Category: Wildflowers
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Why Is SW Montana Such a Biological Treasure Trove?
Yesterday, The Middle Daughter (TMD) and I took off for a mid-day excursion to connect with nature outside the Helena Valley. We encountered an impressive array of birds suited to various habitats, mammals typically associated with alpine areas, and flowering plants found in only a handful of western US habitats – all within about 30…
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First Full Day of Spring
Spring in Helena doesn’t arrive with a lush green carpet; it arrives in tiny bursts of color. We found six species in bloom today, each one marks a small victory over winter. There is something wonderful about kneeling in the dirt to get a closer look at a Kittentail, Yellowbell, or a small patch of…
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A Front Row Seat
Living in Montana isn’t just about having a scenic backdrop for your life; it’s about a fundamental shift in how you navigate the world. When the boundary between your doorstep and the wilderness thins – in, for instance, a place like Helena, where a 100-mile trail system serves as our collective backyard, and Freezout Lake…
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Warming Thoughts
As the morning light slowly builds at the eastern edge of the Helena valley on this frigid January morning, I am inspired by these two quotes: In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world…
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First Day Birding 2025
Jan 1, 2025 What a wonderful 1/1 birding day. We had a couple of simply magical moments and ended the day with 43 species positively ID’ed- by far our best First Day. All told, we walked six miles in several different locations. Before I go into the magical, I want to share the oddities. We…
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Wildflowers
I’ve had the good fortune to see what I believe are more than 220 species of wildflowers in bloom this year. I believe that I was able to identify 202 of those wildflowers using support from my friends and family, apps, books, the Montana Field Guide/Montana Natural Heritage Program, and iNaturalist. Are my 202 ID’s…
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Trail Access and Diversity
Helena’s trail diversity and easy access. We have at least 16 trailheads and several miles of paved, accessible pathways in Helena. Trails like Far East, Prospect Shafts, Quarry, Prickly Pear, Rodney Ridge, Swaney, and Rocky Road offer a huge variety of trailscapes, views, time commitments, and levels of challenge all while starting within the city…
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Last Bit of Color
If you slow down, and even lie down on the trail, there are a few colors left to enjoy. This was likely the last flowering plant I will see this year. I did not expect to run into any flowers in November, but there you go!