High summer, high country; Fairview and Washboard Reef

Coming off Fairview Peak 

The final large Willow Creek falls

On top Fairview

Laurie Lintner on top our Washboard high point

It might be the end of June, but the snow cornices continued to hang in there on Washboard Reef

This past weekend was set aside to gauge where I am now that I've seemed to shake this flu.
I led a Montana Wilderness Association Hike on Fairview Mountain on Saturday near Augusta and did an unplanned 15 mile Washboard Reef traverse in the Teton Pass country with the Glacier Mountaineering Society.  Both have become annual treks.
We had a glorious, clear day for Fairview Mountain, a gain of about 3,000 feet over 8 miles via the Willow Creek Falls Trail on the Front.
We saw nearly every flower imaginable ---- from early season Shooting Stars and Glacier Lilies to fields of brilliant blue Forget Me Not flowers.
This is a very easy climb with views that are exceptional ---- across the southern end of the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat wilderness country.
The well-built Willow Creek Falls Trail travels high above a limestone gorge offering thrilling dropoffs.
Everything is so green right now.  It feels like we're in Ireland.
On Sunday I had planned to climb Mount Wright in the North Fork Teton country,  I hungered for the snow-tipped views across the Bob.
My wife, with her Girls in Glacier group were also going to be doing this climb, a 3,200 feet gainer over about 7 miles. They were at the trailhead when I got there with a group of another 10 hikers.  I've never seen this many folks amassed here.
To my surprise I was greeted by Del Meuchel and his wife Gail from Missoula and Laurie Lintner from East Glacier Park, who were with that pack of 10 hikers.
I had happened into a Glacier Mountaineering group who were planning to do the 15 mile Washboard Reef Travers a drainage or two away from Mount Wright.
It didn't take much persuading for me to give up Mount Wright and join this old group of friends.
Although I've maintained my membership in GMS I have been dormant, a bit put-off by a couple of bad climbs a few years ago.
This is a true Rocky Mountain Front/Bob Marshall Wilderness ridge walk that climbs several small mountains along the ridgeline.  Along the way we gained and lost nearly 4,100 feet of elevation.
We had a perfect day with clouds showing up at the right time to protect us from a penetrating sun.
The flowers were as glorious here as they were Saturday at Fairview.
I was very delighted to be hiking with my GMS friends again.