Category Archives: Idaho

Bounty of scenic runs in western Montana

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Spring is here, and trails and dirt roads are clearing of snow – for me, that means it’s time to run!

The following are several western Montana races in places known for their scenery, including wildflowers, beginning this weekend with the Buttercup Run in Arlee. New there this year is a half marathon.

For more information about some of the races listed below, read the full story online or in the spring issue of Missoula magazine around town.

I’ll be running 11 Miles to Paradise in May – received word today that it is now full – and the 50K in the brand-new Trail Rail Run near St. Regis. See you out there!

  • Saturday, April 6: Buttercup Run, half marathon/10K/5K/1 mile. These race begin at the high school in Arlee and travel roads in the Jocko Valley. New this year is the half marathon.
  • Saturday, May 11: Montana Spartan Sprint, about 4 miles. This obstacle-style event takes place at Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge, outside of Bigfork.
  • Sunday, May 19: 11 Miles to Paradise. This trail run courses through the trees along the Clark Fork River between St. Regis and Paradise. Runners can soak at Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort afterward. (This race is full.)
  • Saturday, June 1, Evaro Mountain Challenge, 10K and 5K runs and walks. In it’s 27th year, this Evaro race includes challenging 10K events on mountain trails and scenic 5Ks on gravel roads, and benefits a historic community center/schoolhouse.
  • Saturday, June 8: Pengelly Double Dip and Single Dip, half marathon and 10K. Run the steep trails up Missoula’s University Mountain and Mount Sentinel.
  • Sunday, June 9: Herron Half Marathon and 10K. These races travel the trails of Herron Park on the edge of Kalispell.
  • Wednesday, June 19: Ten Spoon 10K and Kids Fun Run. There’s wine for adults and ice cream for kids at Ten Spoon Vineyard and Winery after this trail and road run in Missoula’s Rattlesnake Valley.
  • Saturday, June 22: Trail Rail Run, 50 miles/50K/30K/10K. These races travel former railroad beds – including over trestles and through tunnels in some events – between Mullan, Idaho, and St. Regis.
  • Saturday, June 22: Waterton Glacier Relay, 100 miles (24 legs). This is a road relay between Cardston, Alberta, and East Glacier, but includes plenty of scenery along the Rocky Mountain Front.
  • Saturday, June 29: Mountain-to-Meadow Half Marathon and 5K Fun Run. The half marathon course travels forest roads near Lolo Pass and along wildflower-filled Packer Meadows.
  • Saturday, June 29: Celebrate the Swan race, half marathon/10K/5K/5K walk/1-mile fun run. These events take place on forest roads outside of Condon.

Catch the camas at Lolo Pass while you can

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You’ve no doubt seen a lot of mentions of the blue camas in Packer Meadows, off U.S. Highway 12 near Lolo Pass, on this blog of late, but no photos.

Unfortunately, the bloom passes fairly fast, making it difficult to use as one of my weekly Wildflower Walks. For example, the Lolo Pass Visitor Center said on its Facebook page on Wednesday, June 27, that the flowers were about at their peak. By Saturday, June 30 – when the photo above was taken – the blossoms were already withering, and soon they’ll be gone.

So, the takeaway here is if you want to see the camas bloom at its best, pay attention to the visitor center’s reports – the blue view is worth it!

Here are a few more photos of the meadows.

Western Montana wildflower tweets for the week of June 29

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The blue camas bloom at Packer Meadows near Lolo Pass is at its peak, according to the visitor center’s Facebook page, so see it while you can!

A reminder, though: Roads in the area of the visitor center along U.S. Highway 12 at the Montana-Idaho border to the meadows will be closed Saturday morning, however, to provide for the safety of runners in the Mountain to Meadow Half Marathon and 5K Fun Run. More details are in this earlier post. If you’re in the race, I might see you there!

Here are a few other Missoula area wildflower sighting for you weekend outings:

Roads to close in area of Lolo Pass camas

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The camas bloom has begun at Packer Meadows off U.S. Highway 12 at Lolo Pass, but temporary road closures will limit access to the blue fields on Saturday morning.

The Mountain to Meadow Half Marathon and 5K Fun Run takes place in the area of Packer Meadows, and to ensure the safety of participants, forest roads No. 373 (Packer Meadows Road), No. 5671 (Packer Ridge Road) and  No. 5670 (Packer Creek Road) will be closed to motorized use from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. PDT.

If you’re interested in running, more information about the half marathon and fun run is available at www.runlolopass.org. The deadline to register is Wednesday.

For camas updates, call (208) 942-1234 or go to the Lolo Pass Visitor Center’s Facebook page.

Western Montana wildflower tweets for the week of June 15

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I didn’t get out much this week, but here are a few western Montana wildflower reports to take you into the weekend. The highlight is the start of the beargrass bloom in Glacier National Park!

Up at Lolo Pass, off U.S. Highway 12 at the Montana-Idaho border, the camas is budding but not blooming, while glacier lilies, trillium and globeflowers are out!

Northwestern Montana runs for wildflowers

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Several upcoming trail runs and a road race offer opportunities to enjoy the late spring and early summer wildflower bloom in northwestern Montana.

Some of these I have run before, while others I plan to do this year.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all races in western Montana this summer – it is based on date and location with relation to the likelihood of seeing wildflowers, and has events suitable for all abilities.

You don’t have to slow down, but do look around!

  • The Evaro Mountain Challenge is this Saturday, May 19. Longtime rancher and runner Bob Hayes organizes this event in Evaro, with 5K and 10K runs, 5K and 10K race walks, and a 5K fun run. Registration is by mail or from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. on the day of the race. The 10K race walk begins at 9:30 a.m., while all other distances start at 10.
  • The 11 Miles to Paradise race is this Sunday, May 20. The course for this race is on single-track trail through the Lolo National Forest and along the Clark Fork River near Paradise. Registration is online through May 18, then from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. the day of the race. Race start is 9 a.m. Runners are shuttled to and from the course from Quinn’s Hot Springs, where lunch and a soak are available afterward. See you there!
  • The Ninemile Family Fun Run on Saturday, June 2, is actually two events – a 1K and a 2K – on the Discovery Nature Trail at the Grand Menard Picnic Area near the Ninemile Ranger Station. Registration is the day of the runs and both are free! Start time is 9 a.m.
  • The Pengelly Double Dip and Single Dip are Saturday, June 9, in Missoula. The Double Dip, a half marathon with 2,700 feet of vertical gain on Mount Sentinel and University Mountain, starts at 9 a.m. The Single Dip, a 10K across the Sentinel fire road, begins at 9:30 a.m. Registration is available online and packet pickup begins at 7 a.m. at the River Bowl East. I ran this race two years ago – and might again this year – and the arrowleaf balsamroot in bloom near the top of the mountain was gorgeous.
  • The Herron Half Marathon and 10K are also June 9, at Herron Park in Kalispell. Register online through June 6 or mail a paper registration by June 1; last-minute registration will also be available on race day. Packet pickup begins at 7:30 a.m. with the races getting under way at 10 a.m. The course covers nearly all of the trails in the park.
  • The Ten Spoon 10K is Wednesday, June 20, on roads and trails in Missoula’s Rattlesnake Valley. The evening 10K race and kids fun run coincide with the summer solstice. Register online. The fun run begins at 6 p.m. and 10K at 6:30 p.m. at Ten Spoon Vineyard and Winery. It includes a glass of wine, snacks, ice cream for the kids and music afterward. Sounds like an enjoyable time, and if I can get away from work I plan to be there.
  • The Celebrate the Swan Race is scheduled for Saturday, June 23, in Condon. There’s a half marathon, 10K, 5K and one-mile fun run on roads in the Flathead National Forest. Registration is available by mail through June 15 or on race day by 8 a.m. The half marathon begins at 9 a.m., with other races at 10 a.m. Judging by the race artwork, you might need to outrun a bear.
  • Also June 23, the Waterton Glacier Relay is a 100-mile team race on roads from Cardston, Alberta, to East Glacier. Late registration is online through June 3. Team check-in is 6 to 10 p.m. June 22 or 3:30 to 5:15 a.m. on race day, with runners getting an early start at 4 a.m. The course never actually enters Waterton Lakes or Glacier national parks, but should be scenic nonetheless. Valid passport required.
  • Technically in Idaho, the Mountain to Meadow Half Marathon and 5K Fun Run are Saturday, June 30, at Lolo Pass. The courses are on forest roads through the Bitterroot Mountains, and the race is usually around the time of the vibrant blue camas bloom in Packer Meadows. I ran it a few years back when beargrass was also blooming well, and plan to be there this year, too. Registration is online through June 27. The race starts at 7:30 a.m. Pacific – that’s 8:30 a.m. Mountain.

Late bloom at Packer Meadows

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camas

Packer Meadows, June 2007

If you thought you missed the camas bloom at Packer Meadows near Lolo Pass, you’re in luck.

The blue flowers, which normally bloom in June, should peak within the next week, said Dan Shook, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ representative at the Lolo Pass Visitor Center.

“Probably about three days to five days is about perfect to look at the camas,” he said.

Shook said the flowers are about a month behind their normal peak bloom as a result of deep and lingering snow. This year, the snow depth topped out at 170 inches on March 4. Usually, he said, it’s in the 40- to 60-inch range. The record is 205 inches.
Snow kept Elk Meadows Road from the visitor center on U.S. Highway 12 at the Montana-Idaho border about a mile east to the meadows closed until the weekend of June 25-26.

For updates on the camas bloom, call the visitor center at (208) 942-1234 or the Powell Ranger Station at (208) 942-3113.

To get to Packer Meadows, drive eight miles south of Missoula on U.S. Highway 93 to Lolo, then 32 miles west on Highway 12 to the Lolo Pass Visitor Center. The meadows are about one mile east on Elk Meadows Road.

“It looks like a sea of blue,” Shook said.

June bloom events in western Montana

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June is here, and western Montana wildflower-related events are picking up.

On Tuesday, June 7, join the Flathead Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society and Glacier National Park biologist Tara Carolin for a two-hour walk up the Columbia Mountain trail east of Columbia Falls to see spring blooms. Meet at the Columbia Mountain trailhead at 6 p.m. Bring water and a sack dinner. For more information, contact Carolin at 755-9412 or writetaraywc@yahoo.com.

The Glacier Institute will lead a spring wildflower walk in the Marias Pass area from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 10. The “Spring Wildflowers Along the Rocky Mountain Front” course with instructor Ellen Horowitz is for ages 18 and older, and is limited to 13 participants. Meet at the Glacier National Park Field Camp Meeting Hall. Fee is $65.

On Saturday, June 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the Clark Fork Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society will hold its biennial “Native Plant Garden Tour and Low Tea.” Visit native plant gardens in the Rattlesnake Valley and meet the people who created them. The tour can be done by bicycle, and directions will be handed out from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on the south side of the Montana Native Plant Gardens at the old Botany greenhouse west of the University of Montana’s University Center. Plants and seeds will be available for sale, and the tour will end with refreshments from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Bring water, snacks and lunch. Call 258-5439 for more information.

On two Thursdays, June 16 and 30, the Montana Natural History Center will hold its “miniNaturalists at the Gardens” program from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Gardens. Cost is $1 per child for MNHC members, $3 nonmembers. The program is best for ages 2 to 5, and children must be accompanied by an adult. The program engages youngsters in the exploration of the natural world through fun hands-on activities, games and play in a native plant garden setting. For more information, call 327-0405.

Finishing the month is the 2011 Mountain-to-Meadow Half Marathon and 5K Fun Run at Lolo Pass, on U.S. Highway 12 on the Montana-Idaho border. Both races pass Packer Meadows, which are usually full of blooming camas. Registration deadline for the Saturday, June 25, races is Wednesday, June 22. Cost is $25, with children ages 12 and younger free. The race begins at the visitor center at 7:30 a.m. PDT. For more information, email runlolopass@discovernw.org.

Walk for July 22

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Pink mountain heather

Phyllodoce empetriformis

Description: Bright pink bell-shaped flowers growing in clusters from evergreen shrubs 8 to 20 inches tall. Found in most soil of higher mountains. Blooms late June to August. (“Peterson Field Guides: Rocky Mountain Wildflowers,” by John J. Craighead, Frank C. Craighead Jr. and Ray J. Davis.)

Recently seen: Stateline Trail to Illinois Peak, southwest of Superior.

The walk: From the west side of Interstate 90 in Superior, drive about 1 1/4 miles southeast on Diamond Match Road. Turn southwest onto Cedar Creek Road (Forest Road 320) and follow it about 25 miles to the Stateline trailhead at Cascade Pass on the Montana-Idaho border. From the parking area, the trail tracks up and down along the ridge through fairly open forest, providing views west into Idaho and east into Montana. At about 1 3/4 miles, the deep blue water of the uppermost of the three Oregon Lakes can be seen on the Montana side of the ridge. Past the overlook, you’ll see pink mountain heather in many open areas along the ridge. (Heather is just one of many flowers that were blooming along the trail earlier this week, including columbine, a variety of penstemon species, purple shooting stars, yellow pasqueflowers, bluebells, gentian, phlox and more.) At about four miles, the trail begins to climb through craggy rocks on the side of Illinois Peak. At about 4 1/2 miles, the path passes a second trail that drops to the southwest on the Idaho side of the ridge; continue southeast uphill a short distance to a grassy junction, following a fainter trail northeast to the top of the mountain at five miles. Enjoy lunch on the open, grassy 7,690-foot summit of Illinois peak, taking in the expansive views of surrounding mountains, then retrace your footsteps to the trailhead.

Justin Grigg

Hike to Lolo Pass

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The Montana Chapter of the Sierra Club is planning its annual spring wildflower hike to Packer Meadows at Lolo Pass on Sunday.

The eight-mile hike on the Lewis and Clark/Nez Perce Trail will be led by horticulturist Adrienne Hopkins. Bring water and a snack. For more information, contact Hopkins at 543-3755 or e-mail John Wolverton at yodelingdog@hotmail.com.

If you’re headed up to Packer Meadows on your own this weekend, the camas has started to bloom, but the fields are not yet full. Also, be advised that the road from the Lolo Pass Visitor Center to the meadows will be closed from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday for the Mountain-to-Meadow race.

Call ahead to (208) 942-1234 for camas updates.

Justin Grigg