First Adventure in the Bitterroot Range

After completing my first week of work at my new job in Hamilton, Montana, it was time to enjoy the lovely weekend!  A coworker had recommended a hike to an overlook that wouldn't be too difficult with a baby, so we checked it out.  On the hike upwards we were treated to great views of the Bitterroot Valley, with the Sapphire Mountains to the East, and glimpses of the intimidating canyons before us that snake into the deep wilderness of the Bitterroot Mountains.

These imposing mountains are still almost the same as when the Lewis & Clark Expedition probed them for a suitable pass (which they found to the North of Hamilton, near present day Lolo).  But for us, it was a nice stroll through the forest and enjoying the stunning beauty of God's creation.  As we got hire up more wild roses and lupine were everywhere.

Upon reaching the top of the overlook, the beauty of the canyon stretching into the wilderness was breathtaking.  The distant peaks that were visible sit in Idaho, and it's the beginning of a vast tract of virtually untouched land for over 100 miles.

After enjoying the views for a while and giving Adelaide time to not be cooped up in the carrier we headed back down the trail.  Addie conveniently slept most of the hike down.  And on our way back down the trail we began to hit lots of hikers on their way up.  One thing that has struck Amber and I about this area is how friendly, genuine, and level headed everyone here is.  I've long known that Montanans have a reputation for being friendly and kind, but here in Ravalli County we are blown away by it all.  It doesn't matter if it's fellow Christians, random strangers, cashiers in the grocery store, hikers on a trail, or your own neighbors.  For the most part life goes on here much like normal, people have the freedom to live life how they see fit and don't judge others who disagree, people recognize the importance of family bonding, and their is a huge sense of patriotism still alive in this part of the country.  It's the three F's.  Faith, Family, & Freedom are alive and well here.  It's so refreshing and makes me all the more excited to think about raising our family in God's country.

Fort Owen State Park

Now that we are settled in Hamilton, we had our first family outing to Fort Owen State Park, which is just a 20 minute drive up the valley, in Stevensville.

Fort Owen's claim to fame is a lot of Montana's firsts: First white settlement, first Catholic church, first grist mill, etc.  In 1850 John Owen came out west at a time when the mission was closing down.  He bought the land and over the course of the years he developed the fort.  It became an important haven to those braving the American frontier in subsequent years.  Owen had hoped that his fort would become the central hub for Western Montana, but those dreams did not last.  By the end of the Civil War, Missoula (just a 30 minute drive north today) was booming and becoming the new settlement that was connected to Eastern Washington via the Mullan Road.

As the fort's importance waned, and John Owen became poor in health and mired in debt, the area fell into disrepair.  The land eventually became owned by local farmers, who then donated it to the Stevensville Historical Society, and in turn to Montana State Parks.

Today the East Barracks building is the only original building still standing.  Excavations have taken place to unearth foundations and artifacts of this era of Montana frontier life.  A few replicas have been placed in this small park for visitors to explore on this mostly self guided experience.

If you find yourself in the gorgeous Bitterroot Valley of Montana, and have an hour of time to kill, this small state park is worth checking out if you're interested in American history and learning about the life of our ancestors as they settled the West.

Washington Coast

Friday June 12 marked the first time Amber and I would be getting out for an adventure, since before Adelaide was born.  We had found a good deal on a condo on the Washington Coast, in Ocean Shores.  That morning we set out from Pasco, planning on taking HWY 12 over the Cascades.  Without realizing it while driving, we ended up on 410.  This didn't become apparent for miles and miles until reaching the top of the pass and a sign welcoming us to Mount Rainier National Park.  It added extra driving time to our journey, but we did get to see some pretty waterfalls shrouded in clouds and rain as we descended, making our way through part of the Park to rejoin HWY 12.

We eventually made it out to Ocean Shores and got settled into our nice little condo.  It was situated in a quiet area just about 1/4 mile from the beach.  After making dinner and taking care of Addie we went for our first walk on one of the beaches that evening.

The next morning our only plans were to go around to Westport on the other side of the bay, in order to see another lighthouse.  It's known as the Gray's Harbor Lighthouse.  It's Washington's tallest lighthouse and was finished being constructed by 1898.  The Gray's Harbor Region relied heavily on logging operations and maritime traffic into the large bay necessitated the lighthouse being built.  Unfortunately due to COVID19 restrictions, we weren't able to go inside the lighthouse, or into the nearby Westport Maritime Museum which features the lantern lens from the Destruction Island Lighthouse farther up the coast.

The weather had been holding for a little bit longer (with more waves of rain coming) so we took the opportunity to walk a ways on a coastal trail in the state park that the lighthouse sits in.  We had gorgeous views of the ocean and could see the top of the lighthouse just clearing the surrounding trees.

After eating lunch and getting some souvenirs in Westport, we headed back to Ocean Shores.  We indulged in a little fresh seafood to go along with our leftovers for dinner and to cap the evening off we drove a short distance to another state park to enjoy another walk on the beach.  It was partly sunny but cool, and another storm was swiftly arriving from out in the ocean.

The next morning we packed up after breakfast and headed out, but decided to spend a little more time at the beach.  Since we are moving back to Montana, we are not planning on getting over to the ocean for a while.  So we made the most of our time.  We waded in the water and enjoyed the nice morning.  We set Adelaide up in her chair and she helped us build a sand castle.

After we finished up, we said goodbye to the ocean and made the drive back to Pasco.  It was a very relaxing weekend, as Amber and I both got used to a new way of making memories and having adventures with a new member to our family.  We look forward to what the future brings as we get ready to settle permanently in Montana again.