Kootenai Creek is probably the most used trail in the northern portion of the Bitterroot Range, but if you wake up 0 dark thirty, you can beat the crowd (okay, crowd is an over-statement, 12 people). This morning I had the place to myself, save for Olivia at my heels. Ground is covered quickly on this easy to moderate trail, and I traveled 3.1 miles in a shade over 1 hour with photography stops (quite the cruise).

Kootenai Creek is still flowing with a nice volume, although I wonder how long that will keep up with the increasing drought conditions.

The Wildflowers

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I love having the Sigma 105mm Macro in my MindShift Panorama backpack for capturing images of the various wildflowers, and today I was able to find Queen’s Cup (one of my favorites)

The Dragonflies

Dragonflies are starting to proliferate on my hikes as temperatures warm. They pose a particular set of identification challenges, and I relish of the “work”. The dragonflies that I was able to capture today were my first Sinuous Snaketail and a female Common Whitetail.