A Day In The Life Of A Montana Hiker

When hiking along the trails in Montana, waking up early in the morning is never difficult. The birds are active and merrily singing, the air has a definite chill to it, even though it’s late in spring, and the water, though crisp, is clear and makes a great cup of coffee.

After packing away our small tent and camping gear, it’s time to hit the trail again. Spring brings new life; wild flowers are everywhere and seem to represent every color of the spectrum; in the distance, deer roam free although we never seem to get any closer to them. Life seems to be everywhere.

The trails in Montana can be tough going. If you’re expecting a smooth well worn path, forget it. In places, you almost have to blaze your own path, and that’s on the flat. As we climb, the path becomes rocky and hard underfoot – the view, however, almost takes your mind away from a hard climb. We are also out into the full sun now and although there is still a little chill in the breeze, our exertions are starting to take effect and layers of clothing start to disappear.

After a lazy lunch on the lake foreshore, we are escorted to a couple of rafts, organized by our guide to meet us here. The rafts, good tough inflatable rafts at that, are here to take us for an afternoon of white water fun. On go the woolies – that water is icy. The journey across the lake is uneventful, the ride to follow not so calm. White water rafting is not for the faint of heart – but a heck of a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, the day is coming to an end. There is one part of hiking that every hiker knows – set up your camp before the sun sets. It’s no fun trying when it’s pitch dark – besides, after so much exertion, the body is demanding fuel – and rest. For a hiker experiencing the outdoors that Montana has to offer – the days are long, they are energetic, they are full of surprise. They are days that everyone should experience.