Rachel & I
We spent 3 days up at Schweitzer Mountain as part of our family vacation. It has become a favorite winter destination and now a summer one too. One day the girls and I hiked the whole mountain. We spent the morning hiking along the base searching for Huckleberries. We hadn't done that before so it was pretty fun. We laughed a lot, frolicked along the trail and stopped to take LOTS of pictures. The girls rightly observed that they were happy the guys hadn't gone with us...they'd be complaining the whole time that we were moving to slowly or taking too much time stopping. We took the Snow Shoe Trail. It took us 2 1/2 hours to get to Upper Grr but only 20 minutes to get back. Tells you how much lollygagging we did! Next we took the chair lift up the mountain and headed back down taking the Nature Trail. It was a spectacular day with views into Canada, Idaho and Washington.
While we were hiking and picking 'power balls', the guys went extreme Mountain Biking. We brought our bikes with us, but the off-road trails would have trashed them. So the men rented bikes and took off. Of course there is no photographic evidence, but they said they had a blast! Dave flew over his handle bars 3 times! Luckily, he said, his Camel Back full of water softened the hardest blow to his back! I can't imagine flying over my handle bars and landing smack on my back and then getting back on and doing it again?!?! Adam never fell...he is obviously very proud of that. They went down the mountain 4 times with a round of disc golf on top of the mountain in between. At 4 pm we all met at the bottom of the mountain. Dave and Adam were the dirtiest I had ever seen them. Dave had to SCRUB the dirt off his body. He also had some serious road rash to once again prove his manlyness.
On a side note: Bethanne took all of these photos.
Words can not express, nor these little fuzzy photos, the majesty that is Glacier National Park. If you ever have the chance to visit you must. You will not regret it.
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead..." Romans 1:20a
Wildflowers and WILD kids!
Wild Chives (purple tops, very yummy too) and Orchids
This photo is special to me. I took it because of it's symbolism for our family. This plant with it's 5 leaves was growing out of the crack of this huge chunk of rock. This huge rock is situated right next to this massive waterfall. The leaves reminded me of the 5 of us clinging to our Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ. "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2
Indian Paintbrush (pink/red)
Fields of Alpine Daisey and Balsam Root (yellow)
Monkey Flower (pink)
Bear Grass. This flower was taller than me!
Yellow Columbine
Named Upper Grr for the sounds the bears make when you try to pick their Huckleberries on Huckleberry Hill!!
Those stains took a while to come out of our hands!
Wild St. John's Wort
My Beautiful Daughters...
