The Rangers toast 500 fun outings in the Swan Range! (Keith Hammer photos)
Twenty-three Swan Rangers celebrated the group's 500th Saturday outing at Elk Springs on June 27, 2015!
The first outing was to Elk Springs in November of 2005, but it didn't include champagne laced with homemade huckleberry wine!
The average group size has grown from 4 to 14 over the years and, with 474 different folks coming and going, averages nearly one new person each Saturday!
Three of the Fortunate 500 spell it out for us!
In addition to champagne, sparkling ciders and Pam's morning glory muffins, a bottle of homemade huckleberry wine appeared which, when used to spike the champagne, created a tasty new drink now known as the "Stranger Ranger!"
Meanwhile, a new crop of huckleberries are ripening nearly a month early this year, with some ripe enough to eat already!
Pink wintergreen is blooming at mid-elevations . . .
. . . while mountain spray . . .
. . . and the oh-so-fragrant Lewis' mock orange are blooming at lower elevations!
The Swan Rangers meet every Saturday at the Echo Lake Cafe for breakfast at 7:30, leaving at 8:30 for a partial day outing in the northern Swan Mountains and foothills.
They carpool from the Swan River School parking lot next to the Cafe.
When hiking in bear country, remember to carry bear spray and avoid the 3-D's: dawn, dusk, and darkness.
Everyone is welcome!