September 20, 2017
One of our Autumn colors here is, well… white.
There was fog this morning, filling the valley, and I had decided to just rest up and finish getting over a cold that I’ve had for several days, but just after noon the clouds started to thin out and I could see fresh snow on the peaks to the west. I accepted the invitation, and the trail to Big Hole Lookout seemed just right.
The fresh snow looked good enough to eat. So how do you do that?
You scoop some up with your nose, then stick your tongue wayyy out and…
And while Buster was having a wonderful time eating snow and getting wet and muddy I couldn’t resist recording scenes of the not-quite-ready-to-leave-summer vegetation meeting about 4 inches of new snow.
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Montana Outdoors 
The second to last pic looks like a frog hiding under those leaves, but I think what looks like an eye is a drop of water.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — September 20, 2017 @ 10:09 pm
I see what you mean. Yes, it’s water. That’s at an elevation of about 5400 feet, a little high for frogs, or at least I’ve never seen one up that high. I looked as though there was about 4 inches of snow during the night and much of it in the open places melted during the day.
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Comment by montucky — September 20, 2017 @ 10:25 pm
Can’t believe we’re in for winter again already, even if it is a high elevation. Is the Sheep Gap fire still burning?
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — September 20, 2017 @ 10:35 pm
I think there is still a little fire in the heavy fuel areas but the crews are finishing a good line around them. I don’t think we are going into winter yet. We often will have a snow in September and then go into a nice Indian Summer for awhile before winter hits. That’s what the fire managers are thinking too.
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Comment by montucky — September 20, 2017 @ 10:48 pm
It was like that in northern BC where I lived (a century ago).
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — September 21, 2017 @ 1:07 pm
A century ago was a good time to be in the northwest!
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Comment by montucky — September 21, 2017 @ 8:39 pm
How amazing. Seems like only yesterday it was so hot over your way, but as you say, maybe an Indian Summer is coming.
I’m hoping the short snowfall helps the fire crews.
Nice capture of the water droplets on the leaves.
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Comment by Vicki — September 21, 2017 @ 12:37 am
Yes, the weather can change very quickly in these mountains. This has helped the fire crews immensely, and the fires are all but out now. I still don’t think we will go right into winter yet though.
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Comment by montucky — September 21, 2017 @ 8:06 am
So — you left your cold behind to go into the cold! Well, relative cold, anyway. I love the photo with Buster’s tongue sticking out, but that one of the fern in snow is equally delightful. Hooray for moisture in all its forms!
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Comment by shoreacres — September 21, 2017 @ 7:21 am
Yes, hooray for moisture! After two months with no rain, we really need some good moisture now for the trees before the drought of winter begins. This little snow helps them a little.
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Comment by montucky — September 21, 2017 @ 8:10 am
Terry:
Oh my oh my, that trai certainlyl looks familiar. Did you make it to BHLO? Hope you are feeling better and are over your cold.
Chad
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Comment by Anonymous — September 21, 2017 @ 4:56 pm
Hi Chad,
No, I started late in the afternoon so I only went a half mile or so up the trail. There was a car at the trail head that had a lot of snow on it: looked like it had been there awhile, so I think there may be someone staying in the cabin. I wouldn’t want to disturb them. I’ll probably go up there again before winter though. I want to see what it looks like with the area around the LO cleared.
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Comment by montucky — September 21, 2017 @ 8:42 pm
Wow, that is early! At least it must have put the fires out.
I hope you still have some fall foliage to see.
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — September 21, 2017 @ 4:59 pm
The combination of rain, snow and cold have put out nearly all of the fires. There are still a few hot spots and the fire crews are getting good control lines around them before they quit for the season.
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Comment by montucky — September 21, 2017 @ 8:43 pm
We finally saw the mountains yesterday, after a whole summer of them being hidden by the forest fire smoke from BC. Wow – the mountains are covered in snow already! And this morning – snow here in Alberta too. I sure hope we have a nice fall so I can start the fall gardening chores.
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Comment by Margy — September 21, 2017 @ 8:33 pm
Isn’t it great to see the mountains again! I think we are having the same weather pattern now. There should be a nice Indian Summer for awhile before winter really starts to set in. That would be nice!
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Comment by montucky — September 21, 2017 @ 8:45 pm
Love those leaves!
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Comment by naughtyhiker — September 21, 2017 @ 11:31 pm
Well, look at that! Some white stuff. Hopefully, this puts an end to fire season for you all out there.
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — September 22, 2017 @ 8:35 am
Yes, the fire season is over now. It’s always a relief.
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Comment by montucky — September 22, 2017 @ 8:05 pm
Wish you a good recovery after you cold and happy walks with Buster in the snow. Hopefully more Indian summer than start of winter 🙂
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Comment by Hanna — September 22, 2017 @ 9:50 am
Thanks Hanna. There is still time to enjoy Autumn and get ready for winter.
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Comment by montucky — September 22, 2017 @ 8:06 pm
some of your wonderful photos feel more like autumn and winter blending that summer and autumn. Amazing how different each year can be. Such lovely images. The one of your pup is fun.
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Comment by Tammie — September 22, 2017 @ 2:05 pm
We have been having a hopscotch year! Except for the prolonged drought and the very extensive fires, this year has been like the ones I remember when I was a kid. Nature has a flair for the unexpected though, doesn’t She!
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Comment by montucky — September 22, 2017 @ 8:10 pm
Wow, snow before autumn! A sprinkling is nice, I guess, haha. Glad Buster got an extra treat up there.
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Comment by Candace — September 22, 2017 @ 2:43 pm
Up here there is often a blend of winter with spring and winter with fall. It can be expected but not exactly anticipated.
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Comment by montucky — September 22, 2017 @ 8:12 pm
Gosh amazing to think it is snowing already .. and by the way, good! 😃
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Comment by Julie@frogpondfarm — September 22, 2017 @ 9:59 pm
The snow was timely this year and really helped even though it was only at the higher elevations.
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Comment by montucky — September 23, 2017 @ 9:06 am
On September 14th, the morning we left Calgary, the news reported there had been significant snow overnight in the nearby Canadian Rockies.
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Comment by Steve Schwartzman — October 3, 2017 @ 8:20 pm
Most of the early snows were east of here toward the Divide. The ones now are coating the mountains around here too.
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Comment by montucky — October 3, 2017 @ 8:25 pm
How very welcome! Beautiful photos – well done for getting out there, and I hope you feel better soon!
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Comment by Jo Woolf — September 23, 2017 @ 3:19 am
Thanks Jo! It was a little surprising to see so much snow up there, and I didn’t even try to get to the top. It is so good for the trees which have had a long dry summer.
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Comment by montucky — September 23, 2017 @ 9:08 am
Wonderful photos. Early snow, was it a surprise? We have had “cold” weather during two weeks, but no snow even on the Arctic hills. Now warm weather came back.
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Comment by Sartenada — September 26, 2017 @ 12:52 am
I was not a complete surprise. We often have snow in September, then after it melts, several warm weeks before fall really sets in.
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Comment by montucky — September 26, 2017 @ 1:19 pm
You tell such evocative stories with your photos, Terry. One could almost reach out and feel the water drops or plunge a hand into the snow. (What are the brilliant red bushes in the second shot?)
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Comment by Sally — September 28, 2017 @ 3:48 pm
Thank you for your kind words Sally! The red bushes are huckleberry. They are among the first plants to turn color , partly I’m sure because they live at fairly high altitude. They also make it nice while hiking these trail in the fall when the berries are ripe!
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Comment by montucky — September 28, 2017 @ 5:11 pm
Ah, huckleberries! Growing up on the West Coast they were one of my favourite berries. Not sure if it’s the same species or not— I don’t think ours turned red. Then again, one day of snow a year was cause to close schools!
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Comment by Sally — September 28, 2017 @ 10:27 pm
These are of the species usually called black huckleberries (Vaccinium membranaceum). A red huckleberry also grows here, but I see fewer of them. I read somewhere though that the indigenous people here could identify something like 14 different species, so my attempts at exact identification are probably not very accurate.
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Comment by montucky — September 28, 2017 @ 10:45 pm
Our huckleberries at the Coast were red. Great in jam and pies or popped off the bush and into your mouth. Yum!
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Comment by Sally — September 28, 2017 @ 10:50 pm
Hi Montucky, Hot and rainy here in FL today. Not bad rain here where I live fortunately. The lakes are not yet in danger of overflowing again. Glad no more tropical storms/hurricanes for a while. Snow looks lovely. Hope you feel great in coming days. Buster the dog seems to have enjoyed the snow. Have a super good week.
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Comment by wildlifewatcher — October 1, 2017 @ 8:20 pm
Yes, Buster liked the snow. We are supposed to have more this week. Have a good week!
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Comment by montucky — October 1, 2017 @ 9:14 pm
Last month we noticed huckleberry jam for sale just outside both ends of Glacier National Park.
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Comment by Steve Schwartzman — October 3, 2017 @ 8:17 pm
Huckleberries are pretty popular everywhere in northwestern Montana.
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Comment by montucky — October 3, 2017 @ 8:26 pm
Your pictures are absolutely amazing. Wonderful! Every single one of them!
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Comment by Cecilia — October 7, 2017 @ 12:27 pm
Thank you Cecilia!
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Comment by montucky — October 7, 2017 @ 4:14 pm
Beautiful set of photos! 🙂 bye. K
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Comment by Kamila Pala — October 19, 2017 @ 5:59 am
Thank you Kamila! I enjoy gardens and landscaping of all kinds, but especially Nature’s wilderness ones.
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Comment by montucky — October 19, 2017 @ 8:17 am
Snow !! Winter is my favorite time of year and just the thought of snow gets me so excited for the upcoming season. I live some distance from you in a little town in central Ohio and when the snow falls here its crazy the drivers here are not the best when it comes to winter but I drive a 4×4 truck so I am not really worried ill get my self out. I really enjoyed reading what you had to say and seeing the photos you took of the nature side I can’t wait to read more.
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Comment by bradleysblog64 — October 25, 2017 @ 9:42 am
Thanks you for commenting, Bradley. We will soon have snow on the roads too and the hazard of driving will increase. There have already been heavy snows on the higher passes. Folks here know how to drive in winter conditions, but many times they ignore what they know in favor of driving too fast. I have hopes for a pretty winter this year after the extremely cold one last year.
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Comment by montucky — October 25, 2017 @ 10:43 am