Scroll to the bottom of the page for the Math Geek Adventures blog archive.

Monday, August 17, 2015

A Montana Vacation: Fairmont, Virginia City, the Tobacco Roots & Pintlers, and Haystack Mountain

The view east from our Fairmont condo.
It's easy to take the beauty of a place for granted and begin thinking of it as ordinary. Fairmont Hot Springs is such a place for me. I've been going there during summers since I was about 12 years old, when my grandfather bought a one week time share there, and we began going every summer. My mother inherited that time share when my grandpa died back in 2006 and since then we've gone many times. Every time I go, I'm struck by how beautiful and quiet it is. This year, we spent most of a week there, at the end of July, and had a very enjoyable time. We rested and watched old 90's-era romantic comedy classics, but also got out for several outings: a tour of underground Butte, hiking to Lost Cabin Lake in the Tobacco Roots,  a trip to Virginia City and to the Opera House to watch the Virginia City Players (which was great), a hike to the summit of Haystack Mountain just north of Butte, and a solo day trip for me to one of my favorite spots in the world: the Goat Flat region of the Pintlers and a summit tour of Kurt, Queener, and Rainbow Mountains. We ended the trip with a visit to Jen's grandparents in Helena. In hindsight, it's looking to be easily one of the best weeks of the summer.
Ellie at Lost Cabin Lake

Pudge posing
Jen doing the obligatory wahoo!

Throwing sticks for Pudge.

Virginia City shopping.
Virginia City old time photo prep

The old time photo.
Jen next to the church her grandpa went to growing up in Laurin, Montana near Virginia City.
We showed Ellie the spot where I proposed to Jen, just below the M overlooking Butte, back in 1995.

On the way up to Haystack Mountain
On the summit with Ellie. Note the old lookout steps.
Ellie with Elk Park below.
On Rainbow Mountain, the third peak on my tour of the Goat Flat area peaks: Kurt, Queener, and Rainbow. I love the Pintlers.

Jen's 88 year old grandfather in Helena. The same one who went to the church above as a boy.

No comments: