This past week we have been birding western Montana with friends from Oklahoma. While our state usually has spectacular weather this time of year, this year was the exception. It rained nearly every day. However, being the intrepid birders that we are, we just put on our rain suits and headed off. We spent a few days in Glacier National Park. It was beautiful as always even though the birds were somewhat hard to find. There was a report of some Northern Hawk Owls about a mile up a trail that we tried to find. They did not tell us that the trail was straight up. Dan and Jimmy headed off while Nealand and I stayed in the car. Apparently the hike was quite a challenge both from the gain in altitude as well as the lack of oxygen from the higher elevation. In the end, the ranger had given us the wrong directions for Howe Lake trail and we had ended up at the wrong location. By the time we realized the error, no one wanted to attempt the correct trail.

We then returned to Missoula for the Montana Audubon "Wings across the Big Sky" festival. There were different field trips on both Saturday and Sunday that we all attended.

On Monday we headed south to the Idaho border to look for Boreal owls. Unfortunately that turned out to be a futile trip.....in more ways than one. We were following a Forest Service road that kept getting higher and higher. After about 8 miles we came across some snow across the road that was about 40 feet long. Following some discussion we decided to try to go through the snow. About 1/4 of the way through the Explorer started fish tailing and ended up with the rear end going sideways and stopping just inches from falling off the edge and down an embankment. Upon inspection we were in about 10 inches of snow with an inch of ice under that. This looked like a lose, lose situation. We had both AAA and Good Sam Roadside Assistance but they never would have found us in that wilderness. That plus the fact that there was no cell phone service. There was also no traffic on the road. We decided the only way out was under our own steam. Of course we had no shovel or any of the tools needed. With a pocket knife we cut some branches and picked up sticks to attempt traction with some rocks to keep us from going over the edge. Unfortunately I became the designated driver while the guys pushed. Talk about pressure!! The first attempt resulted in one tire spinning and additional sideways motion putting us a couple of more inches closer to the edge. When I had my dog Abby, I had a piece of carpet in the back of the car for her to sit on. We kept it in the car to keep the back clean. That proved to be the solution to the spinning tire but not before having to jack the wheel off the ground to get the carpet under the wheel [in the direction of the downhill edge]. Talk about a scary situation!! We would take a run with the carpet under the tire, make a few feet and when the carpet came flying out the back end, we slid some more. However, after multiple times of moving the carpet, pushing and moving ahead about 4 feet, we finally got to the other side and gravel road. The only problem was if we proceeded on the road it got higher with the possibility of more snow. The only option was to turn around and head back through the same snow. Oh no!! However, after smoothing out the snow then laying twigs, sticks, limbs etc on the snow pile it was crunch time. I hit it hard enough to have momentum but not too hard that I would slide. After a few minor fishtails I was through on the other side. What a relief!! Needless to say we headed back down the road and out onto pavement. The moral of this story is that when you have left two 4 wheel drive cars at home stay out of the snow banks!! [To everyone else this would seem obvious but at the time it all seemed like a good idea]. I would love to have taken photos of this whole ordeal but had to stay in the car or I too would have fallen down the embankment. The only photo I managed was through the rear view mirror.