Blackleaf Canyon, Mt. Helena, Pioneer ridge birthday hikes

Glacier Lily

Cloud play on the Blackleaf Canyon

An early Showy Daisy

With such perfect late April weather, I've been very busy hiking.
Today it was a hike up the Blackleaf Canyon; yesterday, Mount Helena; late last week, a portion of the Pioneer Ridge in the Little Belts.
I'll count these all as my 67th birthday hikes, although the day was Tuesday, the 28th.
It's been in the 70s for most of the past week, and the snow is really going fast.
Most of the Front's main peaks on its eastern face are clear.  I could have easily gotten up Mount Frazier if I was so inclined.  I toyed with the idea of Wind Mountain.
Yesterday, we climbed a very dry Mount Helena on a crystal clear, blue sky afternoon.
Aside from the melting snow, the main event are the numerous wildflowers.

Me on my 67th birthday below Mt. Helena

Yesterday in Helena it was the shooting stars that caught the eye.
Today it was the glacier lilies and pasque flowers.  They were everywhere side-by-side.
I started today with the idea of climbing Wind Peak, but when I got there I just didn't feel like it.  I went up the road and looked at Rierdon Gulch, but turned around because I didn't want to chance getting my boots wet crossing the South Fork Teton.
I decided that a grand tour of the front would be perfect, so I drove across the Front on the Blackleaf Canyon Road that borders the Blackleaf Game Range.
It was quite spectacular.

The saddle below Mount Frazier