On the 43rd day…

Yesterday, western Montana tied a record that has stood for 116 years; 42 days without any measurable precipitation. Finally, in the middle of last night, there was an hour of good rain!

At higher elevations it was celebrated a little differently.

On trail 340 in the Baldy Mountain roadless area.

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A different view

Known mostly to be a poisonous, noxious Eurasian invader and a serious threat to rangeland in the northwest, it’s not entirely without esthetic appeal when viewed closely. (The raindrops were a bonus.)

Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula

Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula

Spurge flowers are interesting because what at first appears to be a small, green flower with a yellowish tint is actually a bract that encloses a cluster of several male flowers and one female flower. The male flowers each consist of a single stamen, the female of a stalked pistil: none have petals or sepals.

Tears

A pretty little wildflower, whose only destiny is to briefly bring a tiny bit of beauty to the otherwise drab world of early spring, lives the only life it will ever have beside the ugly reminder that there are those who just don’t care.

Miles of Larch

Today was another day spent cutting firewood in the high country. The reward for the hard day’s work was a cord of great dry Lodgepole Pine and a chance to see the Western Larch in their bright Fall uniforms… miles and miles of Larch.

(The total forest area in these photos is over 400 square miles. The density of the Larch is obvious, and that’s a lot of Larch!)

Late summer

“And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.”

Clematis

Clematis

Fireweed

European Mountain Ash

Kinnikinnik

Bear

(Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

(Photographed along the Koo Koo Sint trail.)

A walk in the clouds

Yesterday I hiked the first couple of miles of USFS trail 1714 into the Patrick’s Knob/North Cutoff roadless area with the temperature in the 40’s and a light rain falling.

Following are just the first 6 photos from that trip. Walk with me in the clouds.