This post is going to be a hefty one… It ought to cover all the hiking and backpacking (where I happened to bring a camera) from 2018. So here we go:

5/19 to 5/20/2018 – Grete and I had the itch to get out camping, even though there was still a good bit of snow in the high country. We took the recommendation of the Scharfe family and headed south to hike along the Selway River in Idaho. It was a whole bunch of driving for two full days of hiking… but it was just what we needed. Fresh air, sleeping outside, nobody around, and even a rattlesnake made for a quick but memorable trip.

7/4 to 7/5/2018 – Burket and I were craving a quick adventure away from folks over the Fourth of July, so we headed into Glacier to enjoy a couple days of wandering in the high country and undesignated camping. We saw our last fellow humans around Granite Park Chalet, then headed out north along the Highline Trail. We didn’t see folks again until nearly back at the Chalet the next afternoon. Spending a night up high and scrambling around a couple of peaks was just the ticket for the two of us.

7/7 to 7/8/2018 – A couple of days later, Grete, Blue and I mosied into the Bob Marshall Wilderness for a weekend romp. We drove way back up the South Fork of the Flathead and car-camped on Friday night. The next day we hiked into Sunburst Lake (including the final mile of downed-tree bushwacking) and enjoyed an evening of solitude under Swan Peak and the remaining pieces of the Swan Glacier.

7/20 to 7/22/2018 – Claire, Burket, Piper, Grete, Blue and I attempted to maximize our weekend time by starting hiking Friday evening. We headed up the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and made it to Spruce Park that evening. The next morning we hiked up and over Vinegar Mountain, along the tarn below Forster Mountain, and ended our day at the beautiful Elk Lake. The next day, we walked out of Devil Creek, completing a great little loop hike through a lovely corner of the Great Bear Wilderness.

9/8 to 9/9/2018 – Boys’ club weekend! With each of our significant others out of town, we were left to our own devices… with the dogs… so Pete, Burket and I took the opportunity to get in a quick overnighter in the Cabinets. We hiked in to Sky Lakes on Saturday evening after work, made camp and dinner in the dark, then wrestled our moon-dust covered dogs into tents to go to bed. Throughout the night there were blue-streaks of language erupting from each of us as our dogs repeatedly stirred us from slumber. Pete snapping “we’re never doing this again, Ella!” stood out as the gem of the midnight cursing… By morning, all mistakes had been forgiven and the beauty of the location took hold on each of us. We enjoyed a leisurely morning, some peak bagging, some fishing and copious dog swimming before walking out Sunday afternoon tired and happy.

9/21 to 9/23/2018 – We needed to get out of the Flathead Valley. We needed to see something new. Grete brought up a recommendation from her co-worker Sonny – to go check out the Pintler Range – and we went for it. What a gorgeous fall trip. We drove down and hiked through the remnants of a recent forest fire into Edith Lake for our first day. The next morning, we scrambled up Warren Peak after breakfast, enjoyed lunch and views from the summit, then boogied back down to camp to pack-up and move on. After more hiking in the burn, we emerged at Tamarack Lake, whose larches were vibrant and waters were placid. Here, we enjoyed a plush backcountry campsite and warm campfire late into the crisp fall evening. The next morning we woke to a cold, blustery front moving in and snowflakes (or sleet… depending on perspective) falling on the somber forest. After breakfast in bed, we packed up and wandered back out. What a beauty of a fall trip!

Boom! That was a hole bunch of hiking…