The boys and their families were back visiting us in Montana. They hadn’t been to Elk Lake since we were there on a pack trip in 2003, so we loaded up horses and ran up there for the day. It was beautiful and lots of fun.

Angie and I got to head out for a backcountry ride today. We headed up big river trail then branched off toward Long creek.

It was another beautiful montana day and Ang got to see just what we find so attractive about this country.

I think we have got another cowgirl on our hands!

Great fun and she can’t wait to go again!

Wow, it’s pretty darn good to still be able to sit a horse at 80. My daughter Angela and her girls are here visiting, so Connie’s folks drove over to see them. Angie and Don decided they wanted to go riding so we took off for a ride around the mountain. Great time!! Don turned 80 earlier this year and it had been 10 years since he had been on a horse. Freckles behaved perfectly and they had a lot of fun. Sure hope I can still ride at 80.

I had a early morning ride up to spruce park today. Left the trailhead early trying to avoid the extreme heat we’re having. Spruce park is a back country forest service facility that is frequently used by trail crews. It is about a 5.5 – 6 mile ride up big river trail #155. This is a easy trail with little elevation gain so its a great ride if you don’t want a lot of challenging terrain. The trail is mostly treed with very few view opportunities, but it is still enjoyable to just ride along in the shadows of the big larch trees with no noise except for the clop clop from your horse.

River views from the plateau at spruce park are very pretty

Other trail views on the way

Holy Cow the tourists really showed up in Glacier country. We trailered over to the east side of the mountains and took a ride up to Firebrand pass today. The traffic coming home this afternoon was tremendous. Lots of folks coming to enjoy Glacier Park.

I have never been up Firebrand pass before. It’s a very pretty, very scenic ride. First part of the trail is somewhat treed, but you frequently have view opportunities. We took the trail at Luebec and from this trailhead its only about 5 miles up to the pass. If you’re hiking this trail be wary of the vegetation growth about 1/2 way up the pass. The trail goes through some open hillside areas that have chest high vegatative growth with a lot of cow parsnip, (which can be somewhat irritating to the skin).

A good friend and neighbor Dan rode along with us. He and Connie were enjoying some leisure time in the bowl just below the pass.

Well this is definately a fear of living up on a mountain, dry conditions and forest fires.

This one started this afternoon up the north fork in the glacier rim area, just a few miles from us. It looks like the firefighters are getting it under control.

Had a great ride today to a gorgeous little wilderness lake called Elk lake.

This trail takes off from Devil Creek and is a pretty good climb over what is known as Devils Hump. It is about 6 miles to the pass and then another mile over to the lake.

The views from the pass are awesome.

Didn’t do any fishing today because this was a ride to check out the trail. This lake is just enjoyable to visit and have lunch.

Rode up to Huckleberry Lookout this morning. This trail takes off from the Camas Road in Glacier National Park. It’s only about 6 miles up to the lookout, but it is a pretty decent climb so you want your horse in shape. The trail is in good condition and doesn’t seem to get much traffic. We ran into no other hikers or riders.

From Huckleberry you get great views of Glacier. You can also see into the Whitefish range and up the North Fork.

The horses have been kept off their pasture till they have been slowly introduced to the lush grass. This morning at first light they were allowed out to the larger pasture.

They only get a couple of hours out here, but they sure look content.

Went for a ride up the south boundary trail today. We asked a new neighbor to ride along with us, but then Connie was having trouble with her wrist after surgery so it ended up just Jack and I taking the ride. It was Tanner’s first experience riding with a mule and he did not seem to mind this long-eared somewhat homely horse. The trail starts at West Glacier at the old river bridge and runs alongside the park side of the river. This trail is for the most part fairly easy, but there are many precarious stretches where you are riding the bank high above the river, one misstep could be disastrous. We were just planning a short day so we rode from the park headquarters to the lincoln creek patrol cabin (a little over 12 miles round trip). This is a very scenic ride along the river. You do have the noise of the nearby railroad and vehicles on the highway, so you don’t have the solitude of other backcountry rides, but it is still well worth it. You also have the shrieks and yells of the river floaters as they encounter the rapids down below you.

Jack and his mule