Rockwell Falls, July 27, 2019

Our group left the DOB at 6:20 a.m. headed to the Power exit to pick up Viki and then on to Two Medicine. Thanks to Desirae for driving so all six of us could fit into one vehicle. After stopping in Browning for gas and snacks, we proceed on to Two Medicine arriving around 9:30 a.m. We were surprised to find a choice of parking spaces. In the parking lot, Gail met an adventurous lady named Judy, who we invited to hike with us. She travels the country alone in her camper and was happy to have hiking companions.

As we proceeded to the trailhead, we met an Adventures in Good Company tour group of 15 plus ladies. For the first few miles, we played “pass” with the group as they stopped with their guide or we stopped for a photo. But, they arrived at the falls first so there was no room for all of us to sit or a view to take photos. Gail then led us to a great spot up the trail, above the falls, where we ate lunch and enjoyed gorgeous views.

On the way to the falls, when we stopped for a drink at the South Shore and Rockwell trail intersection, Gail and Judy heard a snort. We didn’t see the source; so, we quickly proceeded on loudly calling, “Hey Bear, Stay Bear, Bear, Bear,” as we approached blind spots in the trail.

On the way back from the falls, we encountered several people stopped at the trail intersection watching a moose which was quietly feeding on vegetation just off the trail, the source of the snort we heard earlier. An obnoxious man was making weird noises to attract the moose.  The moose looked up at the source of the sounds. We quickly proceeded down the trail to avoid any potential problem with an agitated moose. He was a fine specimen with a huge rack. Gail took some photos.  
We also stopped at Aster Falls for a photo but were out of pep so we skipped Paradise Point for another day. When we arrived at the car, the parking lot was full and cars were parked up the road. We shopped at the General Store and enjoyed ice cold, huckleberry lemonade and other cold drinks and snacks.

Our first two choices of restaurants, The Two Medicine Grill or The Whistle Stop were closed. None of the restaurants in East Glacier along Highway 2 were open. So, we proceeded to the Glacier Park Lodge bar, which was crowded due to a wedding. We had to split up and sit at separate tables since a table for six was not available. The service was slow but the food was good; Susan especially enjoyed the huckleberry bread pudding.

Another wonderful day in the mountains with GIG ladies. The wildflowers did not disappoint: colorful meadows primarily covered with harebell, sulphur buckwheat, and leafy aster.  Lush, dense Thimbleberry bushes lined both sides of the trail in many places, but no ripe berries. Other flowers along the trail:  foamflower, cow parsnip, yarrow, pearly everlasting, pipsissewa, white-flowered hawkweed, one-sided wintergreen, mariposa lily, queen’s cup aka bead lily, showy death camas, rattlesnake-plantain (leaves only),  bracted honeysuckle, both yellow and orange false dandelion, arrow-leaved groundsel, lanced-leaved stonecrop, yellow columbine, bracted lousewort, yellow penstemon, pink wintergreen, huckleberry, sticky geranium, nodding onion, fireweed, meadow rue (female), red monkeyflower, red-stemmed saxifrage, cinquefoil, alder, pink spiraea, northern bedstraw, round-leaved alumroot, green false hellebore aka Indian corn lily, and more that I do not recall.  

It was perfect hiking weather—a sunny day, temps in the low 70’s, a slight breeze.  By the time we reached the parking lot, a strong wind was blowing, as forecast.

We arrived in Great Falls at 6:30 p.m. 
Who went: Desirae, Viki, Jeanne I, Susan C, and co-leaders, Gail and Jo Ann W.

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