My January 9 summary "775 Miles Alongside Man with Hat" whet my appetite to write more about hiking, so lace up your boots and don your hat. Join us for our 12-mile journey around the Quartz Lake Loop on September 28, 2017, Entry 24 in my hiking journal.
This hike is a superb example of why we hike on fine Autumn days. Cool temperatures (28 degrees at 9 am) fostered a rolling mist, lending a mystical air to Bowman Lake as we began the hike.
Several Grouse dotted the road on the way to the trailhead, and more populated the trail. They have a funny way of running ahead of you on the path, rather than flying away.
Dry leaves rustled underfoot, raising that unmistakable Autumn aroma into my nostrils. I breathed deep, relaxing into the solace of the wilderness.
At the proverbial fork in the trail, we chose the left, heading to Upper Quartz Lake. Deep forest envelops you, and you quickly lose sight of Bowman Lake. Gentle elevation gain and two hours later, we had earned our first view of Lower Quartz Lake. (Yes, we are heading to Upper Quartz, but the topography offers Lower Quartz first.)
Dramatically, the trail drops in a descent to the valley floor. On the way, we glimpse Upper Quartz on the left and Middle Quartz on the right.
The beach at Upper Quartz Lake offers a full-on view of Bighorn Mountain. For future reference, we note that the campsites are right on the lake and situated close together. Wouldn't you like to wake up to this panorama?
We quickly encountered this bridge between Upper and Middle Quartz, and just as rapidly learned that Middle Quartz is not accessible. Thick Alder guards the lake edges, which spin away into the distance, forming an impenetrable barrier (unless you are a Moose!)
The afternoon sun sent slanting rays through the trees, and fluff from Fireweed floated lazily in the air, seeking a winter resting place, fertile ground for reproduction.
The path between Middle and Lower Quartz Lake undulates like a kiddie rollercoaster, and sports many recently downed trees, likely victims of a wind storm.
At Lower Quartz Lake, the camping sites are more secluded, and not all have views of the lake.
The climb from Lower Quartz back to the ridge was short but steep. But for me, the descent to Bowman, a series of many switchbacks, was worse - a quad killer! The whole day, we only saw six people on the trail, and all of them were on this section. A middle-aged couple (with no bear spray) was just hitting the trail and hoping to make it to Lower Quartz. I always wonder if these are the people we hear about on the news!
With the day's sun, the mist had burned off and we had stunning views of the lake, Numa Ridge, Mount Peabody, Rainbow Peak and Mount Carter.
Can you believe the two photos below are the same view, just 7 hours apart?
Although it does not show up on the photos, the mountains had a dusting of snow, as though someone had shaken a little powdered sugar on them!
On the way home, we stopped at the Polebridge Mercantile for their famous baked goods. Just a few miles further on, a road-side sign advertising Huckleberry Margaritas enticed us to pop into Home Ranch Bottoms - it was as good as it sounded!
But perhaps best of all was the evening sunlight, casting its special glow on the already-golden larches and aspens.
***There will be no Mosaic Monday on February 6; come back and link up February 13!
Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme
where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain
time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your
blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and
enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an
easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I
stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join
in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.
Well, it's happened. Retirement has become so engrained that I have not written a retirement post for a whole year. My retirement anniversary (March 3, 2017) even passed me by without a second thought. Well. This will not do!!! I will have to throw my own little party, in my own little way. Hmmm ...
A party is not a party without some music. How about some songs to represent the last four years? And maybe a few photos for eye candy?
Reflecting on my retirement, the first word I wrote was FREEDOM. Despite the passage of four years, I can recall my desperation to be free as if it were yesterday. What does freedom mean to you? For me, it means setting my own agenda, and in a way that is consistent with my beliefs. As I have learned these last four years, it doesn't mean I won't work. It doesn't mean I won't have obligations. But it does mean I get to make those choices!
"Roam" by the B-52s is a song that reverberates with joy and abandon. When Spousal Unit and I first started dating, this song was an anthem for us. We dreamed about "rocking through the wilderness ... roam around the world ... without anything but the love we feel." We live that dream every day.
Since we have moved to Montana, we have been blessed to make many new friends. Neighbors. Mountain Ambassadors. Fellow volunteers. And, of course, I have "met" many new blogging buddies!
Man with Hat haying with Dear Neighbor Friend
Four years ago, I could never have imagined that I would find my best friend in Montana, and yet that is exactly what happened. I am grateful every day for Dear Neighbor Friend. Whether it's kayaking, cross-country skiing or just chatting over coffee, each moment is a blessing.
The way I feel about this place and the people is expressed well in the Zac Brown song, "Homegrown". "Why would I ever leave? Cause I know, I got some good friends that live down the street ... Live in a small town where it feels like home, I've got everything I need, and nothin' that I don't"
One of things I love about Montana is its history. It is everywhere you look. Vintage buildings. Rusting farm implements. And the people. If you ask, you will hear their stories. And sometimes, those stories come to you in unexpected moments. When I visited the Whitefish Historical Museum in October 2017, I had no idea that a spur-of-the-moment notion to volunteer there would bring so many unanticipated outcomes. Such as the day I took a call from Janet Monk, a member of a long-time Montana family, who told me about the train that used to run within 1.5 miles of our house. I have since visited the unused railway grade with my Dear Neighbor Friend. The things you learn when you start to ask questions!
In the "Canadian Railroad Trilogy", Gordon Lightfoot captures my sentiment so completely. This landscape before the trains came. The vision and enterprise of the men who built the railroads and the industries to support them. The blood, sweat and tears of the laborers who were the true conquerors.
The Museum was also my bridge to the Whitefish Winter Carnival since the director recommended me to the board. A blessing and a curse of my personality is that I see lots about our world that could benefit from my help. But if I want to have that freedom I wrote about at the beginning of this post, I have to choose carefully where I invest my time. I am sure my thinking on this will continue to evolve, but at the moment, I give my precious hours to PRESERVING THE EARTH, PRESERVING TRADITIONS and ENCOURAGING A FOCUS ON RESPECT FOR OUR FELLOW MAN. I have thoroughly enjoyed finding a new niche and a voice in the world of retirement.
Here I have included just a few photos that represent these themes. Winter Carnival is about traditions. The trash pick-up is just one of several activities that I hope will preserve our environment for future generations.
I have written before about the Violet Protest (August 1, 2020), (May 31, 2020), (March 8, 2020), a public effort to support core American values such as respect for the other, citizenship, compromise, courage, compassion, candor, creativity, and country over party and corporate influence.
I was thrilled to contribute two cross-stitch squares, while my Mom crocheted two squares. "Whether we knit, crochet, quilt, or embroider these squares — through this social action, and from every corner of America; we as makers of all political persuasions, believe we can employ our willing spirit and our talents to contribute to healing divisions that threaten our country." Ann Morton, founder The Phoenix Art Museum will display 9,000 of the squares from March 10 through September 5. It is not too late to send in squares - go to this link for more information.
The song "Stand Up" by Sugarland speaks to me about our collective responsibility to be there for others - 'light a fire for the silent and the brokenhearted'.
If you've been reading my blog for a while, you are probably surprised that I have not mentioned nature yet. Have no doubt, it was the second word I wrote down during my musings about retirement! I only have to look out my window to see nature - plants, wildlife, the clouds in the sky, the wind blowing in the pines. I relish this aspect of retirement, and I try hard not to take it for granted. In my moments of deeper reflection, it has dawned on me that I am seeking NEW EXPERIENCES. And for that, there are not enough hours in the day for all the things I want to do. We keep learning about other opportunities, such as forest service cabins we can rent. And we are certainly looking forward to the return of international travel -- we have not been to the UK to visit my in-laws since the pandemic started, and we also owe #1 Son his graduation trip to Grand Cayman!
"What we live for" by American Authors is a bouncy song that embodies that going-on-a-road-trip, family vacation vibe. Yep, this is what we live for!
I hope you have enjoyed my little retirement anniversary party! Maybe next year I can tell you about a real-life gathering - wouldn't it be fun to mark my five years with food and music and beverages and actual PEOPLE?!?
Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme
where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain
time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your
blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and
enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an
easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I
stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join
in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.
Hello everyone - thanks for returning after a week's break from Mosaic Monday! The visit from #1 Daughter and her boyfriend was memorable, and extra special since #1 Son is already here and joined in the frolic when he wasn't occupied with job search activities. On their first day, it was already mid-afternoon by the time we got home from the airport, so we made no plans other than showing The Boyfriend around the house and property. Vacation calorie intake began in earnest with a afternoon snack of huckleberry pie and ice cream. (And of course, Head Chef prepared a dinner fit for kings - ribs, smoked turkey, cornbread, salad.)
As we planned the activities for their visit, the duo asked us to challenge them physically. "Wear us out," The Boyfriend said. So, the next day, the Montana workout began. Kayaking on the river sounds simple enough, but it requires logistics such as dropping off one vehicle at the takeout point, and ensuring that the right gear is in the correct vehicle. We managed to get all five of us out of the house on time, but the takeout point was not well-marked, and we arrived at our first destination, Polebridge, with 2 rigs. Oh well. Not the end of the world. We snagged some home-made baked goods from the famous Polebridge Mercantile, settled all of us into one vehicle and drove the short six miles to Bowman Lake. Its spectacular surroundings never get old.
We backtracked to the put-in point near Polebridge, and left the "kids" to inflate the kayaks and pack raft while Spousal Unit and I took his truck to the takeout at Coal Creek. A Mercantile member of staff gave us directions, and in no time we had returned to inspect the boats and were ready to float nine miles of the North Fork of the Flathead River. At this time of year, low water means rocks and log jams are nearer to the surface, requiring vigilance and carefully chosen channels. Early in the trip, Spousal Unit and #1 Daughter collided with a tree and tipped over, but in such shallow water that it was not a major event. It was a warm, blue-sky day and we made one stop to swim.
We had hoped for smoke-free skies during their stay, and we got our wish. Haze can make for interesting sunsets, but I would prefer my air without particulate! That night we enjoyed tasty lasagne on the deck, with an ever-changing sky for entertainment.
On Day 2, Spousal Unit and The Boyfriend went fishing while #1 Daughter and I engaged in retail therapy followed by a picnic at the beach. In keeping with the "workout" theme, fishing entailed a 2.5 mile hike (one way) to Lupine Lake, and paddling a pack raft as needed throughout the day. Lifting a margarita at the beach was a little less strenuous!!! The Boyfriend caught a half-dozen fish, and perhaps more importantly (from my perspective), he saw a bull moose on the way to the trailhead. We call that visitor's luck!!!
Now, Day 3 would be the true test. Destination: the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park. 13.4 miles and 2700 feet elevation gain. I have written about this hike in a previous post, in which I note that we left the house at 6.45 AM in order to secure a parking spot at the Loop and catch a shuttle. That was 2017 and this is 2020 - departure was advanced to 5.30 AM. Glacier has become an extremely popular place, and the fact that half of the Park is closed has exacerbated parking issues. Even with 45 extra minutes, we still experienced parking challenges! But, as always, it was worth the anxiety.
It was lightly raining as we began our adventure; later in the day, with the hot sun and dusty trail conditions, we would have welcomed that precipitation! Immediately, the hike began to deliver on our expectations, with a mountain goat, massive cliffs, and abundant flowers along the Garden Wall. It had been at least 10 years since #1 Daughter had done this hike, so both members of the duo could be heard exclaiming over the beauty, or shaking their heads at the wonder of the views.
Although this was my fourth time experiencing the Highline, we typically go earlier in the summer. I was fascinated by the difference in the flowers one month later in the season.
This hike offered another first for all of us - the Grinnell Glacier Overlook. After seven miles, intrepid explorers have the "opportunity" to ascend more than 900 feet in less than nine-tenths of a mile. In keeping with the challenge to "wear us out", it was a no-brainer. The climb is mostly steady, but there are sections that are very steep. I am pretty sure that we were pausing to catch our breath rather than letting other people have the right-of-way as they descended the narrow path that pitches straight down if you take a wrong step! And here is the reward!
You may have already noticed the lack of other people in my photos. Trust me, that requires some patience and some camera agility. The Highline Trail is an incredibly popular hike; I would guess that we shared it with at least 250 people that day. And yet, you can still reliably see wildlife - goats, marmots, bighorn sheep. And this time, we saw a new animal for me - a pika. No picture, but so adorable!
Shortly after our descent from the Grinnell Glacier Overlook Trail, we arrived at the Granite Park Chalet. The west side of the building offered the only shade, and we sank onto the benches for a well-earned break. Built 1914-1915 by the Great Northern Railway to provide comfortable back country accommodations, it was the last chalet constructed by the railroad. Listed as a National Historic Landmark, it is one of only two back country chalets that have survived and it continues to provide lodging to adventurers from around the world.
Are you still with me? Yep, now you know how the duo felt. Four miles of down, down, down still remained to close out this hike. But along the way, you earn fabulous views of the terrain that we had already traversed. Can you see the faint line in the center of the picture below? That is the trail to Grinnell Glacier Overlook.
Would a close-up help?
The switchbacks seemed endless and only the thought of the creek at the end kept the team moving. Upon arrival, all of us threw off our boots and socks and plunged knee-deep into the glacier-cold water. Aaahhh. The Boyfriend didn't hesitate to go all the way in - after all, ice baths are de rigueur for athletes! He was smiling even as he professed that the trail had "kicked his patootie". Mission accomplished!
Even pro athletes need rest days, and as master vacation planners, we had the forethought to schedule nothing for Day 4. Some folks caught up on podcasts, or read a book. The kids raided the toy closet and we played Scattergories, Sequence and Euchre. I recently began a new cross-stitch project that will become a throw pillow for #1 Daughter and The Boyfriend. What a treat to sit on the deck and stitch! We closed out the evening around the firepit, with s'mores to boot.
And suddenly, we only had one full day remaining. Day 5 began with a short (2.7 miles one way) but technical hike to Leigh Lake. Steep sections and rock scrambles keep your focus sharp! (Spousal Unit and I completed this trail on May 9 and it was covered with snow. So watch for a future post with comparison shots.) For this post, I will just show you the family shot at the lake, courtesy of a fellow hiker.
From there, it's a short ride down the road to Kootenai Falls and the Swinging Bridge. Once again, it was a warm day and the cool waters of the river were a welcome respite. We marveled at the falls, once the site of filming for the River Wild. The water flow seemed higher than normal, and I said the same, reflecting that it is odd for the time of year. Upon further thought, it must mean that they are releasing more water from the dam upstream. Check out the video.
#1 Daughter and I enjoyed ice creams as Spousal Unit drove home. Ah, summer! The duo treated us to dinner that night at the Kila Pub, and everyone was sleepy by the time we pulled into our driveway. Sigh, the end of another family visit. My only consolation is that I am sure the mountains will soon be calling them back!
Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme
where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain
time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your
blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and
enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an
easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I
stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join
in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.
