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We drove from Missoula up toward Thompson Falls today. At some point we decided to cut through the Lolo National Forest toward Whitefish to shorten our drive. We didn't get far into the forest before the road went to gravel, and alas, we had to turn around again.
It seemed we drove forever through the Flathead Indian Reservation (above) through a vast, dry valley with hills on either side. The Flathead valley gets its name from the Salish (Flathead) Indians who inhabit the Flathead Indian Reservation, which is located at the southern end of Flathead Lake.
After driving north for about an hour through the endless valley we made a broad turn to the east near Elmo, Montana and came out on a high bluff above Flathead Lake. Once there we could see the Flathead Range Mountains and Glacier National Park behind the lake.
Most of the highest mountain peaks were shrouded in clouds today but occasionally the clouds broke up and we could see the breathtaking scene of the mile high plus peaks of the Lewis and Livingston Ranges that scrape the sky along the Canadian Border.
A few small islands dot the 300-feet deep lake and the largest is Wild Horse Island, which is also a state park. The lake is populated by native Bull and Cutthroat trout, and huge Lake trout (Mackinaw), along with perch and whitefish.
The Flathead valley has a remarkably mild climate for a region located so close to Canada. The thermal effect of the lake and the shelter of the Mission mountains and Salish range create a milder climate similar to western Pennsylvania.
The Flathead and Swan rivers supply clean, fresh water to Flathead Lake year-round. Created by Ice Age glaciers, almost thirty miles long and fifteen miles across at it's widest point, Flathead Lake is the largest natural lake in western U.S. The lake has a 160 mile shoreline and its waters cover nearly two-hundred square miles of Montana.
While driving through the Bitterroot Mountains heading to Thompson Falls we kept seeing signs warning of Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in the road.
The only sheep we saw was this little guy (below). Notice he's on the wrong side of the fence. He was right along side the road but we almost didn't notice him. They blend well with their surroundings.
The bighorn sheep is extremely agile and nimble, able to move quickly over uneven, steep surfaces. These sheep are renowned for the spectacular competition among males during the breeding season. Dominance hierarchies among males are based on horn size, and males with significantly smaller horns generally act subordinate to large horned males.
We made it to the cabin in Whitefish around 6:00 pm. Thankfully we managed to shave a few driving hours off the day, somehow. Its been a long week and we're getting tired. The cabin (below) is quite large. About 1200 square feet with two full bedrooms and two full bathrooms and a complete kitchen.
There are other cabins tucked into the hillside nearby.
I went up to the Campground office to get some DVDs after dinner and I heard a weird noise. . . kind of a low rumbling in the trees. I looked up and suddenly pea-sized hail started falling in amounts that we rarely see in Florida.
Within a couple minutes the hail covered the ground.
I was a little concerned about the rental which is parked in the open. Here you see it being pounded by hail.
As soon as it started, the hail stopped and the cloud moved on.
Below, the inside of the cabin has a nice pitched roof. The only heat appears to be an electric-powered wood-burning stove. Something I'm not familiar with. We got the place too hot, then too cold. . .then hot. . . now my feet are cold again.
Tomorrow we're going to explore what we can of Glacier National Park. I suspect a large part of the park is closed due to snow at the higher elevations.