Plants 6-20 cm; setae whitish, conspicuously curled (1-2 mm). Stems (stout, branched at bases or proximal to middles), canescent-tomentulose, sparsely setose. Leaves: petioles setose; blades 4-12 × 1.5-4 cm (tomentulose to glabrate, midribs setose). Involucres 11-13 mm. Phyllaries densely setose or tomentose at bases. Cypselae greenish or yellowish, 6-7 mm, beaked (beaks 2-3 mm); pappi 5-7 mm.

Flowering May-Jul. Dry open places, alpine slopes; of conservation concern; 1500-2500 m; Wash.

Subspecies glareosa is known only from Kittitas County.