Ground cover in mountains in full Fall color

We had an exceptionally clear early Fall day for a photo of Going to the Sun Peak

The mountain ground cover is at its peak, particularly on the east side of the Rockies, although we experienced great ground cover on a trip to the west side last weekend.

We stayed at the Laughing Horse Resort in Swan Lake and day hiked to Cold Lake in the Mission Mountains Wilderness, and Bond Creek Falls in the Swan Range the next day and followed up with a drive across the Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park.

We have a special place in our hearts for Laughing Horse and have been there frequently.

We always look for Spring and Fall specials and stay two nights that include a four-course meal with wine and dessert.  

Owner Kate Moon is an incredible chef who raises some of the fare she puts on plates and has spectacularly decorated the resort with work from local artists.  The outside commons is enlivened with the many plants and flowers she cultivates.  Inside there's a talking parrot and there are two large, beautiful     dogs that are hungry for pets and the food you might drop on the floor.

The highlight of our trip was the hiking and Katie chose two relatively short hikes that showed off the Mission and Swan mountain ranges.  Both hikes featured were ablaze with fall ground cover colors.  They are at their height.  The aspen and cottonwoods have a way to go yet before they peak, and of course, next month the west side will be awash in brilliant golden tamaracks (western larch).

On the way home we drove the Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park, the first time I did it this season.  I had avoided during the peak of the tourist season when permits were required.  While the traffic was steady it was broken up around Lake McDonald by traffic lights that spaced cars out pretty nicely.

The ground cover in the Apgar Mountains on the extreme west side of the park, were brilliant with deep reds, oranges and yellows.

We had a relatively mild day for our drive and the sky was a tad hazy from drifting wildfires, but a deep blue.

We did side hikes on the Avalanche Creek Trail of the Cedars and to Sun Point on St. Mary's Lake.  I had forgotten how special the Cedars Trail is, with its tall cedars and hemlock trees in deep shade punctuated by bright green moss on rocky outcrops.

Calf Creek in Little Belts

The Forest Service Calf Creek (rental) cabin

I continue to explore the Little Belts and looked around the Calf Creek Trail area not far from the Forest Service cabin.  Calf Creek is accessed off the the Moose Creek Road turnoff on US 89 where Tintina is proposing a large copper mine.

 

I wanted to have a look around at the cabin as well as if there were any new developments on the mine, which has been put on hold because of litigation alleging the state hadn't done a thorough job of asseing the environmental impacts of the mine.

 

The Calf Creek area is heavily grazed and the couple miles of trail I traveled showed it.  It follows a nice little stream with occasional outcrops in a tight, heavily timbered valley.

The road to the cabin and trailhead is quite good.

Katie and I at Cold Lake in the Mission Mountains Wilderness