Well, I take it back (just a little). There was something new blossoming today. I found it this afternoon after the rain had ceased and I had a little more time to explore. All of the meadows that line the forest along Red Rock Road here are blooming with the Mule Ears (Wyethia helianthoides) wildflowers. These have large hairy leaves (up to 20" long) and grow in clumps. The flowers look like sunflowers and are mainly bright white, but occasionally you'll see cream colored ones.

They tend to cover an area for a few weeks, esp. the moist areas. They will make a sea of white soon and tend to be very photogenic in the landscape. Right now they are very sporadically blooming and are hard to see because the other vegetation is higher than their nascent plants.

Native Americans used them for food, roasting, grinding and easting the seeds as a mush. They will be all along Red Rock road and US20 between RedRock road and Hungry Bear restaurant (in the meadows there) and the other meadows throughout Island Park (Idaho) along US20 and the Mesa Falls Scenic Highway.

This species is found in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon and Nevada. White Mule’s-ears was discovered in Idaho 1833 by the noted explorer, Nathaniel Wyeth.

There is a yellow version of this flower and a hybridized version that is a beautiful cream color. The yellow version isn't found around here in much quantity to my knowledge. Another flower often confused with this is the Arrowleaf Balsamroot, another Yellow sunflower like flower in bloom now.