Gentian: Day 258

While exploring the island's interior, I came upon an atv trail that led to the summit of North Hill, offering an expansive view of the entire northern coast. It was a stunning scene, but the micro views from the summit were equally as interesting, such as this miniature forest of Whitish Gentian (Gentiana algida), bizarre tubular white and blue flowers that speckled the rim of the extinct cinder cone. Gentiana are late bloomers, one of the last wildflowers of the season, and are relatively common in alpine meadows across western North America.

Canon EOS 60D, Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM + Canon EF Extension Tube II, ISO-320 f/14 @ 1/320 sec.