Lookout towers and huckleberry power

Now, the rocky ridge was finally in sight.

The lightly colored rock slabs paled in the foreground, against a sky-blue background. The yellows, orange, pink, white and purple of the numerous wildflowers provided cheerful splotches of nature’s artwork. A faint haze of smoke from wildfires was visible in the distance. And the heat was intense, very intense. This was a good spot for a lookout tower.

This recent-guided hike series sponsored by Montana Wilderness Association focused on fire tower locations, within the contours of a general and yet diverse theme that included concentration on flora, fauna, footprints, fur and feathers.

The previous Saturday, our group had visited Werner Peak Lookout in the Whitefish Range. This afternoon, an intrepid assemblage of men and women refused to submit to the power of the sun and heat. Our shade breaks were valued, as we leaned into the hill, sitting or partially laying in bear grass and layers of subalpine fir regeneration.

The smell of our honest sweat was mixed with the aroma therapy of subalpine fir pitch, carried by an occasional, and most forgiving breeze. We drank with thanks, and the tips of our digits had “purple- finger syndrome.”

The tiny globes of Montana’s favorite berry ranged in color from magician’s cloak to ancient burgundy to bluish black. This year, reports vary so far as to where to find the best “pickin patches.”

Technically, in hunting “vaccinium globulare” (blue huckleberry) or “vaccinium membranaceum” (big leaf huckleberry) one concentrates on a few types of areas.

Generally speaking, look at 3,000 to 7,000 feet in elevation. Check older burns and clearcuts, and where bears find them in avalanche chutes. Pack your bear spray, of course. Some “mother lodes” can be located 40-60 percent mixed coniferous mature forest stands. Often times, we can luck out in the higher subalpine zones of fir and spruce. “Huck Road Hunters,” roll with the windows down, as you may actually smell full patches first. Scope out the shrub layers on north and east aspects.

Please be gentle with the bushes, so they can reproduce this luscious treat for us again next year. Clean and utilize, or freeze as soon as possible. Or, blend up some fresh huckleberry margaritas. If you are really into the purple-passion mode, visit one of the festivals celebrating the “sacred berry of Big Sky.” Aug. 10, check out the Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival; on Aug. 9-11 is the 34th annual Huck Fest at Trout Creek; and Aug. 10-12 scope out the Whitefish Huckleberry Day Art Festival.

For information on lookouts and lookout cabin rentals, visit the Kootenai or Flathead National Forest websites. To find out about more guided hikes visit wildmontana.org or email: bbaxter@thewesternnews.com

At the top of the ridge, the panoramic view was awesome. The citadel mountains of Glacier Park to the east; Canadian Rockies to the north; Roderick mountain to the northwest; the Selkirks and the Scotchman’s Peaks in the distance; and our beautiful Cabinets in the west and southwest.

On the way home, I saw a 1954 Willys Jeep with a pizza delivery sign.

Only in Montana. Back at home, my “singing knees” had enough left in them to make it to the freezer. I hoisted out a package of huckleberries from last year’s stash and sunk them into my “Ninja” blender with a few other ingredients.

Like most things in life, what we get out of it is in direct proportion to what we put into it. After a beautiful day hike with good people, there is nothing like that first sip of a well-earned huckleberry margarita. Sweet.

 (Brian Baxter is an outdoorsman who writes a monthly column for The Western News.)