Three hikers walked from Cranleigh Dr and Bluebell Dr in West Vancouver (near Marine Dr, to avoid $25 pay parking), and walked up Nelson Creek in the general direction of the old helipad, steep in places. This hike was posted on Nature Vancouver Events Calendar with very short notice, after a report from a friend that the Manzanitas were in flower – they were glorious. There are also thousands of Arbutus in this area, but not yet in flower. We then continued to Whyte lake and came down by the more popular route.

We saw flowers on Salmonberry, Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium), Black-cap raspberry (Rubus leucodermis), Huckleberry, Woodrush, and Skunk Cabbage. The highlight was hundreds of Lichen Agaric (Lichenomphalia ericetorum) – these unusual lichens have their alga part separate, as a thin green layer on adjacent wood. We saw many other lichens and mushrooms as well.

See more photos at Google Album https://photos.app.goo.gl/f35wFvpb5f1j5qX39