Piper Lake. (Keith Hammer photos unless otherwise noted)
Ten Swan Rangers hiked to Piper Lake while five hiked the Phillips Trail, both in the Mission Mountains, on Saturday, September 12!
Piper Lake is in the Mission Mountain Wilderness while the Phillips Trail overlooks Flathead Lake from Crane Mountain!
A Montana Conservation Corps crew was hard at work improving the Piper Lake Trail! But Congress right now is threatening to greatly reduce funding for AmeriCorps, which would in turn drastically reduce MCC programs. Please make a quick phone call to MT Senator Steve Daines ((202) 224-2651) and MT Representative Ryan Zinke ((202) 225-3211) (or the members of Congress from your home state) to help them understand how important full funding of AmeriCorps and MCC is to you and your ability to enjoy public lands! Thank you!
Click here for a map of the Piper Lake Trail.
Click here for a map of the Phillips Trail.
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A welcome rainy day in the Swan Range! (Keith Hammer photos)
Seven Swan Rangers strolled the Swan River Nature Trail on a welcome rainy Saturday, September 5, 2015!
They preferred to enjoy the heavier rain showers in the Swan Range from a distance!
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The Swan Range viewed from the Swan River School! (Keith Hammer photos unless otherwise noted)
Seven Swan Rangers hiked a short outing in thick wildfire smoke on Saturday, August 29, 2015!
Five chose the non-cardio flat lands of the Foothills Ski Area while two sought a workout on the steep Crater Notch Trail!
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Strawberry Lake shows off a bit more shoreline during a drought year! (Keith Hammer photos)
Fourteen Swan Rangers hiked to Strawberry Lake on a welcome smoke-free Saturday, August 22, 2015!
It was a welcome respite from dense wildfire smoke as a cold front flushed it out of the area for most of the day!
Click here for a map of the Strawberry Lake Trail.
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A hazy view of Lake Blaine from the Hemler Creek Trail! (Keith Hammer photos)
Fifteen Swan Rangers hiked the Hemler Creek Trail on a smokey, cloudy and cool Saturday, August 15, 2015!
The post-thunderstorm cool weather was a welcome respite from an unusually hot summer!
Click here for a map of the Hemler Creek Trail.
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Hall Lake sits just below the Swan Crest's Hall-Quintonkon divide! (Keith Hammer photos unless otherwise noted)
Twenty-one Swan Rangers hiked to Hall Lake on Saturday, August 8, with half continuing on to Alpine Trail #7 at the Hall-Quintonkon divide!
There were some tasty huckleberries here and there, but not any more!
Click here for a map of the Hall Lake Trail.
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Lunch Rock provides nice views down Wolf Creek to the Flathead Valley! (Keith Hammer photos)
Eleven Swan Rangers hiked from Bear Creek to Wolf Creek on a hot Saturday, August 1, 2015!
They used the early morning shade of Broken Leg Mountain and an early return to make a very hot day an enjoyable hike!
Sorry, there is no map that shows this secret route from Bear Creek to Wolf Creek!
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Peterson Creek Trail crossing the Red Owl burn! (Keith Hammer photos)
Fourteen Swan Rangers hiked the Peterson Creek Trail on Saturday, July 25, with most turning around after lunch in the Red Owl burn and a few continuing on to the Quintonkon divide!
There were great views, laughs and ripe huckleberries to be had along the way!
Click here for a map of the Peterson Creek Trail!
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Clayton Lake viewed from Tongue Mountain, with Pioneer Ridge beyond. (Roger Benson photo)
Eighteen Swan Rangers broke into smaller groups and hiked Jewel Basin on Saturday, July 18, with most hiking out Tongue Mountain to overlook Clayton Lake!
The groups found wildflowers and wild bees galore at higher elevations, whether on Tongue Mountain or along Alpine 7 above Jewel Lakes!
Click here for a map of the Jewel Basin Hiking Area.
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Swan Rangers at the Swan River Oxbow Preserve kiosk. (Keith Hammer photos unless otherwise noted)
Thirteen Swan Rangers hiked The Nature Conservancy's Swan River Oxbow Reserve on Saturday, July 11, while one lone Ranger hiked to Sixmile Peak for a little more elevation and lung exercise!
While the wetlands trails didn't readily offer up any of the rare and threatened water howellia, they did offer up a variety of wonderful plant and tree species, seasoned with a healthy dose of mosquitos!
The Rangers first visited this pair of nature trails on February 28, vowing to return sans snow and high water!
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