Montana

Pine Butte Guest Ranch - Day 3

South Fork and Indian Head.

Goshawk!

There were many beaver ponds, like this old one that is mostly filled in with silt. (The beaver dam is on the left.)

A waterfall

A Spruce Grouse

Also known as a Fool Hen, because they do not scare easily.

This one posed for a long time.

The day was overcast and a bit chilly, so we took a hike to warm up.

The thin line is indication of a mountain lion having scratched this tree.

Bear claw marks.

A Glacier Lily

Glacier lilies are edible, but you might want to check them for inhabitants first...

Breaking for lunch in a meadow.

The meadow had numerous flowers, like this Larkspur.

Stoneseed

Locoweed

Lichen.

Another view of Larkspur

Sugarbowl

Shooting Star

Prairie Smoke

Pasque Flower (do you remember the photo of a Pasque Flower seed head from day 1?)

Another view of the Pasque Flower

Close-up of Arrowleaf Balsamroot

Close-up of Arrowleaf Balsamroot

David, with the spotting scope.

The hikers. Notice how warmly everyone is dressed.

A dead tree whose outer bark has been picked off by woodpeckers.

Parry's Townsendia

Forget-me-nots

More Forget-me-nots

The forget-me-nots grow out of the rock in clumps.

A view of the ranch form the top of Indian Head.

A wide angle-view.

Another view of the ranch, with the edge of the cliff in the foreground.

Looking for the Grizzly bear with the ranch and a cliff between it and us. It was hard to see, but that is better than being too close (with cubs!).

Brady enjoying the hike (it helps that she is properly dressed for the weather).

Oh, those spiders blend in on the balsamroot, too.

And here is one that feels at home on Pasque Flower.

Calypso Orchid

Calypso Orchid

We saw another Spruce Grouse on our way down the other side of Indian Head.

David (ranch naturalist) holds up part of a deer that was killed by a mountain lion. Unfortunately, we still remember the smell.

Old bear claw marks on an aspen.

A view of the main lodge from across the river.

Since we were walking right by the greenhouse we stepped in to see what would be in our salad that evening.

It's quite a set-up.

This picture was taken on the morning of day 3, but I include it here because it is a view of Indian Head from the ranch.

Continue with photos from Day 4.

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