First Wildflower of 2017 – Sagebrush Buttercup
Woke up this morning with a vision of a buttercup in the snow. I rushed out to Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, and intensely survey the areas under ponderosa pine. And what did I find? That’s right a Sagebrush Buttercup, and as one of our earliest bloomers, it is generally my first wildflower of the […]
Bass Creek Falls Hike – Winter Edition
We did this hike last year, but with considerably less snow. It has really dumped this year in the Bitterroot Mountains, and the Bass Creek drainage is under a blanket of the white stuff. Were we deterred? Oh hell no, Jeff and I made relatively good time to the old log dam where I flew […]
Sweathouse Falls Hike – Winter Edition
Sweathouse Falls has always been my favorite water in the Bitterroot Mountains with its stream falls off a sheer face. Another reason that this hike is among my favorites is its relatively little use (i.e. no people). This time around, Jeff and I hiked to the falls with a fresh layer of powder snow. As […]
Rock Creek and the Welcome Creek Suspension Bridge
The other day, I was wanting to fly the DJI Phantom 4 drone at a new location, so decided on driving 14 miles up Rock Creek (east of Missoula, Montana) to video the Welcome Creek Suspension Bridge. The bridge crosses Rock Creek as a major access to the tiny Welcome Creek Wilderness Area. In fact, […]
1st Day of Winter at Glade Creek, Lolo Pass
The first day of winter and the sunset suggests a slightly longer day than the one before. I flew the DJI Phantom 4 over Glade Creek at Lolo Pass to capture the Seussian play of pillows of deep powder snow and low angle light. Grab the image below to view a 360-degree immersive images. [vrview […]
Wallman Trail – Rattlesnake Recreation Area
Winter hiking offers the bundled hiker the opportunity for solitude and challenge. The solitude comes from the lack of other intrepid souls and the snow dampening any ambient sound. The depth of the snow and unsure footing creates a scenario that can be challenging, especially when breaking trail on a steep slope. So, we took […]
The Waterfalls of Blodgett Canyon
The last time I hiked through the deep Blodgett Canyon, it was nearly 90 degrees and the sun was brutal. This time, winter was starting to creep into this ancient glacially-carved drainage. Blodgett Canyon is home to towering granite cliffs, gigantic moraine boulders, and 2 dramatic waterfalls. The falls are relatively close to one another and they […]
Sawmill Trail 24.1 – Rattlesnake National Recreation Area
Once again, we headed into the Rattlesnake national Recreation Area for an 8-mile loop hike on the Sawmill Trail 24.1 and down Curry Gulch. The day was absolutely brilliant with warm temperatures and bright sunshine. The trail basically gains a ridge and follows that ridge all the way to Stuart Peak, but we turned off […]
Rattlesnake Recreation Area: Curry Cabin and Sawmill Gulch
Even though the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area is immediately adjacent to Missoula, it is an area that I have explored very seldom. Curry Cabin is a place that I have read about in the guidebooks and blog posts, but it was unvisited…until now that is. Curry Cabin lies at the head of Curry Gulch (imagine […]
Big Creek during the extended Autumn
As the snow falls heavily outside my office window, I was looking back on hikes from the tremendous autumn that we experienced in Montana. One of the best was a quick hike along the banks of Big Creek in the Bitterroot Mountains. This trail is a real cruiser with minimal elevation gain and a great […]
Jerry Johnson Hot Springs – Over Loved and Under Appreciated
Jerry Johnson Hot Springs is gorgeous, accessible, and, often, over-loved. From Highway 12 about 10 miles from the thriving metropolis of Powell, Idaho, you cross the Lochsa River on a pack bridge and continue along the trail for almost a mile and a half. The trail parallels Warm Springs Creek (apropos name) under a canopy […]
Lake Como – Circumambulation
Lake Como, not the Italian one either, is nestled in the Rock Creek drainage in the Bitterroot Mountains. While actually a reservoir, Lake Como is nonetheless stunning, and the fact that there is a trail that encircles the entirety of the shoreline and a massive cascade at the west end of the lake makes this […]
Weir Hot Springs
Weir Hot Springs is the secret that is, well, not much of a secret with the locals folks and, increasingly, travelers. Located along Highway 12 in Idaho roughly 20 miles west of Lowell (known for the terrific Lochsa Lodge), the hot springs are roughly a mile hike along Weir Creek to several pools, although the […]
Bear Creek Falls
Late autumn hikes afford you the opportunity to capture the timeless nature of things. This is Bear Creek Falls in the Bitterroot Mountains, one of my personal favorite spots that can be reached in an afternoon. The trail follows Bear Creek on the south side as it alternatively cascades over boulders and peaceful sections that […]
Flying over Blodgett Canyon in the Bitterroot Mountains
Blodgett Canyon cuts deep through the granite of the Bitterroot Mountains in Montana. The walls are nearly vertical, which is why the area is known to climbers. The canyon was carved out by ice age glaciers, which left behind the U-shaped valley and steeply carved granite cliffs. The glacial valley is carved into granitic rocks […]