A week's worth: Highwoods Center Ridge, Grassy Mountain, Rogers again, River's Edge, Kings Hill, Mount Wright

One photo can't capture the immensity of the Bob Marshall Wilderness from the top of Mount Wright

Here in town, Crooked Falls is putting on quite a Springtime show 

The Highwoods are the place to go to enjoy Arrowleaf Balsamroot wildflowers in the Spring

Gordon Whirry at a saddle below Mount Wright

This was a week blessed by great hiking weather.
With friends we did the Highwoods Center Ridge loop trail, getting our feet wet on the four crossings of the North Fork; circled the Skidway cross country ski loop on the flank of Grassy Mountain outside White Sulphur Srpings in the Big Belts, taking in a short walk up Pioneer Ridge to check for Calypso orchids (they were there);  saw a profusion of chocolate lilies off Rogers Pass; enjoyed the water spilling over the dams and Crooked Falls on River's Edge Trail, counting more than 20 varieties of wildflowers on the North Shore trail; and capped off the week with a climb of Mount Wright in the Rocky Mountain Front.  Whew!
As much as I love Central Montana and its Island Ranges, the highlight was Mount Wright, one of the big mountains on the Front at just under 9,000 feet.
The views are the best on the Front, sweeping across the Bob Marshall Wilderness to the Swan Range and as far north as Glacier Park, the Sweetgrass Hills and Canada.

Our Center Ridge Highwoods loop