Storm Lake, Pintlers

Jen and Mt. Howe.

The weather over the past month or so has been consistently dry and sunny. That makes for great fall days, if not for the persistent smoke we've been seeing here in Western Montana.

This past weekend we got away from Missoula and went camping at Storm Lake in the Pintlers, less than a two hour drive from our house. It was incredibly difficult to leave town. First, there's the work of packing for such a short trip (Jen always says, "That's why people don't do this kind of thing."), and then the far more difficult work of making it happen in the midst of teenage misery at having to leave town with the family.

Once we got there, we did a short walk toward Twin Lakes to the divide separating the two drainages and then headed off-trail to a noname lake I like to visit when I can. It is a beautiful place, the alpine larch were turning, fall was in the air, and eventually harmony prevailed. 

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Alpine Larch turning

Chillin at the noname lake.

Ellie near the noname lake

Alex and Ellie (hidden)

Chillin at sunset

Little Rainbow Mtn.

In the morning, I set the alarm for 5am and went for a walk up to the top of Little Rainbow Mtn. The first hour of the hike was in the dark, and then nearing the summit, the sky lightened. I went down the other side of Little Rainbow with the intent of climbing Mt. Howe, but cut the loop short. Pudge (the dog) was having trouble in the scree with his gimpy back leg and I was dreaming of breakfast at the Seven Gables. We were back on the road by 10am, a successful stay in the bag.

Morning hike up Little Rainbow.

sunrise shot

another

Kurt and Queener Peaks ('Come climb me," they're saying) with Upper Seymore Lake. 

same shot with the moon

Rainbow and the nearly full moon.

Pudge, looking down Twin Lakes drainage.