ahschneid

Sep 184 min read

Hamilton Montana

We arrived at Angler's Roost Campground in Hamilton Montana on 11 Sep 2024. We came to Hamilton to see our friends Darrel and Joanie who are staying in the campground while building a house in Florence Montana. It rained the afternoon we arrived, but it was much needed as they had had wild fires for about three weeks. It rained enough through that night to put out most if not all the fires close by. That improved our chances of seeing more of the mountains not shrouded in smoke.

Darrel sold his place in Easton and Joanie sold hers in Annapolis and the engaged couple moved to Montana! We spent a week with them and had a great time! They took us to their land/house site on the first day (Thursday 12 Sep). It's going to be a beautiful home with awesome mountain views of the Bitterroots to the west and Sapphire to the east! We went out site seeing a couple of days and we found that they've really explored and know their new area. A couple of the days, Steve helped Darrell with projects he needed another guy for. Anita and Joanie walked around downtown Hamilton one of the days and on the other girls' day we went to Missoula where Anita bought a new comforter. On the Saturday morning we all went to the local Farmers Market. On Monday the 16th, we went on a hike (the Blodgett Canyon Overlook Trail - 2.8 miles round trip). We were all spent after the hike. We opted to cook most of our meals at the campground and we all packed our lunches when we were out site seeing. Restaurants are few and far between, so that made more sense and it's Steve and Anita's norm anyway. Turns out that Darrell and Joanie pack their lunch too.

Darrell and Joanie's house will be on a beautiful spot with beautiful views of the Sapphire and Bitterroot mountains all around. We hope to see the new house in May 2025 on our way to Alaska after they move in around March 2025. We had seen Darrell and Joanie in Easton in November 2023. Little did we know that they would be living in Montana by the end of April 2024!

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Rye Creek

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Sapphire Mountains

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

We'd never seen an upside down outhouse so we had to have a picture...

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Lake Como

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Lake Como

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Lake Como - drainage pipe

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Twin Lakes

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Twin Lakes

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Cold water stream flows into Bitterroot River

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Sapphire Mountains

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Trapper Peak

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Darrell's jeep took us way off road!

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Site Seeing 13 September 2024

Darby Montana - Series "Yellowstone" with Kevin Costner filmed at this location

(Yellowstone Ranch)

We also happened upon the Darby Homecoming Parade at 2pm that day...

Hayride to the church picnic - Hamilton Montana 13 Sep 2024

Church Picnic - Hamilton Montana 13 September 2024

This guy raised the largest money donation to get to kiss the pig at the church picnic Friday night

Corvallis Montana 13 September 2024

Our attempt to see the Northern Lights with an almost full moon

St. Mary's Mission - Stevensville Montana - 15 Sep 2024

Joanie and Anita went here on the way to Missoula. It was Sunday and the Visitor Center was closed.

St. Mary's Mission - Stevensville Montana - 15 Sep 2024

St. Mary's Mission - Stevensville Montana - 15 Sep 2024

St. Mary's Mission - Stevensville Montana - 15 Sep 2024

St. Mary's Mission - Stevensville Montana - 15 Sep 2024