As a Spring Training Hike Bonus, we went on the Montana Moccasin Ridge Adventure

As a Spring Training Hike Bonus, we went on the Montana Moccasin Ridge Adventure

The Moccasin Ridge walk began on a cool Sunday morning in a little rain. Rain is a common occurrence in June in Montana, and our walk was no exception. A pleasant surprise on a well-worn path would be... welcome, given the frequency with which hikers ascend that path throughout the year.

There are a wide variety of cardiovascular workouts available on the path up Moccasin Ridge. At higher elevations, the exercises may be anything from gentle stretches to full-on hills, particularly in the switchbacks that criss-cross the mountain. Instead of a mountain, it's a hill in Montana's Sapphire Range, and a Forest Service logging road that leads to it from Clinton, MT over the Clark Fork River.

After crossing the Clark Fork at the Swartz Creek bridge, a sharp right turn leads to a 5-mile training route. It's like having my own personal outdoor gym, and it's ideal for exercising in all kinds of weather. The Clark Fork River may be found near the bottom of the mountain. In addition to the ponderosa pines, deer, elk, and sometimes black bears, Moccasin Ridge has steep slopes, mountain meadows, deer flying into the woods, and a small herd of elk hiding in the heavier stands of pines.

I donned my training pack and headed out on the last 2.2 miles of the hill climb in the rain and mountain mists. In addition to steeper inclines and spectacular vistas of the valley and surrounding ranges, the higher ascent is reminiscent of other notable Montana mountain paths. A broad knoll approximately halfway up Moccasin Ridge, where you may set up a tent beneath the towering Ponderosas, serves as the starting point for the higher portion.

At the time, I was shocked to see the lupines already beginning to blossom. When I strolled the route a couple of weeks earlier, the little yellow glacier lilies were already in bloom, but I assumed they were typically much ahead of the curve for flowering plants at my fitness club. The route begins at the knoll, going gradually up through pine woods, and ends at the summit. There was an abundance of grass and underbrush in the springtime greens as a result of the rain.

The shock impact was complete when I saw a glimmer of blue in the grass out of the corner of my eye. While trying to narrow down the little patch of blue, I was surprised to find an entire cluster of bluebells in early June in Montana. Then I saw that the hillside meadow above the path was carpeted with bluebells. Little yellow and white blooms were strewn everywhere, heralding the arrival of spring's blossom parade!

After working this path a dozen times in less than four months, I smiled at how this shocking insight gave my viewpoint a unique twist. The "now and now" reality serves as a background to the processing that takes place in the caverns of my mind during a Moccasin Ridge exercise. These climbs up the slope provide a place to vent and digest the stresses of daily life.

It was the same story on this side of the mountains. Our eldest son, Robert, had just "shipped off" to Basic Training in the Army, a surprise that stunned us all. As the son of staunch peace activists, this young man had deliberately enrolled in the military, placing his life at grave risk. Fortunately, the rain didn't dampen our spirits as we made our way up the mountain.

The Deities, ever the fun ones, pounced on the opportunity and gave me a lovely surprise in the midst of all the rain, gloom, and reflection. After redirecting the gaze, a mountain meadow of flowers was revealed by a subtle blue tint in the spring green. I was taken aback by the paradox. My stride accelerated as I continued the journey, and the trudge transformed into an exploration of spring's delights.

To begin with, the route makes a sudden bend to the east, leading to the first of many switchbacks that will carry hikers into the dense forest. When a deer saw us, it ran off the path and disappeared into the bush. Several little pink patches could be seen in the foliage above the path. It was only after focusing that several pink shooting stars could be seen strewn over the ground. The rascally Cosmic Forces brightened up this gloomy, wet June day.

Throughout the following mile and a half, the route switches back and forth between broad meadows, steep inclines, and fewer trees to hide from the rain. The Dieties and spring had painted the hillside with clusters of blues, pinks, yellows, and whites on the high meadows.

At 2.2 kilometers, as I reached the ridge's summit, the rain had diminished to a few sprinklings. It became possible to see the sun through the thick fog that had been around the peak. Upon reaching the top of the ridge, one is treated to a stunning view of Swartz Creek, the Sapphire Range, and Elk Mountain in the center. The Indian Paintbrush, along with other blue, white, and yellow blossoms, has been bestowed upon me by the Deities.

Sunshine, mountain meadows, and a rainbow of blooms in shades of pink to blue to yellow to white brought some respite from the bleakness of the situation by offering a counterbalance. My stride had a bit more bounce as I went down the mountain. When I got back to our Missoula, Montana hotel, I had a long soak in the jaccuzi to ease my sore muscles after that unexpected trek. It was a fitting conclusion to a day that had been surprisingly transformative.