YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
The month of July in Montana was a brutal one. Eighteen straight days at the cabin with high temperatures in the 90's.....and rain.....it was non-existent. I've never seen a summer like this one. We did nothing to speak of during that entire heat wave. Finally towards the end of the month the weather cycle broke, and we headed for the mountains.....
![20240730_093604_copy_1600x747.jpg 20240730_093604_copy_1600x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750613-981c56feba0821ae37b7c30bc1b07651.jpg)
It was only a day trip.....into the Custer Gallatin National Forest.....
![20240730_094123_copy_349x747.jpg 20240730_094123_copy_349x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750614-8546a728481f12d483a31c1a9db7d25d.jpg)
We hiked deep into the dense forest.....
![20240730_102817_copy_1600x747.jpg 20240730_102817_copy_1600x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750636-18d30afc3c40a7c64d58240d9dcfb8c8.jpg)
Made multiple stream crossings.....
![20240730_103255_copy_1600x747.jpg 20240730_103255_copy_1600x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750638-a25e4d69b82d957980d980c449d91971.jpg)
![20240730_103305_copy_349x747.jpg 20240730_103305_copy_349x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750637-2a28c1d43b2a8902aacfc0a3961c2dcb.jpg)
![20240730_103332_copy_349x747.jpg 20240730_103332_copy_349x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750639-75ac9ee1ec880c743dd7afa7ff2a3fb4.jpg)
.....and hiked higher up into the mountains.....we eventually entered the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area....
![20240730_095351_copy_349x747.jpg 20240730_095351_copy_349x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750631-923a7e93f28807a3731282fdf70093f9.jpg)
Today's goal was simply to spend a day away from the cabin, have a meal in the forest, and to take the dogs for a swim in Lava Lake.....after a brutal July, I sure felt that they needed it.....
![Screenshot_20240809_073906_Gallery_copy_1600x746.jpg Screenshot_20240809_073906_Gallery_copy_1600x746.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750633-6a1975424db91a38e8c225370996c077.jpg)
After a bit more than an hour of hiking, we reached the often visited (yes, lots of people come here) shoreline of Lava Lake.....
![20240730_105838_copy_1600x747.jpg 20240730_105838_copy_1600x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750635-ae8bb8a14be7665486f4e2858de443b4.jpg)
![20240730_105846_copy_349x747.jpg 20240730_105846_copy_349x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750634-fb22bf230eef945bb6163d5d7b9e40eb.jpg)
![20240730_093604_copy_1600x747.jpg 20240730_093604_copy_1600x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750613-981c56feba0821ae37b7c30bc1b07651.jpg)
It was only a day trip.....into the Custer Gallatin National Forest.....
![20240730_094123_copy_349x747.jpg 20240730_094123_copy_349x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750614-8546a728481f12d483a31c1a9db7d25d.jpg)
We hiked deep into the dense forest.....
![20240730_102817_copy_1600x747.jpg 20240730_102817_copy_1600x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750636-18d30afc3c40a7c64d58240d9dcfb8c8.jpg)
Made multiple stream crossings.....
![20240730_103255_copy_1600x747.jpg 20240730_103255_copy_1600x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750638-a25e4d69b82d957980d980c449d91971.jpg)
![20240730_103305_copy_349x747.jpg 20240730_103305_copy_349x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750637-2a28c1d43b2a8902aacfc0a3961c2dcb.jpg)
![20240730_103332_copy_349x747.jpg 20240730_103332_copy_349x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750639-75ac9ee1ec880c743dd7afa7ff2a3fb4.jpg)
.....and hiked higher up into the mountains.....we eventually entered the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area....
![20240730_095351_copy_349x747.jpg 20240730_095351_copy_349x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750631-923a7e93f28807a3731282fdf70093f9.jpg)
Today's goal was simply to spend a day away from the cabin, have a meal in the forest, and to take the dogs for a swim in Lava Lake.....after a brutal July, I sure felt that they needed it.....
![Screenshot_20240809_073906_Gallery_copy_1600x746.jpg Screenshot_20240809_073906_Gallery_copy_1600x746.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750633-6a1975424db91a38e8c225370996c077.jpg)
After a bit more than an hour of hiking, we reached the often visited (yes, lots of people come here) shoreline of Lava Lake.....
![20240730_105838_copy_1600x747.jpg 20240730_105838_copy_1600x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750635-ae8bb8a14be7665486f4e2858de443b4.jpg)
![20240730_105846_copy_349x747.jpg 20240730_105846_copy_349x747.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/750/750634-fb22bf230eef945bb6163d5d7b9e40eb.jpg)
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