An early Glacier climb: Scenic Point Mountain
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| One of the many bighorn sheep I encountered on the way up Scenic Point |
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| The Apistoki valley and Mount Henry behind me |
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| Lots of ice at foot and head of Two Med Lake |
There were snow drifts across the trail above the cliffs, but I cut those by going off trail and using the scree on a ridge line.
A friend had told me she had seen a Momma Grizzly and two cubs near Apistoki Falls the week previous, so I was extra careful to make plenty of noise on my solo trip.
Along the way I saw numerous bighorn sheep. The only wildflowers were a couple of tiny clusters of Douglasia on top. Coming into Two Med there were fields of Glacier Lilies along the roadside.
In cutting trail and going to the ridgeline I added some distance and some elevation.
The mountains in all directions had plenty of snow, although less than I had expected. I think the snow here is not as plentiful as normal and is coming off fast.
Park services are sparse. I had to check in at the gate, but the camp store is not open.
There is ice at the foot and head of Two Med Lake.
I was surprised to see a good number of folks in the parking lots of the camp store and the Scenic Point trailhead.
But, I saw only three other hikers on the trail itself and am pretty sure I was the only one who reached the summit. I think the snowdrifts discouraged folks who are not used to going off trail.
In East Glacier Park Serrano's Restaurant is open, but Brownie's and the Whistle Stop aren't operating yet. It looks as though the Mountain Pine is in business. Gardeners were working on the Glacier Park Lodge grounds and the train station was open.
Mount Kennon in Highwood Mountains
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| On a Kennon ridge outcrop |
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| Wayne Phillips points out the sites to Steve Taylor |
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| Ranger, Steve Taylor's Golden Lab cools down |
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| Katie Kotynski experiences one of the many wet, cold crossings of Shonkin Creek |
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| Mount Kennon. |
This 5,620 feet mountain in the Highwood Mountains doesn't get much attention because it is so out of the way.
The closest place name on the map is Shonkin, now pretty much a ghost town in the Big Sag country where the former Missouri River channel used to run.
It is on the northeast side of the Highwoods close to the isolated community of Geraldine.
It is 51-miles from Great Falls, much of it on pretty good gravel, to a crude trailhead where there is a Forest Service cabin.
Shonkin Creek, which originates here, is a pretty stream that criss-crosses the trail several time. But, the stream crossings are unnecessary if the mountain is your goal. Just go to the cabin and pick a ridge to the top. You'll climb about 1,700 feet in grass, through fir trees and adjacent to rocky laccolith outcrops to the top in about a mile.
This is an area of open, grassy ridges and aspen groves that show signs of lots of cattle grazing.
After mid-June the Highwood Mountains become the domain of grazing allotments.
The mid-May to mid-June period is just perfect for hikers who want to experience this without fresh cowpies.
From the top of Mount Kennon we did a long, up and down ridge walk to the south end of the valley where we picked up a road trace to the bottom.
The views from the ridge to the south include most of Montana's Island Ranges: Mocassins, Judiths, Snowies, Little Belts, Bearpaws, Little Rockies, Sweetgrass Hills and Highwoods.
We were delighted with the wildflowers in bloom. We counted 24 different varieties. The yellow bell (fritilary) and kitten tails were most prominent, although there were fields of shooting stars, and the arrowleaf balsamroots were beginning.
We hiked 7.3 miles and gained and lost 2,550 feet of elevation.
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