Patrol and Sentinel mountains in summer heat

 This has been one long heat stretch.

I don't feel like doing much because I don't want to get roasted.

The Patrol Mountain lookout sits high up in the Bob Marshall Wilderness

Samsara Chapman, who has been the lookout ranger for 26 summers

I'm atop the lookout mountain

But, I did get out twice this week, one to do my annual climb of Patrol Mountain in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and the other, a climb to the top of Mount Sentinel in Missoula from the University of Montana campus.

The visit to Patrol, (elevation: 8,015) is a round trip of 10 miles and a gain of 2,500 feet from Straight Creek you have to cross back and forth to reach the top.

I go up there yearly to see lookout ranger Samsara Chapman, who is doing her 26th year.  I've been climbing the mountain for nearly every year for the past 42 summers.  I first encountered her when I did a story on her at Patrol and a sister at Prairie Reef.  Samsara looks great and still seems to be enjoying her posting.  The creek sure felt good when I came down.  I didn't find the flowers particularly exceptional this year.  I did encounter a fresh pile of grizzly crap, and I realized I had left my bear spray in the car.  Thankfully, no sightings.

Two days later I went to Missoula and did Sentinel for the second time this year.  I did the walk up of nearly 2,000 feet in just under 58 minutes, which pleased me.  While I top I was entertained by paragliders who were pushing off this peak to enjoy great views of Missoula.