May 11, 2011
Trail 274
Today a friend and I hiked on USFS trail 274 in the Mount Bushnell roadless area in the Dry Creek drainage here in western Montana. The trail head is along Dry Creek at an elevation of about 3,100 feet. Here are a few photos taken from the trail.
The snow covered peak to the left is Eddy Peak and to the right is Cherry Peak.
Mount Bushnell is the snow-capped peak about in the center.
View just off the trail at about 4,400 feet.
At 4,500 feet and above the storms of winter were not kind to trail 274.
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Montana Outdoors 
Beautiful!
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Comment by mitambien — May 11, 2011 @ 11:08 pm
Yes, it’s rough but beautiful country up there and no other human tracks on the trail.
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Comment by montucky — May 11, 2011 @ 11:18 pm
Hi Montucky, No, storms are hard on forest trails, especially so for those in rugged areas or in higher elevations. My husband’s late grandfather was a Forest Ranger in Idaho long ago and told tales. Your pictures are fabulous! Have a wonderful day!
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Comment by wildlifewatcher — May 12, 2011 @ 6:26 am
You have to expect the unexpected in this kind of area. I’m glad I didn’t plan on going too far through that kind of terrain!
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Comment by montucky — May 12, 2011 @ 8:20 am
Gasp! You are certainly surrounded by a wonderland of beauty!
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Comment by Roberta Warshaw — May 12, 2011 @ 6:27 am
Yes, there are lots of great scenes here. These made the hike up from the creek worth the effort.
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Comment by montucky — May 12, 2011 @ 8:21 am
How I envy you! Thank you for sharing such wonderment with us.
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Comment by Homestead Ramblings — May 12, 2011 @ 6:47 am
I was excited to find that we could make it that high already. Soon the access to the higher areas will be possible.
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Comment by montucky — May 12, 2011 @ 8:25 am
It takes my breath away. What stunning landscapes. And – can’t believe there’s still snow…:-)!!!
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Comment by Marcie — May 12, 2011 @ 6:55 am
I love the views from the high trails, especially from the ones that are in the roadless areas where the ecology is pretty much the same as it has been for millenniums. On the higher peaks there will still be deep snow banks on the lee sides of the ridges in July.
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Comment by montucky — May 12, 2011 @ 8:29 am
Beautiful views & I love that blue sky! =)
Ya’ll be super careful out there hiking in the mountains… I know you probably are, but I have to say it anyway! =)
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Comment by Tricia — May 12, 2011 @ 8:31 am
Thank you for your concern Tricia, but the real dangers are not on the mountain trails: they are on the streets and highways. And of course when the legislature is in session…
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Comment by montucky — May 12, 2011 @ 9:26 am
Amen to that! I always breathe a sigh of relief when the legislature adjourns, and especially when they adjourn without enacting annual sessions. Good thing the governor had his veto branding irons heated up!
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Comment by Kim — May 25, 2011 @ 11:32 am
I’d like to see a rule in effect for about the next ten years that for every new law enacted, two old ones must be abolished. Then perhaps we could afford government, and laws themselves would become more precious.
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Comment by montucky — May 25, 2011 @ 8:19 pm
I’d settle for one abolished for each new one enacted. We also need a limit on the number of bills that can be introduced, per person and/or per session.
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Comment by Kim — May 26, 2011 @ 2:33 pm
Montana is a beautiful state. I have never been there. Great pictures
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Comment by marysquilt — May 12, 2011 @ 8:34 am
Thanks Mary. Yes, this is a very beautiful part of the world. I never take that for granted.
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Comment by montucky — May 12, 2011 @ 9:28 am
I know you are glad to be back up on the trails. Does the forest service clear the roads and trails in the spring if there has been blow downs, or do people like you do it?
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Comment by sandy — May 12, 2011 @ 2:14 pm
The Forest Service maintains the trails, although they welcome help. It’s very hard work.
Last year a lot of trail work was done using the stimulus money. This year though they don’t have enough money in the budget to keep their trail crews and from what I have seen it was a tough winter for the trails. Any trail work that gets done this year will be by the fire crews before the fire season starts or if there is a mild fire season.
A couple trails are maintained by the Back Country Horsemen, but I know of only one that they maintain in this area.
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Comment by montucky — May 12, 2011 @ 3:13 pm
That snow looks quite refreshing on a day like today (it is 90 degrees out–our first really warm day.) Absolutely beautiful views!
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Comment by kateri — May 12, 2011 @ 5:15 pm
These photos were taken on our warmest day this year at 73 degrees, very hot after being used to temps in the 50’s. It felt good to stop for lunch next to a snow bank and enjoy the coolness of a little breeze across it.
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Comment by montucky — May 12, 2011 @ 9:41 pm
So mighty landscape. It seems very difficult to pass thru here. One interesting thing to me was to see how elevation can impact to the amount of snow. I loved that.
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Comment by sartenada — May 12, 2011 @ 11:10 pm
The elevation of the snow covered peaks is around 7,000 feet and the snow there is still over ten feet deep. The valley floor is quite dry now.
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Comment by montucky — May 13, 2011 @ 8:27 am
Beautiful and rugged. I really like the first photo of mountainous vista.
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Comment by Anna — May 13, 2011 @ 6:54 am
I see those mountains every day, but from the other side. It took me awhile to figure out which I was looking at.
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Comment by montucky — May 13, 2011 @ 8:28 am
Haha, “when the legislature is in session,” how true.
I bet it felt good to get up there again and see those beautiful sights.
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Comment by Candace — May 13, 2011 @ 9:52 pm
It felt wonderful! Now I’m even more ready for the higher up areas, especially the high ridge in the first photos. One of my treks will be along the length of that ridge.
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Comment by montucky — May 13, 2011 @ 10:10 pm