2018 MONTANA ROAD TRIP #2

FRIDAY, June 29:

We enjoyed a day out in nature along the Copper Creek Rd. Klara had to do a small survey of the area as the USFS is going to move the road next year and she needed to do a plant survey of the area.  While she did that George and I wandered up the road looking at plants

LUPINE

and the landscape. We enjoyed watching the storm clouds forming over the mountains in the distance.

STORM CLOUDS BUILDING

STORM CLOUDS

LITTLEFLOWER PENSTAMON

PENSTAMON AND PUSSYTOES

BUSH CINQFOIL

BUTTERCUP

THIN-LEAVED OWL'S CLOVER

COLORFUL BEETLE

Late in the afternoon we were off to the first meeting of the Montana Native Plant Society which was holding its annual meeting in Lincoln. There was a delicious potluck which was put on by the group. There were also a number of items for sale including books, t-shirts, and some artwork. I purchased the book, “Bold Women In Montana History”. I found the book a good read of the history of Montana and the women who helped forge it into a leader in the suffrage movement.

The featured speaker for the evening was by H. Wayne Phillips, a forest service ecologist, range manager, and forester. His topic, which was quite interesting, was titled "Wildfires to Wildflowers" which follows the regrowth after fires for the past 30 years. It was interesting to see the transition from scorched land to blooming wildflowers and other new growth.

SATURDAY, June 30:

This morning we were off early as Klara was one of the walk leaders. There were about 15 on her walk in the foothills of Landers Fork. As we walked up the Forest Service Road we stopped often to photograph and ID various plants we saw in bloom. 

ARNICA

STONECROP

ASTRAGALUS

SICKLETOP LOUSEWORT

WHITE BOG ORCHID W/BUG

NARROW-LEAF COLLOMIA

While some of the people went into the bog areas to find plants there were a few of us that opted out of that experience.

After lunch at our destination for exploration I went on a short hike further up the road. I came across some nice forested areas as well as a couple of examples of beargrass. This is a lovely plant and is found in the higher elevations. Finally it was time to return to the trail/road head.

BEARGRASS

LICHEN HAIR DO

A LITTLE NAP

Back at the house we packed up our gear and food for our move to a cabin out of town. This was to avoid the noise from the unofficial fireworks that go off between now and July 4^th. The cabin is quite large and accommodating but it has one drawback….MOSQUITOES, by the hundreds. There was a racket devise that could be used to “zap” them but it is a nuisance.You are constantly moving it about.  Klara had some mosquito netting that we were able to rig over our bed, and also a small hood devise that she used over her bed. They made it quite bearable when we went to bed.

In the evening George and I enjoyed a quiet evening at the cabin while Klara went off to hobnob with fellow botany friends and make connections with new ones. We actually went to bed early in order to be under the netting while we read.

SUNDAY, July 1:

Today we were off early once again to meet up with another group of MNPS for a walk about Brown Lake. This walk was led by Peter Lesica, a botanist, educator, and resource management
consultant from Missoula, MT.

THIN-LEAVED OWL'S CLOVER

THIN-LEAVED OWL'S CLOVER

BRISTLY CATAPILLAR

WHORLED BUCKWHEAT

BLANKET FLOWER

BROWN'S LAKE STREAM

BUTTERCUP

ELEGANT DEATH CAMAS

BEE PLANT

After the stroll and looking at and identifying various plants we drove around the lake to see what we could see. There were a couple great blue herons, and yellow-headed blackbirds. There were a couple of females along the shore which I was able to photograph.

FEMALE YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD

We returned to Lincoln through the small town Ovando, population about 80. It does have the necessities of a gas station, post office, restaurant, and tackle store. (There are lots of locations for fishing along streams, and the Blackfoot River.)