The Koma Kulshan Chapter invites you to join us for this year's Native Plant Study Weekend. Come enjoy the splendor of the Heather Meadows area at road's end as well as destinations along the Mount Baker Highway. The North Cascades is a rugged mountainous region, with steep-sided valleys and snowy peaks, as well as the largest number of active glaciers in the lower 48 states. The complex geologic history of mountain building, glacial advance and retreat, and climatic factors has created a patchwork of isolated mountaintops. Like the floras of oceanic islands, these "sky islands" are home to a unique flora of cold-adapted plants that are maintained through migration barriers and amenable
climatic conditions. The surrounding forests, wetlands, and river valleys offer rich botanical opportunities as well.

We are planning a wide range of outings with varying degrees of difficulty, including strolls, hikes, and workshops. Your options will range from taking a leisurely walk along a wheelchair accessible path to using your ice axe to break your own trail on a snow-covered slope en route to some of Washington's premier alpine habitat.