What Happened to the “garden” in the Alpine Garden

2012-06-24 23:33:07.000 – Adam Brainard,  Summit Intern

Spring 2012 High Temperatures

As many repeat visitors to the summit may have noticed, the garden (for which Alpine Garden trail is named) has been a bit less spectacular this year. No, the flora has not been victim to a rockslide, a fire, or death by a thousand flashbulbs (or worse, footsteps); but the decline can likely be attributed to weather.

As seen in the graph attached, the summit experienced a significant March thaw that brought well above freezing temperatures for nearly two weeks. This was followed by a harsh two week cold snap, again followed by a warmer period. While spring freezes and thaws are far from unusual, the significant temperature amplitude and extended duration likely prompted a significant proportion of initial flower buds to succumb to cold. I can only conjecture that the particular timing of volatile weather also hampered natural recovery efforts later in the season.

While the garden may not be at its prime, there is still a plethora of spectacular plant life to be seen on and below the summit. Please take the opportunity to see for yourself!

Adam Brainard,  Summit Intern