Category Archives: Hiking

Citizen Scientist-ing in the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness

Posted on July 24, 2013 by westerner54

I’m a citizen. I’m not a scientist. But – after three days in the wilderness with the Wilderness Institute – I am an official Citizen Scientist.  And I’ve got the badge to prove it.* *Not really.  Didn’t get no stinkin’ badge. … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Backpacking, Hiking, Montana, Nature | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Does This Bear Spray Make Me Look Fat? Accessorizing for Glacier.

Posted on June 13, 2013 by westerner54

I bought a new canister of bear spray this year, since my old one was one we’d found along the trail a few years ago, and I really wasn’t at all sure that it would really work when I needed it.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Solitude in Zion: Not on Angel’s Landing

Posted on May 1, 2013 by westerner54

The National Parks are certainly not lax about warning the public about the dangers that we will encounter within their borders – even cactus! – and Zion is no exception.  Warnings about falling from cliffs seem to pop up every … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Hiking, Outdoors, Southwest hikes, Travel | Tagged , , | 38 Comments

Relentlessly Steep: the Tanner Trail in the Grand Canyon

Posted on April 23, 2013 by westerner54

I’m watching the sun sink behind the canyon walls, three miles and a couple of thousand vertical feet below the rim of the Grand Canyon.  It’s a beautiful April evening, with a welcome breeze that keeps the desert flies away. … Continue reading →

Posted in Backpacking, Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Southwest hikes | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Zion Spring

Posted on April 18, 2013 by westerner54

Zion National Park, March 2013  

Posted in Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

It’s All Downhill From Here: A Backpack to the East Rim of Zion Canyon

Posted on April 15, 2013 by westerner54

Zion is a perfect little gem of a national park.   The ruby red rock, the sapphire skies,  the incredible soaring cliffs and towers surrounding a beautiful little winding river:  it’s hard to believe that so much beauty can be concentrated in … Continue reading →

Posted in Backpacking, Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Southwest hikes | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

The Eagles. My Favorite Reality Show.

Posted on March 11, 2013 by westerner54

When I was a teenager in Massachusetts in the 1960s and 70s, there were no breeding pairs of bald eagles in the entire state.   I remember seeing a bald eagle on a trip west with my family, and it was a huge … Continue reading →

Posted in Birding, Hiking, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Small Pleasures

Posted on January 31, 2013 by westerner54

I am slowly figuring out that the way to enjoy winter is to take pleasure in the small things: a good cup of tea or hot chocolate on a cold afternoon, watching the same Downy Woodpecker at the suet feeder … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Life, Montana, Nature, Outdoors | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Posted on January 28, 2013 by westerner54

Originally posted on The History Trail:
Update, January, 2013:  Earlier this month the new owner of the Borntrager homestead burned the old house down.   It was not in good shape, so the decision is understandable, but it’s sad.  The house…

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Winter in Glacier: Skiing to the Sun

Posted on January 22, 2013 by westerner54

The area of Glacier National Park that runs along the North Fork of the Flathead is stunningly beautiful country any time of year, but the stark cold and short days of winter lend a wild edge that isn’t always there in the summer.    The road … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Montana, Nature, Outdoors, Travel | Tagged , , , | 30 Comments