Air conditioning was found at higher elevation, snowfields and meltwater! (Keith Hammer photos)
Fifteen Swan Rangers broke into two groups and hiked Tongue Mountain to overlook Clayton Lake on a hot Saturday, July 8, 2017!
Trail junctions were a bit hard to find due to lingering snow, but the cooler air was worth it!
Click here for a map of the Jewel Basin Hiking Area.
It was so HOT, even amphibians took to the meltwater to cool off!
When the Rangers could bear-ly find the trail, they got a little help from their four-legged friends!
It appears a big moose crossed over Tongue Mountain!
In Jewel Basin there are snow tunnels for those who don't like to hike on snow, provided they are very short!
A fresh-looking group #2, about one mile into the nine mile hike!
It was a Tour de Lakes, passing by Twin Lakes . . .
. . . then past Blackfoot Lake with a view down Graves Creek . . .
. . . and finally overlooking Clayton Lake and Pioneer Ridge, with the Flathead Range in the distance!
A look back at Mount Aeneas through wildflowers and the 2003 burn!
Pasqueflower.
Penstemon.
Yours truly installed this trail sign and post in the mid-70's while working for the Forest Service. It has since broken off and been replanted numerous times and is now barely a foot tall. He is determined to outlive this trail sign!
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!