Four Lakes? Or Was It Five?

During the fire season, we often spend hundreds of hours hiking packs, saws, supplies all over the woods, fighting fires, clearing trails, doing project work. So often times going backpacking “just for the fun of it” loses its luster. But it’s important to get out, explore, photograph & experience some nature just for yourself.

The Four Lakes Trail is a roughly a 7 mile loop that takes you past a string of beautiful alpine lakes and happens to be on my home district in Plains, MT. The kicker is that it’s actually a trail with access to five lakes (one un-named). But who’s counting anyway. It was fun to get out & about with the girlfriend & the pup, make some memories.

Holly & I at the trailhead with the pup who was less than willing to join us for the photo op. We tried to get it multiple times & she wasn’t having it.

The sign at the entrance to the trail. On we go!

Just some of the amazing & eye-catching patterns I’ve noticed out in nature. Pretty neat, eh?

Holly C. Priestley crosses the stream like a pro, even pausing to take a couple photos midway through.

Mona Lisa Priestley keeps close watch on aforementioned Holly C. Priestley to make sure she is OK before continuing down the trail.

Just a lil guy tryna make his way across the trail. Glad I didn’t squish’m!

This moss is coming in quite nicely on the rock face here. Coming from the desert, seeing all the green never gets old.

Upwards & onwards!

Fun fact: Lisa is really just a snow pup in disguise. She loves it!

More snow pup goodness because you know you want to see it.

And the only thing that she likes more than snow is to protect. Which means if she hears something, she gotta investigate.

Views of Cube Iron Mountain as seen from the bottom of the valley.

In this segment, check out how Lisa has to be the star of the show when all I really wanted was a cool hiking boot shot.

Observe the lil terrorist in action.

Just look at her.

What a punk.

There we go! Coincidentally enough, Holly & I have the same version of Salomon boots, with the exception of the male/female variant. I wanted to highlight that.

View down the little valley towards where we came.

Cute as a button & quite the up-and-coming photographer, folks!

Time to keep plugging along, the top was near!

“Almost there!” - Says every hiker during literally any part of the hike

Protective pup is protective.

Cool log I thought would make an interesting photography, nothing more.

Where the light hits the bottom of the valley, that’s where we hiked up from.

Copious amounts of beautiful wildflowers were everywhere!

First of the four lakes we found!

Holly! The Hiker Story ft. this downed tree & a lake

Some niiiiiiiice views from the second lake we discovered along the way.

View of lake #2 as seen from the north end. Simply breathtaking.

Mountain goat spotting made our day!

A partial view of the fourth lake we ended up stopping at.

Holly playing hunter/gatherer providing us with clean water for the evening.

And doing it in style, no less. #SandalsWithSocks

Another dramatic filtering shot whilst obtaining fresh agua.

Probably one of the cooler things I saw at the lake, hundreds of air pockets under the surface!

Absolutely beautiful view up here on this lake! Peep them dreamy greens & blues.

My mom got me this mug, so it’s special. This one’s for you, momma! Love ya!

It’s even girlfriend approved. Great mug indeed.

Everything was slightly on the damp side so keeping the fire going was a full time job. Something I’m ALWAYS happily willing to do. ;)

Campsite sprawwwwwwwwl.

Bees were buzzing around the site, collecting nectar to provide the world with delicious honey. And they’re Holly’s favorite so we spent some time photographing them for a hot minute.

And here’s a cute lil bee butt. This is what we’d call content you didn’t even know you needed in your life.

Holly scans the horizon hoping to spot a moose. Spoilers: she spotted one the next morning.

You swim like fish right round, right round, lemme show you baby, watch me swim right roooouuuuund!

This fish did not like that pun.

Lisa looking real adorable & also she wants into the tent so badly in this shot. It was nearing her bedtime & she was upset she couldn’t take herself to bed (inside), though we had her bed out for her & everything.

Have you ever seen such regal lichen? Majestic.

Guess who’s camera died before he could get the moose shot! This is the spot it popped out then proceeded to swim across the whole lake the next morning. Holly got some good ones though!

Like I said, Lisa really really reaaaaallyyyy wanted to be IN the tent.

Another fun fact: Holly knitted that badass hat you see here. She’s quite the multi-faceted woman, y’all. I’m a lucky man.

Morning views across the lake. Notice how I never mentioned the official lake #3? That’s because it was tucked way off the trail with no trail to it. We conferred among the group & Lisa insisted she’d rather push on.

I use this word a lot but it really defines what’s going on here just so nicely: Crispy.

More sweet boot shots (for those who know me, I’m obsessed with shoes & which ones people wear. It says a lot about a person. But more on that later.)

And that’s all I got because I was a dummy & brought an extra battery I foolishly thought was actually charged. So I leave you with this fish. Thanks for joining!