We took a late season hike up to Helen Lake in northern Banff on August 27th. I'll show some of the highlights (to me, that is ;D) in this thread, but a more thorough trip journal can be seen at this link:
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=162.0
Subalpine meadows along the trail, with the perfect spires of subalpine fir in the valley... The most prominent blooming plant is Senecio triangularis, with a few Valeriana sitchensis, Parnassia fimbriata and asters still in bloom; the Castilleja are mostly done in this area but the bracts are even more richly-coloured as they age; a few flowers still on Veratrum viride ssp. eschscholtzii:
And continuing up into the extensive alpine meadows, some Gentiana glauca and extensive mats of partridgefoot, Luetkea pectinata (which I had not noticed before!):
Continuing up into a rocky area, beautiful mats of Tonestus (Haplopappus) lyallii, Castilleja and Erigeron aureus:
