It may come as a surprise to many hikers to find beautiful three foot stems covered with orchids next to streams in the Great Basin. Nonetheless, that's what they are, the Sierra bog orchid (Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys). There are plenty of other names, including white rein orchid, white bog orchid, white-flowered bog orchid, and the scientific names Platanthera leuchostachys and Habenaria dilatata.
The flowers are made up of an upper sepal and upper 2 petals that form a hood over the reproductive parts, the lower 2 sepals spread out as wings, and the lower petal curves at the base and then becomes a long spur. For more information about sierra bog orchid, click here.
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