Mount Harrison, at 9,265 feet is a peak in the northern Albion Mountains of Cassia County in southern Idaho. Mount Harrison is located in north of Cache Peak, south of Burley, northeast of Oakley, and west of Malta in the Albion Division of the Minidoka Ranger District of Sawtooth National Forest. Due to the location, this cache may not be available during the winter months.
Christ’s Indian Paintbrush - (Castilleja christii) is a showy, yellow flowered perennial endemic to subalpine meadow and sagebrush habitats in the upper elevations of the Albion Mountains, Cassia County, Idaho. This species is known from only a single population on the summit of Mount Harrison. The conservation and protection of this rare population is managed by the Sawtooth National Forest, Minidoka Ranger District. It is currently ranked as one of Idaho’s rarest plant taxa.
Christ’s Indian Paintbrush is a showy perennial herb ranging 6 to 15 inches tall. Stems are erect to ascending and usually unbranched with several in a cluster. Leaves are 2 to 5 inches long and are narrow to broadly lance-shaped. The inflorescence is yellow to yellow-orange with lanceolate to ovate bracts.
The global distribution of Castilleja christii is confined to a single population on the top of Mount Harrison. The population occupies approximately 200 acres.