A cold day, a windy day, but a gorgeous day and beautiful drive to Helena headlined the GiG hike to Scratchgravel Peak. 
Four gals left Great Falls and met up with Henny, who lives on Hauser Lake now that she and her husband retired and moved from Great Falls to the Helena valley. 

As we headed up the mountain, even more social trails zigzagged up the sides of the peak, confusing the official trails; Susan chose one that Katie worried would take us around the mountain but not up it. However, Susan chose correctly, it took us first to a little knob and then around and up to the very top, even a better way than the true trail to the summit. 

Along the way, we enjoyed scurrying up some boulders on the knob to gain some views and take a bit of a break before tackling the last elevation gain. We also saw many old mining digs. We did keep moving as standing still sent the chill to our bones; it was that chilly.

After enjoying an early lunch at the summit (we reached it by 11:15), we hurried down the trail, encountering quite a bit of snow in places and catching ourselves from falling on the ball-bearing type rocks on the trail. Luckily, we stumbled a bit, but no one fell.  And again, we saw some huge holes, remnants from the days of mining.

When we were in sight of the cars, we met the only other person of the day, a man just starting up the trail.
We arrived back to the cars at around 12:30 and back in GF by just after 2. Sheila stayed in Helena to visit her brother who had just moved to town while Henny drove back to her lake house.

Who went: Susan, Henny (Sue H), Debra, Sheila, Katie

As we left Great Falls at 7:30 a.m. and headed through the canyon to Helena, we couldn't help notice the howling wind, making us a bit anxious about our hike up Mount Helena. We were also a bit nervous about the amount of snow and ice we might encounter on the trail, but we were so glad to be getting out that we put those concerns in the back of our mind. With COVID-19 and the over two feet of snow we received the last two weeks, many of us were feeling cooped up and in need of an outing.

On the way, we also encountered a herd of deer crossing the freeway, two of which darted out in front of Judy's car, necessitating a quick braking. Then two turned into three, four, five and six, with a seventh--and maybe more--crossing after we proceeded! As we stopped to let them cross, we were worried about a semi coming and not being able to stop since we had been passing trucks the whole trip. Luckily, nothing like that happened; we were safe and so were the deer.

Katie, Camille and Judy arrived at the trailhead at 9 a.m. and met Sue from Helena (she lives on Lake Helena now, although she used to live in Great Falls. She told us her tale of moving from her home to her cabin on the lake, a big move for her husband who was born and raised in Great Falls).

We chatted for a while and introduced ourselves as not everyone knew one another; we hit the trail by 9:30 a.m..  Katie and Camille's husbands had tagged along, planning to hike in the area as well.

Right away, we had a snow-packed trail, icy in spots. Some opted to put on ice cleats right away while others relied on poles to keep from slipping and sliding. The plan was to take the Prospect Shafts Trail up and then take the 1906 or Prairie Trail down; however, those two are on the north side of the mountain, in the shade of many trees and prone to holding snow and ice, so we changed our plans to staying to on the southside of the mountain both going and returning.

So we meandered up the Prospect Shafts trail, while the guys went off trail avoiding the snow and ice.  We went past the memorial to a music teacher who loved the trail, reading the plaque about him and then went past the trenches that remain from WWII training as we handled the steady climb to the top. We were pleasantly surprised that the trail wasn't crowded and that there wasn't any wind. We passed two parties who were going down; one man passed us going up. Otherwise, we had the trail to ourselves. The trip to the top is 1.65 miles with about 1100 feet of elevation gain.

At the top, the sweeping panorama was amazing; the Sleeping Giant came into view as well as the dreaded Colorado mountain that Katie and Judy had hiked earlier this year--truly a hike from 'you know where' with swamps and hundreds of dead-fallen trees to climb over, scurry under or plow through, an adventure well forgotten. As we gals sat and ate our lunch we did have to bundle up as the wind picked up, but not overly so. Then we saw the two guys making their way to join us. As we sat, Katie's husband explained about how Mount Helena was used as a training ground for WWII combat in the Italian alps as well as pointing out many of the mountains and MacDonald Pass. We looked down on the Capitol, Carrol College, the Helena Cathedral and Fort Harrison.

Then it was time to descend. We retraced our steps on the Backside trail, took West to McKelvey to Hanging Draw to Dump Out Trails, a total of 5 miles on the day.

We arrived back at the cars around 1 p.m. and arrived back home by 2:30.
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We expected snakes might be an issue, but we faced some pesky cattle instead. They had just been moved to lower pasture but wanted to go back to their former pasture, greener grass and all, but luckily, we had several former ranch gals not afraid of shooing those cows away from the gates as we entered Rancher Brad's land for a hike up Square Butte by Cascade, a gem of a laccolith out on the plains.

We left Great Falls at 8 a.m., despite predictions of 60 mph gusts. Canceling due to wind wasn't even considered; we didn't want this opportunity to slip by us as Katie had tried for over two years to get permission to go up Square Butte. The stars aligned this year: Rancher Brad Hamlett got his cattle moved; it wasn't raining (gumbo roads), and the election was over (unfortunately, Katie's friend and representative didn't retain his seat, so she felt a bit sad as we approached his spread). Usually, Brad comes out to greet us but probably due to COVID-19 and the election, he told us to call instead when we reached the gate.

We arrived at the gate at just after 9 a.m. Katie chatted on the phone with Brad as he explained the cattle situation. We had to be very careful at both gates not to let any cattle out or any into different areas as they would be trying to get back to their old pasture. They were also unsettled due to the not-so-gentle breezes. Carol, Viki, and Katie shooed the cows while Susan manned the gate, preparing to quickly close it if any critters decided to make a break for it.  We all got all eight cars through without any events or runaway livestock, luckily.  

Then we continued on. Katie took a wrong turn by the house as she couldn't remember the way, necessitating another call to Brad.  She finally got us on the right road, which was more of a path though the field, very rutted from prior mud.  At the third gate was where Brad had told Katie to have park. So we all parked there except Carol, who had a car instead of an SUV and thought it best not to drive the last 10th of a mile due to deep rutting and not enough clearance on her vehicle.

The wind was really picking up. We took turns using the "facilities" between cars before heading up the hill in two groups, one of four led by Jo Ann and one of five by Katie. As we continued to climb, Gail decided she just wasn't up to the incline, so she found a place to sit and enjoy the views while the rest of us continued.  And the views were worth it. We kept turning around to enjoy the expanse across the plains, dotted with buttes, clouds swirling above in a blue sky.

Once we reached the gully with the path to the top, the groups broke up as one intended to walk at least part-way around the butte, while the other was going to the top and back down. Once on top, the wind really buffeted us, in fact, knocking us to our knees at times.  During one large gust, Katie's pack blew open and her jacket flew out. Luckily, Viki was alert and was able to grab it before it sailed over the edge. The group hiking around went to the "fingers" area and walked out onto one to get views into Sun River and Fort Shaw. As the group turned around, they saw a lone hiker coming in our direction. We were surprised she was by herself.  She reached the last two in our group but then continued on a different direction, when we thought she was joining us.

This group continued around the edge, turning by the gully to connect back up to the path down, when the lone hiker caught back up to us and continued with us as we went off the butte and took a direct way back to the 4WD track. We were relieved to have her with us as so many have been lost on the butte, including one who needed medical attention. We didn't want anyone to end up in that situation again, possibly from a snake bite.  Katie reminded that we stick together for safety sake.

On the way back down, we stopped on the side to eat lunch, the ravine providing some shelter from the roaring wind. We were happy it was a warm day, so we never felt cold. Then we continued and ran into the other group and then Gail. So we all reached the cars together, traveling by the original homestead buildings and old rusty vehicles and farm equipment as well as a silo. Some of us glanced in and saw old china, furniture and a piano as well as much garbage and ruined items strewn around the old house and silo.

Then we faced the cattle and gates again. This time the cows were really congregated by the gate, Katie led the cars, nudging the cattle along, wondering how we would ever shoo so many away when one of the hired hands came over on his horse along with two cow dogs! What a relief.  Katie talked to him and asked if he needed us to help shoo the cattle, and he said no. He, his horse and dogs would handle the animals while we drove through. So getting through this gate was so easy and so fun to watch a cowboy, his horse and dogs at work.

The last gate had no cattle, but it posed a bit of an issue with the closure. It took quite a bit of arm strength to close it. Suzie and Katie leaned into the fence as Susan did the honors of pulling and pushing until the latch was in place.

Then it was on to the final part of our journey. Instead of driving through Cascade and home, Katie led everyone on a loop drive through Sun River; giving us views of Crown Butte. Usually, one can see others, but clouds covered them today. Still, it was a lovely drive.
However, when we arrived in Sun River, we were one car short. Bonnie wasn't with us.  Katie told everyone to go on to Great Falls while she either called her or went looking, thinking she may have had a flat tire. Suzie and Susan said they would stay too. Luckily, Katie was able to call her to find out that she was okay. She was stopping to enjoy the scenery and take pictures.  So Katie told her how to get to Sun River and the rest of us drove home. 

Our adventure got us away--for a while anyway-- of the uncertainty of the presidential election as the votes at this time were still being counted; however, we couldn't help but notice the Trump Train flags flying in Sun River and elsewhere, showing the red nature of the state of Montana.

And no snakes!  The first time for Katie being on the butte without seeing a rattler.

We arrived back around 2:30 p.m.
Who went: Jo Ann, Gail, Shelley, Susan, Suzie, Carol, Bonnie Jorgensen, Viki, Katie

We decided to take advantage of the last decent day before we face a week or more of winter weather even though snow was expected the night before and morning of.  And we did hit some snow as we headed out of Augusta for McCarty Hill, the first of our two high-point destinations for the day. Doing both peaks would get Amber to 20 peaks in 2020, so we were all excited to have her get her last two summits on this day.

We left Great Falls at 8 a.m. and stopped in Augusta for bathroom break and to take a sad look at what was left of the Bunkhouse Inn, which had burned the week before. It was nothing but a huge pile of boards, clothing, doors, and other debris that reached almost the height of the store next door: Latigo and Lace. Thankfully, Latigo and Lace was saved; the owners posted a big sign on their doors thanking the firefighters for doing so.

Then we headed out the Benchmark Road, turning past Scoutana to our destination: McCarty Hill.  It had snowed off and on, so the road was muddy with puddles,. We faced two inches on the ground as we hiked to the top.  The views were outstanding, some aspen in the bottoms still holding their golden leaves, and Fairview mountain shining with fresh snow as a backdrop.

Once on top, we steadied ourselves for a very stiff wind, but we still took our time admiring the Rocky Mountain Front in one directions and the plains and buttes in the other with Haystack Butte really standing out.

On our way back to the cars, the snow was melting into mud, which clung to our boots. We went off trail most of the way, trying to step on brush and grasses rather than slop. We also had to dodge cowpies..

Then we piled into the cars. It was already almost noon, but we decided to hold off on lunch until we drove a half hour to our next hike along the Sun River, so we ate a quick snack and headed out.  But we didn't get far as the forest service was closing the road.  They said they have been doing it the last few years because hunters were driving in from both sides and trapping the elk herds. They will reopen the road Dec. 1.

So, then we had a decision to make: drive all the way back to Augusta and around the long way to Hogback cliff in Hannan Gulch, go home and call it a day or think of something else to do.  So Katie figured we could drive to Choteau and climb Priest Butte. Then Amber would still get to 20 peaks in 2020!

We briefly stopped in Augusta, grabbed our lunches to eat on the road. We should have eaten at the lake, but Katie wasn't thinking until we hit Augusta that it was already 1 p.m. and would be 1:30 before we hit Choteau.

At 1:45 we headed up Priest Butte and were able to tackle all four of the peaks on the butte, which aren't really visible from the highway side: the first one with the three crosses and the last one that requires a bit of rock scrambling and use of hands to get to the top. Susan had been before and decided to pass on the rock scramble; we waved down at her from the top and then scrambled back down.
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Luckily, we didn't see any snakes, but we avoided the areas where we knew them to be as well as any overhanging rock or rock piles.

After a walk back down shooing some cattle, we arrived at the cars by 3:30 and home by 4:20, a really great way to end the summer hiking season and move toward winter.

Who went: Suzie, Susan, Randi, Amber, Anita, Katie

The Blackleaf Canyon hike had already been cancelled twice, once for gale-force winds and once for expected snow, so we were very happy when the weather cooperated this time.

We left Great Falls at 7:30 am and were on trail by 9:45 after an interesting drive on two miles of very rutted road, including one section washed out by spring floods the last few years. Immediately, everyone was impressed with the massive rock walls, walls where rock climbers can be seen on most weekends. We followed the creek along the base of the main massif marveling at the huge boulders that had fallen into the stream at one time or another.  In fact, Susan proclaimed one such boulder was the largest she had ever seen that had taken a tumble.

As we made our way across the now dry streambed, we saw how the trail had been washed out in the floods, but the trail crew has done a marvelous job rerouting the trail.

As we came out of the creek, we started the slow climb immediately. This hike is at a gentle angle, so you don't even realize some of the walk is uphill. When we came back down, we were surprised at how downhill/uphill it was.

One thing we noticed immediately was the lack of wind.  Although the temperature was only in the fifties, as soon as we climbed out of the canyon and into the sun, we warmed quickly, necessitating stops to strip layers.  Most of us were down to t-shirts by the time we hit the top.

The spiraea and other ground covers were bright oranges and reds, and the aspen bright yellow against a brilliant blue sky.  Finally, our skies were clear from smoke, not so in Great Falls, which was getting haze from the Yogo/Judith fire.

The middle section of the hike is in the trees; once we broke out into the alpine area, we again were amazed at the huge cliffs and rugged mountains surrounding us.  We also couldn't believe the extent of the 2007 fire that burned so hot nothing is really growing yet. In this area, the breeze picked up a bit but felt so good.

Once we attained the saddle, what was to be our lunch spot and turn-around, Susan spied some rocks up on the side of the pass and declared she was going higher. The rest of us dragged our legs up too, even though we were hungry and ready for a rest. But we were glad we did. The views were even better and the breeze not as cool. Even a slight breeze at 50-degrees can cool hikers quickly, especially if sweaty after a climb.

The way down was just as gorgeous facing the other way.  We did see sheep and bear scat along with little critter and coyote but no animals. We had the area to our selves, except two cows left behind from the round up the week before.

We arrived back at our cars right around 4 and arrive back to GF at  6 p.m.

​Who went: Carol, Susan, Randi, Katie (and Katie's husband tagging along in the back)

On her way to earning her 500-mile award, Bonnie and five others had a fun day wading their way on a hike in and along the Middle Fork of the Judith River.  The section we hiked includes the part names as a WSA (Wilderness Study Area).

We left Great Falls at 8 a.m. and arrived at the Judith FS cabin at 9:30.We were all dressed in winter clothes and our water shoes; the howling wind seemed like we made a mistake, but once we entered the canyon, we rarely felt the wind at all. However, there was no escaping the icy waters of the river on the 20+ crossings we made coming and going.

We traveled slowly, following cattle trails to begin, which quickly turned to bushwhacking and wading more than hiking. The fall colors spilled into the river and gave us some eye candy, especially the rose hips, Oregon grape and the red Osier dogwood. Our fears of the water were allayed; it wasn't too swift or too deep, so we all felt comfortable in our footing.

We admired the huge limestone cliffs, rising high overhead, littered with caves, and carved out sections from the river's current, some with bat guano spilling from them.

We stopped for lunch in a river-side cave that someone had dragged a few logs into. We didn't stop for too long as the cold crept in. We were well aware of the wind as we watched the clouds speed across the sky above us.

The way back was a bit warmer; we happened upon three gals on horses and three fishermen at the diversion dam near the end of your hike; otherwise, we saw no one else.

When we got back to the car at 2 p.m., Susan produced Bonnie's award, which has been in the making, due to canceled trips, hikes that we didn't quite go far enough, etc.  But this time, she hit the big 500. Maria had made a special "500" sign for her too. This day was extra special too, as Bonnie was headed back to Vegas the next day, and Katie finished her 2020 miles in the year 2020.

Katie's husband had been out exploring the area; they decided to drive down the south fork before returning home. Everyone was home by 4 p.m.

Who went: Carol, Desirae, Susan, Maria, Bonnie, Katie

P.S. The local ranger for Sluiceboxes checked with the Discovery channel to see if they were filming a session of Naked and Afraid. They said they were not, although earlier in the summer they did do an episode in the Little Belts.

We had a fun quick afternoon/evening hike on the Hoodoo Loop starting on the Ryan Dam trailhead.It was very windy, which kept quite a few from coming and giving us the trail to ourselves; however, it was a warm wind and didn't bother us at all.

We met at 4 p.m. and arrived at the trailhead at 4:15 and took the high trail to the hoodoo overlooks of the river first, stopping at the gun powder shack for catnip along the way.

We marveled at the flowers still in bloom: asters, gay feather (blazing star), gumweed, hymenoxys, rubber rabbitbush.

The hoodoos are amazing; like aliens carved out of the sandstone by the wind. Luckily, we didn't see any snakes as we wandered around them, daring to go off trail for better views of the river.

After enjoying the rock formations, we looped around to the lower trail that hugs the river. As we snaked our way, we looked up to the hoodoos we had just been standing on a half hour before.

We completed the 2.4 miles in one hour and a half and headed back home to Great Falls, arriving by 6:15.

Who went: Susan, Noreen, Debra, Judy, Katie