February 2026: It has begun! The Eastern Columbia River Gorge got off to a VERY early start thanks to a mild November and December. The first grass-widows and prairie-stars were spotted at The Labyrinth in mid-December, and they were already pretty easy to find by mid-January at Catherine Creek, Coyote Wall, and Rowena Plateau. The second half of January was chilly, so things have moved a little closer to normal... but for now it's looking like it might be an early wildflower year all over the Pacific Northwest, especially with the meager snowpack in the mountains.