Sittin' on the dock of the bay, above Elk Spring! (Keith Hammer photos)
Eleven Swan Rangers hiked a loop from Bear Creek to Wolf Creek, up to Elk Spring, and back down to Bear Creek on a partly cloudy Saturday, August 24, 2019!
It was a tour of bear scat and Huckleberry Heaven!
Sorry, there is no map of this partly off piste route. Really!
Suppose any bears have been into the huckleberries up yonder?
All signs were that they had, be it runny . . .
. . . average . . .
. . . large caliber . . .
. . . or scat a la mold!
A non-motorized traffic jam; also known as huckleberry jam!
Where Echo - Broken Leg Trail crosses Wolf Creek . . .
. . . and the spooky spruce tree continues devouring the trail sign!
These cute little catterpillars (rusty tussock moths) are devouring huckleberry leaves, leaving many bushes totally bare! The Rangers watched for but witnessed no caterpillar-bear face-offs.
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!