Barbara and I hike regularly with two purposes, first, to maintain fitness as we age, but also to enjoy the wonders of nature. I don’t know if this is her preference (though she plays along, if not), but every hike is also a botanical adventure. What will we find today?

Our schedule is calculated by reviewing last year’s photos then adding or subtracting days based upon recent weather conditions. The hike today was our annual test to see if we are still capable of scampering up a steep, rock-lined mountain stream, and also, to catch the round lobed hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa, above) at its peak.

This worked perfectly, though not exactly to plan. The hike, Little Devils Stairs, is short (about six miles) but graded as strenuous with its steep incline and rock scrambles (above). Barbara counted seven stream crossings and early in the season it’s clear that the trail volunteers have not been out yet to clear fallen trees and to replace large stepping stones that have washed downstream. If we had not hiked this trail many times before, we probably would have turned back after facing several difficulties.

But, no matter the obstacles, the hepaticas were at their peak at lower elevations. In the past we’ve seen dozens. Today it was thousands, so the season begins. In coming weeks we’ll catch Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), trout lilies (Erythronium americanum), then trilliums with sides of other ephemerals.