June 17, 2017
More of USFS trail 345
Trail 345 is about 15 miles long. Extending from Baldy Mountain on the east to Big Hole Peak on the west, it follows the crest of a small divide called different names in various places: Loneman Divide, Weeksville Divide or, on old maps, Buffalo Bill Divide. These photos were taken on June 16, 2017 in the rain along Loneman Divide, about 5 miles east of those in the previous post and a thousand feet lower in elevation.
Red Clover ~ Trifolium pratense
Small-flowered Penstemon ~ Penstemon procerus
Pointedtip Mariposa Lily ~ Calochortus apiculatus
Yellow Indian Paintbrush
Stonecrop ~ Sedum rupicola
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Montana Outdoors 
Love the detail, especially the water droplets.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 17, 2017 @ 10:28 am
I really like to hike and take pictures on a rainy day. The color comes out so well and the rain drops do look good on flower blossoms.
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Comment by montucky — June 17, 2017 @ 12:17 pm
It’s almost as if the little hairs on the petals are holding onto the drops.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 17, 2017 @ 11:23 pm
Yes, I think the hairs do hold the water drops. I don’t know if that’s a strategy or if so, what it is for.
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Comment by montucky — June 18, 2017 @ 7:17 am
On dry days I think it’s meant to help brush the pollen off the “bees’ knees,” but it may be that they serve a dual purpose.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — June 18, 2017 @ 11:55 am
Yes, probably a dual purpose!
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Comment by montucky — June 18, 2017 @ 4:18 pm
No wonder your dog’s so happy. I really enjoyed seeing him in some of the photos.
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Comment by shoreacres — June 17, 2017 @ 10:49 am
I think Buster loves the back country every bit as much as I do and I enjoy seeing his responses. In one of the photos he was pretty excited because he had just flushed a grouse from right in front of him.
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Comment by montucky — June 17, 2017 @ 12:19 pm
All beautiful but the red clover detail is amazing!
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Comment by centralohionature — June 17, 2017 @ 10:57 am
Red clover is so common that most of the time we don’t look closely at it. It’s kind of like looking at a forest, but not seeing the trees.
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Comment by montucky — June 17, 2017 @ 12:22 pm
The red clover and the Penstemon are beautiful, but so are all your other photos as usual. 🙂
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Comment by Val — June 17, 2017 @ 12:02 pm
Thanks Val! I do have a deep love for wildflowers, and try to capture their full beauty.
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Comment by montucky — June 17, 2017 @ 12:25 pm
That’s a fine looking trail with all those flowers along it. The lupine are beautiful, and so is that clover.
You’re making me wish I had another dog!
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — June 17, 2017 @ 3:35 pm
The trails are gorgeous this time of year, especially on rainy days, although you do get pretty wet from the brush.
When the dog that I had for 10 years died last summer, I found this guy at a Humane Society up in Kalispell and it was love at first sight for both of us. We make each others’ lives much happier.
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Comment by montucky — June 17, 2017 @ 3:40 pm
It’s encouraging to see the wildflowers so lush up there now.
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Comment by Steve Schwartzman — June 17, 2017 @ 4:41 pm
Perhaps because of the extremely cold, but very wet winter. Most of the flowers are doing extremely well.
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Comment by montucky — June 17, 2017 @ 5:15 pm
Interesting how some of these wildflowers grow in patches. Must be that the seeds don’t blow too far away or something. What a wonderful season of the year to be hiking 🙂
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Comment by Vicki — June 17, 2017 @ 6:51 pm
I suspect that there are patches of nutrients in the soil (such as the remains of a tree that has decomposed) that allow the plants to do well there. I know that’s true of several species within the forest. But I know so little of what goes into the specific ecosystem. Yes, it is a wonderful time to be in the forest! I will spend all of the time I can there now until winter.
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Comment by montucky — June 17, 2017 @ 7:57 pm
The photo of the three pines off to the left is so inviting. I can feel the atmosphere. But, those photos of Buster among the flowers are just wonderful.
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Comment by teresaevangeline — June 18, 2017 @ 4:37 pm
It makes my day seeing Buster enjoy himself so much! He just loves being out there and that makes it perfect for me too.
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Comment by montucky — June 18, 2017 @ 6:09 pm
Montana is a slice of heaven 🙂
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Comment by Watching Seasons — June 19, 2017 @ 12:12 pm
It sure is for those who like the outdoors!
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Comment by montucky — June 19, 2017 @ 12:16 pm
gorgeous area and photos!
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Comment by Tammie — June 19, 2017 @ 10:14 pm
I have been rediscovering an old trail that runs for about 15 miles between Baldy Mountain and Big Hole Peak. For about 5 of those miles it goes through Weyerhäuser (the old Plum Creek) land that has been ravaged by logging and there it has been hard to find the remains of the trail. The grasses and small brush is regenerating though and the wildflowers are already staging a nice comeback and the large wildlife have moved back in (bear, elk and moose). It is getting pretty again, although without what used to be beautiful forest. At least they did leave some of the large trees and left a few of the ridge tops alone. Because there are so many wildflower species along that old trail I plan to spend quite a bit more time there.
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Comment by montucky — June 19, 2017 @ 10:49 pm
Phot to my mind. I lave seeing sceneries and trails. Thank You.
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Comment by Sartenada — June 21, 2017 @ 1:16 am
Yes, I love the scenery too.
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Comment by montucky — June 21, 2017 @ 7:53 am
Buster looks as though he likes to stop and smell the flowers. Rainy/cloudy days do make for some very nice lighting.
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Comment by Candace — June 21, 2017 @ 3:30 pm
I much prefer those rainy/cloudy days. Buster thoroughly sniffs everything out there, flora or fauna. It’s fun to watch!
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Comment by montucky — June 21, 2017 @ 4:44 pm
Beautiful .. there’s that handsome pooch again 😃
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Comment by Julie@frogpondfarm — June 22, 2017 @ 10:01 pm
Thanks Julie! Less than a year ago Buster was in an animal shelter about a hundred miles from here. Now he has become a trusted companion and my best friend.
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Comment by montucky — June 22, 2017 @ 10:26 pm
They are best friends aren’t they? 😃
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Comment by Julie@frogpondfarm — June 22, 2017 @ 11:19 pm