Sagebrush buttercup is one of the earliest blooming of the foothill wildflowers, worth looking for in February.  However, most populations occur on soils with high clay content, which are frequently too muddy to walk on in late winter/early spring except when frozen.  A particularly accessible, large, early blooming population occurs on the Big Springs Loop in the western foothills.  Some plants have flowers with more than the standard five petals.