Sphagnum Moss
Sphagnum (peat moss)
TypeMossElevation0–5,000+ ftPeak/BloomNon-flowering
Acidic wetlands and alpine seepage areas; peat bogs, streamlets, and moist forest hollows
Howker Ridge • Sub & Alpine Plant Catalog
24 plant records. Showing page 2 of 2.
Showing 4 of 24 plants
Spruce (Subalpine Spruce)
Picea
TypeConiferous TreeElevation2,500–5,000 ftPeak/BloomNon-flowering
Boreal spruce–fir forests; upper mountain slopes and krummholz (stunted treeline thickets)
White Cushion Moss
Leucobryum glaucum
TypeMossElevation0–2,500 ft (common in lowland forests, foothills, and lower mountain slopes)Peak/BloomNon-flowering
Acidic, humid forests and boggy woodlands; forms round cushions on soil, rock, or decaying wood in shady areas w
Zigzag Goldenrod
Solidago flexicaulis
TypeWildflowerElevation0–2,500 ftPeak/BloomAugust-September
Rich deciduous woodlands, shaded thickets, and forest edges (often in moist, loamy soil)
Showing 4 of 24 plants
Field guide context
Bloom calendar, elevation bands, and trail care
Bloom calendar: spring and early summer favor flowers; late summer brings berries and seed heads; mosses, lichens, and evergreens remain useful year-round.
Leave no trace: stay on rock or durable trail surfaces near krummholz and alpine mats, and use photos rather than picking plants for identification.
Elevation bands
Display settings
Latest Plant Log Updates Trail Info
Jan 23 2026 — Migration to nh48.info & recent improvements Most recent
Migrated the Howker Ridge plant catalog to nh48.info and centralized photo database for faster loading and public access into another dataset. Recent improvements include expanded species metadata, refined habitat tags, higher-quality photo references, and a cleaner browsing layout.
Nov 12 2025 — Late-season alpine updates
Added late fall plant observations, cleaned up notes, and refreshed habitat tags based on recent trail surveys and photo reviews.
Sept 1 2025 — Why this catalog exists
After hiking the Howker Ridge Trail on Mount Madison, I became captivated by the unique geology and location of the Howker Ridge Trail. Traversing an incredibly diverse set of ecosystems ascending Mt. Madison, the trail hosts a uniquely diverse set of ecosystems I'd argue, hard to find this close together anywhere in New England, I'm working on photographing, documenting, and in the future recording exact locations of some of these plants with conservation and alpine regulations in mind. Howker Ridge, like many areas in the White Mountains was subject to different levels of logging which adds a layer of complexity.