Category Archives: Mount Sentinel

A wildflower celebration and more western Montana hikes

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A few western Montana wildflower-related events taking place in May escaped my attention in an earlier post:

  • This Saturday, May 11, Lone Pine State Park near Kalispell will join National Wildflower Week celebrations. Games and crafts are at 1 p.m., a hike is at 1:30 p.m. and a wildflower costume contest with prizes is at 2:30 p.m. The event also serves as the start of the park’s May and June wildflower walks, Saturdays at 11 a.m. The event is free.
  • The Montana chapter of the Sierra Club also has a few outings in May, starting this Saturday, May 11. At 8 a.m., a women-only hike will take place around Lake Como near Darby. The group will stop for lunch at the falls at the head of the lake. The hike is 7 1/2 miles with minimal elevation gain. Register by contacting trip leader Janet Fiero at (406) 203-2164 or janetfiero77@gmail.com by 4 p.m. Friday, May 10.
  • At 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 15, the Sierra Club will hike to the top of Mount Sentinel, looping via the Hellgate Canyon and “M” trails. Distance is 6 1/2 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation gain. Register by Tuesday, May 14, by emailing Mary Owens at trekker320@aol.com.
  • And on Monday, May 20, the Sierra Club will hike the North Loop Trail at Mount Jumbo at 9 a.m. The 5-mile trip will gain about 800 feet of elevation. Register by 4 p.m. Sunday, May 19, by emailing Maria Ibarbia at maire-mt@earthlink.net.

May holds wildflowers, birds and more events

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Arrowleaf balsamroot at the National Bison Range.

From wildflower hikes to events on birds and bull trout, there’s a lot going on in May around western Montana! Here’s a sampling of wildflower and other nature-related events:

  • At 6:30 p.m. today – Thursday, May 2 – botanist Michael Krebs will lead a hike on Mount Sentinel with the Clark Fork Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society. The group will meet at the picnic table at the southeast corner of the University of Montana Campus, near the intersection of Beckwith and Madeline avenues, and hike the Evans Street Trail to the fire road across the face of the mountain. Along the way, they’ll document spring wildflowers for Project Budburst. Call 728-0189 for more information.
  • Also today, May 2, the Montana Natural History Center will hold a seminar titled “Design an All-Season Garden with Native Shrubs” with Marilyn Marler from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the center, 120 Hickory St. Learn how to design a garden for color, screening and wildlife habitat. The event is free for MNHC members and there’s a $5 suggested donation for others.
  • Starting in May and running through June, the Flathead Chapter of MNPS will hold Tuesday morning wildflower walks on Bigfork’s Wild Mile Corridor. Anne Morley and Neal Brown will lead the easy walks along the Old Swan River Road starting at 10 a.m. Meet in front of Showthyme on Electric Avenue in Bigfork. Call Morley at 886-2242 or Brown at 837-5018 for more information.
  • An International Migratory Bird Day celebration will be held at the National Bison Range on Saturday, May 11. There will be videos, trivia, walks and a Migration Challenge. Call (406) 644-2211, Ext. 207, to register and get meeting place and time. The day also marks the opening of Red Sleep Mountain Drive for the summer season, weather and road conditions permitting. The 19-mile, one-way gravel road climbs to the high point of the range, traveling through grassland and forest. The refuge and scenic drives open at 6:30 a.m., and the visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Start Red Sleep Mountain Drive by 6 p.m. to complete the trip before the refuge closes as dark. Bird Day events are free but fees, starting at $5 for private vehicles, are charged for the scenic drives.
  • MNHC and the Endangered Species Coalition will hold a native plant sale and bull trout lecture to celebrate Endangered Species Day on Thursday, May 16. The plant sale is 5:30 to 7 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Fort Missoula Native Plant Gardens. The bull trout lecture, by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Wade Fredenberg is at 7 p.m. Both events, at the center at 120 Hickory St., are free.
  • On Saturday, May 18, from 8 a.m. to noon, MNPS’ Clark Fork Chapter will hold its annual plant sale at the Missoula Farmers Market at the north end of Higgins Avenue. Arrive early for the best selection.
  • Also on Saturday, May 18, the Glacier Institute will hold a course titled “Glacier’s Harlequins” with John Ashley starting at 8:30 a.m. Learn about and observe harlequin ducks in Glacier National Park as they feed and court during breeding season. There will be a slideshow, discussion and walk along upper McDonald Creek near Going-to-the-Sun Road. The course will end about 4 p.m. Meet at the Glacier Park Field Camp Meeting Hall just inside the West Glacier entrance to the park. Transportation will be provided during the course. Cost is $65.
  • MNPS’ Clark Fork Chapter will have a Dyer’s Woad pull on Tuesday, May 21, starting at 6:30 p.m. Dyer’s Woad is a noxious weed in the mustard family. Meet at the main Mount Sentinel trailhead on the east side of the UM campus. Call 544-7189 for more information.
  • MNHC will hold a Naturalist Field Day titled “ID and Ecology of Local Grasses” with botanist Peter Lesica from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25. The group will learn about grasses in the classroom, then visit several sites in the field. Call 327-0405 to register. Cost is $70 for MNHC members and  $80 for others. Some scholarships are available. Meet at the center, 120 Hickory St. Transportation to field sites is provided.
  • Also Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26, is the Loon and Fish Festival based in Seeley Lake. Organized by Alpine Artisans, the festival features art, films, wildlife exhibits, loon viewing and a wildflower hike to Holland Falls. Events are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Wildflowers in season around western Montana

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Spring wildflower season is getting going around western Montana – here’s what I’ve been seeing on Missoula-area recreation lands lately. And remember to follow me on Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram for more frequent reports and photos!
 

Hot native plant research in Missoula

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A U.S. Forest Service scientist is conducting some interesting native plant research on Missoula’s hillsides. According to a story by the Missoulian’s Martin Kidston, with photos by Michael Gallacher, Dean Pearson is trying to deter mice from eating native plant seeds using a powder derived from hot chile peppers.

It’s not just any chile pepper, though – it’s the bhut jolokia, aka “ghost chile,” at one time declared the hottest pepper of all by Guinness World Records.

According to Kidston’s story:

One man who ate a bhut jolokia pepper on a dare allegedly spent hours vomiting, sweating and hallucinating. Pearson said such reactions to the pepper pertain to mice and men alike, along with all other mammals, making it an effective deterrent.

There are numerous videos of people attempting to eat the chile. Read the full story here.

Walks will take in wildflowers of Trapper Peak, Mount Sentinel

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The Clark Fork Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society a couple of field trips coming up in the Bitterroot Valley and Missoula.

On Saturday, the group will hike up Trapper Peak, led by botanist Wayne Philips. The trail climbs 3,800 feet over four miles to the 10,157-foot summit. Missoula residents can meet at the southwest corner of the Wal-Mart at 4000 U.S. Highway 93 at 7 a.m. to carpool to the trailhead, while Bitterroot residents can meet at Sam’s Spade, 111 S. Fourth St., in Hamilton at 8 a.m. For more information, call Kelly at 258-5439 or Wayne at 453-0648.

At 6:30 p.m. Monday, botanist will lead a hike and examine the phenology of Mount Sentinel. Krebs will point out which flowers and leaves appear first. Participants can meet at the picnic table east of the U.S. Forest Service research lab near the corner of Beckwith and Madeline avenues on the south side of the University of Montana.

Western Montana wildflower tweets for the week of June 1

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There’s more rain in the forecast for this weekend, but it likely won’t keep western Montanans from getting out! Here are a handful of wildflower tips:

 

Also, the Lolo Pass Visitor Center reports on its Facebook page that spring beauty, ivory globeflower and buttercups are blooming in Packer Meadows. Glacier National Park’s page says that white glacier lilies can be found along the Camas and Inside North Fork roads.

Remember, too, that Saturday, June 2, is National Trails Day and there are a variety of projects planned around western Montana!

Abundance of wildflower events in June

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With spring ending and summer starting in June, it’s the perfect time to view wildflowers – and there are plenty of events planned from the Bitterroot Valley north to Glacier National Park and the Tobacco Valley.

Here they are, by date:

This Saturday, June 2, the Flathead chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society will take a two- to three- mile hike to view flowers on the mossy Johnson Mountain terraces. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the rest area at the soccer fields next to Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish. Bring lunch. Call (406) 892-0129 for information and to sign up.

The Clark Fork chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society will hold a weed pull at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 5, in John Toole Park, along the Clark Fork River off of South Fourth Street East. Bring weeding tools. Call 542-2640 for more information.

Also on Tuesday, June 5, the Flathead MNPS chapter will be hiking at Columbia Mountain. Glacier Park biologist Tara Carolin will lead the two- to three-mile hike to view late spring flowers. Meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Columbia Mountain trailhead. Bring dinner. Call 888-7863 or email writetaraywc@yahoo.com for more information.

The Glacier National Park Fund’s Friday Hiking Club begins on June 8. The Glacier Fund isn’t leading the group or providing interpretation – the hikes are intended to be a fun, social outing. The June 8 hike is to be determined. The group will go on a 12-mile outing to Huckleberry Lookout on June 12, and a 9.4-mile outing to Scalpock Lookout on June 29. Carpooling may be available from the Glacier Fund office in Columbia Falls. Call (406) 892-3250 or email glacierfund@glacierfund.org to register.

Also on Friday, June 8, the Glacier institute will hold a course titled “Spring Wildflowers along the Rocky Mountain Front” with instructor  Ellen Horowitz. After a slideshow, participants will observe wildflowers on the Firebrand Pass Trail in Glacier National Park, hiking about two miles. Bring lunch. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Glacier Park Field Camp Meeting Hall in West Glacier. The group will return at about 4:30 p.m. Cost is $65.

The Clark Fork MNPS chapter will hold its third and final Dyer’s Woad pull at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12. Meet at the “M” trailhead. Call 544-7189 for more information.

The Montana Natural History Center will offer advice on plants to pull and plants to leave at “Which are Weeds? A Native Plant Gardener’s Conundrum” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Gardens. There is a $5 suggested donation for the public; MNHC members are free.

Steve Wirt will lead a course titled “Orchids: Glacier’s Precious Beauties” for the Glacier Institute on Friday, June 15. After a slideshow, participants will take several short hikes along the park’s Camas Road, upper McDonald Creek and/or Inside North Fork Road in search of 10 to 15 orchid species. Bring a lunch. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Glacier Park Field Camp Meeting Hall. The course will end at about 5 p.m. Cost is $65.

MNHC’s Saturday Discovery Day on June 16 will go hiking from 10 a.m. to noon on the Mount Jumbo Saddle Trail. Participants will look for flowers, insects and birds. Nets, binoculars and journaling tools provided. Meet at the trailhead at the top of Lincoln Hills Drive. There is a $5 suggested donation for the public; MNHC members are free.

On Saturday, June 16, MNPS’ Clark Fork chapter will visit the MPG Ranch in Florence to view wildflowers and bunchgrasses, and learn about conservation efforts there. Meet at 8:30 a.m. in the southwest corner of the parking lot at Missoula’s Wal-Mart, 4000 U.S. Highway 93 S., or at 9 a.m. behind the IGA grocery store in Florence. Call 273-6140 or 258-5439 for more information.

Also on Saturday, June 16, MNPS’ Flathead chapter will visit Dancing Prairie Preserve, just north of Eureka. The native prairie habitat has been preserved by The Nature Conservancy, and botanist/ecologist Maria Mantas will lead participants on a tour of native grasses and prairie wildflowers. Bring lunch and gloves for weed pulling. Meet in Whitefish at 9:00 a.m.; call (406) 837-0066 or email mmantas@tnc.org for location.

The Montana Native Plant Society will hold its annual meeting Friday, June 29, through Sunday, July 1, at the Lubrecht Experimental Forest near Greenough. Outings, meetings and meals are planned.

On another MNHC Saturday Discovery Day, June 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., naturalist and photographer Hobie Hare will lead an outing to Upper Gold Creek, about half an hour from Missoula. Meet at MNHC, 120 Hickory St. Cost is $25 for adults and $15 for children for the public, $20 and $10 for members. Registration is required; call 327-0405.

A day of service for western Montana trails

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National Trails Day is Saturday, June 2, and there are several opportunities in western Montana to get out and lend a hand.

While most projects occur on National Trails Day, a couple of them are planned for later in the month.

As a reward for your service, some events include a barbecue afterward!

The following are western Montana events – click through for times and more detailed information, or follow the link above for events in other parts of the state.

  • REI, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership and the Montana Conservation Corps will pull weeds and perform basic maintenance along the “M” Trail on Mount Sentinel.
  • The Back Country Horsemen of Missoula will have a “Leave No Trace” demonstration camp; handouts on trail use; bicycle/equestrian helmets for sale; water, snacks and dog treats for the public; and will paint a fence and clean up the main trailhead at the Blue Mountain Recreation Area. The group will also conduct a survey of trail users.
  • At the Milltown State Park site, Montana State Parks will plant native shrubs and trees along a trail to the bluff overlook and a Boy Scout troop will install park benches made from salvaged logs.
  • The Ninemile Ranger District will hold the Ninemile Family Fun Run – with 1K and 2K events – at Grand Menard Picnic Area near the Ninemile Ranger Station. The U.S. Forest Service; Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks; and the Montana Natural History Center will also provide educational activities.
  • The Montana Conservation Corps will work on several trails at Herron Park in Kalispell.
  • The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation will perform seasonal work on the trail to Stanton Lake near Hungry Horse.
  • On Saturday, June 9, Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness will hold a workshop on old-growth ecology in Heron and go on an afternoon hike.
  • On Saturday, June 30, the Scotchman Peaks Friends group will have workshop on wetlands and riparian areas in Heron and go on an afternoon hike.

Western Montana wildflower tweets for week of May 18

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Wildflower tweets from this week to help guide your weekend viewing in western Montana:

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.