Last year, I discovered a new and, dare I say, unique hobby for myself called hiking. It consisted, if you recall, of long treks into the mountains and forests in a specific direction to see a truly epic view at the end.
American mountain regions are impossible without hiking. Honestly, there's nothing else to do here. People often say exactly that about our park.
And you really have to take advantage of such an opportunity. Not only is it a unique way to keep yourself in shape, but it's also a chance to see such incredible landscapes. This season, everything moved to a slightly different level. Although I didn't have much time for hiking, I still tried to get out somewhere periodically. Plus, something new appeared. More on that later.
Apgar Lookout
My first route was to an observation point that offers a unique view of the local scenery.
About 35,000 steps, 24 kilometers round trip, and 6 hours of time. Perhaps a bit too much after a long break.
Apgar Lookout is a small cabin in the middle of the mountains with a view of the area where I've been spending my second summer in a row. Essentially, the trail itself is only 6.8 km one way, but you still have to walk to it from the dorm, and then get back from the final point. In short, by the end, I was exhausted and dreaming of the pizza I had planned for my day off. You can drive to the trail itself, but I went on foot. I got lost twice because I didn't know the exact path. I asked for directions from some horse riders in the forest, but I still reached my destinations.
Fish Lake
This is a whole story. I rode my bike up the mountain. An hour one way. An hour back. The total walking distance was about 14 km round trip, where I was bitten by mosquitoes that gave me some small ailment similar to an allergy, and I broke out in a rash. I had to take a break from hiking while I was getting treated. I even went to a doctor, and she prescribed treatment. So, as you can see, I had some fun there.
But the beauty is something else.
Apicuni Waterfall
Then those fires started, and for a long time, I didn't go anywhere at all. Finally, in August, we went as a large group on a short hike to a small but very beautiful waterfall. The total round trip is about 3.2 km with a 200-meter elevation gain. But we got immense pleasure from the whole process. Usually, I hike alone, which, by the way, is very dangerous. My family and friends are ready to kill me for it, but I used to prefer going alone. After this experience, however, I started enjoying the company more. The drive of the long and fun preparation, the trip in three cars, and a short hike with laughter, music, and a bunch of photos. And most importantly - the unique view at the end of the trail.
We had to return in the dark with headlamps. New experiences.
And after the hike, we went and got pizza, enjoying it in nature. Also with headlamps on.
P.S. Is it worth mentioning that after this and a couple of other shots, I slipped and fell into the water up to my waist?
Piegan Pass Trail
This hike also turned out not to be very long, but very beautiful in its own right. The most interesting thing is that a couple of days before this, a friend of the Turner sisters from Seattle arrived with his dog, who was also keen on hiking. And you know what? He brought his dog with him! Yes! This route of about 14 km round trip with an elevation gain of 560 meters, and we have a little dog with us. Yes, she stops periodically and gets tired faster than others, but it was just incredible.
Mt. Brown Lookout
And the last hike of the season was completed right at the end of August, on the very day Evgeni left. This hike turned out to be the most difficult, as it had a tough 1300-meter ascent that, at the time, seemed like it would never end. We were so tired that we practically ran back because we wanted to get home as soon as possible, and it was starting to get dark. Moreover, it turned out that upon arriving home, I had to unexpectedly close the restaurant. Thus, I completed a huge hike, worked about 2 hours at the restaurant in the evening, and then saw Evgeni off on his 4 AM flight.
Bonus
In addition to hikes, this season I discovered something new. We started going out into nature periodically in large groups, doing so-called camping. This was a big experiment for me, as I hadn't tried sleeping in tents, etc., before.
Actually, it's very interesting, even if it might seem scary at first glance. Sleeping bags are a necessity in places like Montana. And they come in different types. Afraid of freezing on your first camping trip? You can get a more expensive and warmer one, but a regular one will suffice. The main thing is a tent and a standard bag. That's it. And, of course, the ability to start and put out fires. If you are going to do such things, of course, you need to do it with someone who already has experience. You can't just sleep anywhere either. There are special zones for this that need to be reserved in advance. Decided to sleep wherever you felt like? Be prepared to meet wild animals. Anything can happen, you know. I'll talk about that later.
Such evenings are usually accompanied by fun gatherings, conversations, laughter, alcohol, etc. And also, of course, the traditional American s'mores, which they can decorate with crackers and chocolate. It turns out great.
There are, by the way, those who like to sleep outside when it's not too cold. After all, under the open sky, such a unique view of the stars opens up that you don't want to sleep at all. And in the morning, you get a sight like this:
One time, it happened that our ENTIRE dormitory went out at night to a picnic spot where we threw a big party. After that, those who had to work early went home, and the rest headed to one of the nearby camping zones.
And in the morning, the typical scene of packing bags and tents. It is important at such moments to check your schedule in advance. Because one day, one guy among us forgot that he was working at 11 AM, and we had to pack up at speed and drive home as soon as possible so he could make it to his shift.
It is also worth noting that, of course, it is important to think about warmth at such moments. One time we went for the night to our colleague in the neighboring town of Whitefish to sleep in his backyard. Our friends went to an American football game and then headed to his place, while the rest arrived after the night shift. I was terribly tired, so while falling asleep, I couldn't find my bag in the car or my special mattress, so I lay down practically on the bare ground, wrapped only in two blankets I had brought with me. It was terribly cold at night, a strong wind was blowing, and it started to rain. I woke up in the middle of the night because I was just frozen stiff. After some deliberation, I decided to move into one of the cars. Thank goodness there was at least one free one.
Overall, such camping moments bring people incredibly close together. Especially these late-night gatherings with aimless conversations. Right now, I would give anything to go back to one of those days.
