Perhaps in another year or two I will visit the Thompson Peaks again to view the progress of renewal. In the mean time, here is a sort of medley of views from the top of the peak and the flowers found throughout the area, shown in no particular order.
Montana Outdoors 
The rock formations are incredible and your macro photos amazing!
LikeLike
Comment by wordsfromanneli — August 25, 2012 @ 9:24 pm
The top of that peak was mostly rock but there was a slope that permitted access to the top where the view was a full 360º.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 6:49 pm
Fantastic!
LikeLike
Comment by wordsfromanneli — August 26, 2012 @ 8:09 pm
Perseverance… total perseverance! Awesome! =)
LikeLike
Comment by Anonymous — August 25, 2012 @ 9:53 pm
Exactly! The will to live is incredibly strong!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:29 pm
Perseverance! =)
LikeLike
Comment by Tricia — August 25, 2012 @ 9:53 pm
Gorgeous! I love the rock formations. I’ve been curious to learn about the geology of that part of western Montana, but haven’t found much info.
LikeLike
Comment by aarontheisen — August 25, 2012 @ 10:07 pm
I would also like to know more about these mountains. Nearly all of the rock I see is sedimentary and was probably raised by “thrust faulting”. This site gives a little explanation, but doesn’t get into specifics.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:01 pm
BREATHTAKING! Here’s to the renewal process, and the continued (hopeful) preservation of these most beautiful lands….
LikeLike
Comment by FeyGirl — August 25, 2012 @ 10:52 pm
The renewal process is well under way and little trees are coming up all but the hottest burning locations. Some of the isolated places that escaped most of the heat have already recovered quite well and will help the renewal of the whole forest. I loves seeing the flowers and many of the small plants that have already returned and the sign that the area is being used by wildlife, with deer, elk and moose tracks and dropping of coyotes along the trail.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:05 pm
Oh that’s wonderful… Especially seeing those signs of the more advanced wildlife returning to these formerly devastated areas! The ranger service should be using you and your images to track this progress!!
LikeLike
Comment by FeyGirl — August 27, 2012 @ 6:41 am
Spectacular!!!
LikeLike
Comment by zannyro — August 25, 2012 @ 11:18 pm
It’s a very resilient country, isn’t it. I’m sure that wasn’t the only fire to ever sweep through there and probably not even the worst. From my perspective, only the type of beauty changed.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:07 pm
The combination of the soft beauty of nature vs. what appears to be the harshness of it, is a thing of beauty in itself, and truly stunning views. Gorgeous photos, as always. I’m so glad you’re out there, visiting these places, taking their photographs, and sharing them with us. Your view of the world expands my own and I thank you.
LikeLike
Comment by Teresa Evangeline — August 26, 2012 @ 5:17 am
I’m glad that you enjoy seeing these places Teresa! I am drawn to visit and explore them and when I do it seems that I wish everyone could see what I’ve seen. With each trip I understand more of how it all works and just how splendid it really is.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:10 pm
I wanted to add, I love the insects you’ve included in these photos. I’m partial to that interesting brown one on the white, but also just noticed the one on the fireweed. What a world we live in.
LikeLike
Comment by Teresa Evangeline — August 26, 2012 @ 5:23 am
It’s good to see that so many insect species have already colonized the area. Whatever the interrelationships are they have apparently been reestablished. I was amazed to see that the small huckleberry plants were already bearing fruit too, which is also a help to the insects and wildlife.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:16 pm
Wow – I just love the scenery. It’s like the roof of the world! So good to see the fire-damaged areas regenerating.
LikeLike
Comment by Jo Woolf — August 26, 2012 @ 6:26 am
This is a fairly high peak at just over 7,000 feet and so from it you can see a lot of the surrounding country. I love places like that and seek them out as much as I can.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:18 pm
It is such a beautiful place! I saw quite a few nice looking lichens on the stones in the first and last pictures. I’d like to spend about a month up there checking them out.
LikeLike
Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — August 26, 2012 @ 6:53 am
There is a wealth of lichens here and they really show up on the peaks. Many serve as valuable food sources for some of the animal species. I will try to remember to include more photos of them.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:19 pm
Cranberries! I know of a cranberry bog near my usual stomping grounds. I should go check it out soon.
LikeLike
Comment by jomegat — August 26, 2012 @ 4:48 pm
The berries in that photo are actually from a dwarf huckleberry. I was surprised to see it so plentiful already in the badly burned areas and especially surprised to see so many berries already on it. Seems to me that will really help the recovery!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:26 pm
Same genus, but I should have known – they’re not in a bog!
LikeLike
Comment by jomegat — August 26, 2012 @ 7:45 pm
You know, I don’t think cranberries are even grown here at all. I’ve hear that there are a lot of huckleberries ripe right now but there sure haven’t in the places I’ve visited. These dwarf plants had quite a few, but they are small and I didn’t pick any.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 10:30 pm
Love that blue, blue sky. I see why Montana’s called “Big Sky Country.” 🙂
LikeLike
Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — August 26, 2012 @ 5:31 pm
I have always though that to be a good description of Montana, especially when the country is viewed from a peak. The sky and mountains seem to go on forever.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:28 pm
absolutely gorgeous! how come every time I open your blog it takes my breath away?! sure wish I could live above all these college bills that are eating us up!!
LikeLike
Comment by skouba — August 26, 2012 @ 7:26 pm
That’s the way I feel about this wild country too, Stacey!
I know exactly what you mean about those college bills! The prices have just gotten up to a terrible level and the college debt is out of control. I think that common sense has been sacrificed to political correctness and in many cases greed, and our kids their parents are bearing the costs of it.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 7:37 pm
Such a beautiful place. These pictures are just breathtaking.
LikeLike
Comment by Ratty — August 26, 2012 @ 9:17 pm
The peaks in this region are like this Ratty! It’s such a pleasure to visit any of them and I can’t get enough of the views from the high ones. We are lucky that we have so many to visit!
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 26, 2012 @ 10:32 pm
So you’re also getting some flowering goldenrod. Regardless of the temperature, cool or still hot, that’s a sign that autumn is on its way.
Steve Schwartzman
http://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com
LikeLike
Comment by Steve Schwartzman — August 27, 2012 @ 5:15 pm
The air has just a bit of the feel of fall now. Night before last the low temperature here was 36. It’s coming.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 27, 2012 @ 8:06 pm
This might just be your most stunning collection yet! So many favorites in this group, hard to narrow it to one or two. The goldenrod in front of the fireweed is very striking as is the bug (a “true bug” with a shield on its back) on the pearly everlasting.
BTW, the one that’s labelled “cushion buckwheat” looks more like a spirea to me, but I can’t see enough of the plant’s form in this image to be sure.
LikeLike
Comment by Kim — August 27, 2012 @ 9:29 pm
I was very pleased to see that variety of flowers already establishing themselves in that area. I’m not entirely sure that isn’t spirea, but the leaves just didn’t look right for it.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 27, 2012 @ 9:43 pm
What?! Thirty-six degrees. My goodness. One more bit of evidence that we live in a very large country, indeed. It was wonderful to see the water flowing in one of your photos, and I’m just entranced by that “whatever” on the pearly everlasting. He’s quite the fancy bug. Overall, I think my favorite is the 5th photo down. The vista’s magnificent, of course, as is the composition, but one reason I like it so much is that it reminds me of the paintings done by a Western explorer. Unfortunately, I can’t remember his name just now – makes searching a little difficult. But the photo’s wonderful.
LikeLike
Comment by shoreacres — August 28, 2012 @ 7:04 am
We are getting into the time of year when any kind of weather can be expected. I just tucked a down vest in my pack again. Friday I was hiking on a high trail, the temperature was in the 40’s with a stiff wind blowing and it was cold! Glacier even had a little snow a few days ago.
Nearly all of these mountain peaks would inspire an artist I’m sure. I’ve seen them for over 60 years now and I’m always in awe.
That water flow is part of the headwaters of a stream that I fish quite often and so it’s pretty special to me. I’m so glad to see it still running well there even this late in the summer.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 28, 2012 @ 9:24 pm
I love it…makes my heart swell…. Stunning photographs….
LikeLike
Comment by seekraz — August 28, 2012 @ 9:30 pm
I feel exactly the same way about those scenes. It does my heart good to see the parts of this world where nature has been left alone. It’s always amazing.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — August 28, 2012 @ 10:00 pm
Always….
LikeLike
Comment by seekraz — August 28, 2012 @ 10:02 pm
Your country is so amazing Terry. Again I was amazed about its beauty, variety of landscapes and wild flowers. Thank You.
LikeLike
Comment by Sartenada — August 30, 2012 @ 10:43 pm
Yes, there sure is variety here. It has become nearly impossible for me to stay indoors.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 1, 2012 @ 11:09 am
Reminds me of the John Muir quote, “”Earth has no sorrow that Earth cannot heal.” That’s a bizarre looking critter on the pearly everlasting. Beautiful photos of healing.
LikeLike
Comment by Candace — August 31, 2012 @ 9:55 am
I think Muir’s statement is very true. I wish it were that way with people too! The Chippy Creek fire area has gotten a good start at renewal. Now there is an even larger fire from Idaho starting to burn into the southwest corner of Montana. At 300 square miles already, it is twice the size of Chippy Creek.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — September 1, 2012 @ 11:12 am
How sad.
LikeLike
Comment by Candace — September 1, 2012 @ 11:18 am