Flathead Lake and Woods Bay. (Keith Hammer photos)
Eleven Swan Rangers hiked to Estes Lake from Woods Bay on Saturday, December 2, 2017!
It's a serene little place for being so close to the bustling communities of Woods Bay and Ferndale!
A skiff of ice has formed on a bay of Estes Lake!
Rangers just sittin' on the dock of the bay!
A little bird told the Rangers that these lichens are of the genus Umbilicaria because they attach to the rock with an umbilical-like stem. Google and Snopes say "yes, yes, you should trust that little bird!"
A particularly nice crown of a ponderosa pine tree!
A bear-turned rock several times bigger than a bread box!
The buck stops here! (to rub its antlers)
This little fir tree appears to have given its life during the summer drought in order to be red for the holidays!
The Swan Rangers meet every Saturday at the Echo Lake Cafe for breakfast at 8:30, leaving at 9:30 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!