridge and see places we have hiked.

Burned thousands of calories today. Dinner of homemade chicken-vegetable soup wasn't enough. For dessert, I had vanilla bean ice cream with chocolate chips.

Photos:

1. Camas Meadows, WA.

2. Wenatchee Mountains Checkermallow.

3. Wenatchee blue Larkspur.

4. Sign.

5. Enchantment Mountains frame Camas Meadows.