Autor: M. D. Barry Maletzky

The author is a physician who has climbed for over 60 years in all the major mountain ranges across the world, including a number of first ascents. He has specialized, however, in exploring the peaks and trails of the North Cascades, including its National Park and the hiking trails of the Columbia Gorge, both in Oregon and Washington States. Along the way, he has taken courses in Botany and read, and re-read, literally all the wildflower identification and botany literature available to date. He has also led wildflower identification hikes and backpacks over that extended period of time. Although the majority of his publications, including five textbooks and over 65 journal articles, have been in the realm of medical science, he is also the author of the book, Hidden Gems of Washington’s Cascades: Brief Essays on Climbs, Scrambles and Traverses in Our Most Overlooked Alpine Area and National Park. This publication, which also contains wildflower illustrations, is currently in production and will be available by the summer or fall of 2023.