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| A quick trip up the Hanging Valley Trail near Helena. |
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| After a quick storm blew through in the evening the sunset was spectacular over the nearby hills surrounding the Forest Service cabin we stayed at. Burnt trees remaining standing after the 2000 fire. |
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| A long weekend trip to Glacier National Park was good timing as it rained all weekend in Helena, but was beautiful in the park. This is the best photo I have ever taken of orchids (Fairy Slippers). It was on the Lincoln Lake Trail |
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| On a hike to Trout Lake, the trees were covered in catepillar nests. This was just one of many. |
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| Indian Paintbrush was beautiful as always |
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| Our main goal in the park was to bike up to the top of Logan Pass before it was open to cars. We got lucky this year - the road had been plowed to the top but was not open to cars and we had a beautiful mostly sunny day. Here we are at the top after 16 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing. |
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| More proof that we made it to the top. |
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| During a hike near Helena, me and mother saw a great group of forget me nots - Jolie and I went back a few days later when the light was better to get this shot. |
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| On a weekend trip to Bass Creek (southwest of Missoula) we got to see more wildflowers. Lupine in a meadow |
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| During a bike ride we came across this spectacular hillside of Balsamroot and Lupine. The picture doesnt do it justice |
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| We saw tons of trillium on our hike to Bass Creek - I told Jolie it was only 12 miles roundtrip, but as Joan can attest to I dont always get the mileages correct. It was 16+ miles with over 3,000 feet of elevation to a frozen cold lake! |
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| While in Missoula we hiked to top of Mt Sentinel - East Missoula in background. |
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| Had never been to Sluice Box State Park near Great Falls, me and jolie got a chance this spring. It consists of Belt Creek in a narrow limestone walled canyon - at one time a railroad ran through the canyon for hauling mining ore. This is one of the railroad tunnels with silhouette of jolie and polgara for scale. other parts of the trail are old railroad tressles -some in pretty scary looking condition - but we made it across them. The full trail requires a dozen stream crossings -water was too high for us to make those but we hiked along almost all of the trail by starting at both ends and going as far as we could. |
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| We saw a ton of wildflowers - these are prarie smoke yet to bloom |
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| Sunrise on one of the many limestone cliffs |
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| Pasque Flower |
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| Jolie found a Morrell mushroom. She said it was delicious - I will take her word for it. |
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| Another view of the canyon. |
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| In April, Jolie and I went down to the Tetons for some spring biking and hiking. We just about ran into this gal before we saw her walking across the trail |
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| We got lucky and picked a beautiful sunny day to ride the road in Grand Teton national park from Taggart Lake Trailhead to top of Signal Mountain - about 40 miles with a 1,000 foot climb. Road still closed to cars at this point of the year so it is a very enjoyable ride. |
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| At the top of signal mountain with Grand Teton in background. |
