Larch are turning on hillsides and valley floor! (Keith Hammer photos)
Eleven Swan Rangers hiked the Switchback Trail on a frosty but beautiful Saturday, October 24, 2015!
Fall colors include "hunter orange" now that big game hunting season has started and will run through November 29!
Click here for a map of the Switchback Trail.
Click here for access to FREE USGS quad maps!
The Rangers show off their fancy "hunter orange" clothing!
Good thing there are only 79 switchbacks on the way up . . .
. . . because there are another 79 switchbacks on the way down!
But they climb through forests of towering larch . . .
. . . to spires of alpine fir at the junction with Alpine Trail #7!
Some might call this hairbell a late bloomer, but it was a welcome sight!
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.
Wearing "hunter orange" until season ends November 29 is also a good idea!
Everyone is welcome!