A little pika graced our walk last night! Well, three did, but two were more shy than usual. Which is fair, as there are foxes and eagles around here. After so many years looking for pikas, it's almost silly to just walk to the talus slope behind the guard station and find them.

A little brown pika stands in front of rocks, looking worried but maybe isn't actually worried. [Fuji X-T5 / Tamron 18-300]

Boopin' to the Twin Lakes. The trail was so pretty – many of them in this area are admittedly a little samey, but when the light is nice and it's not too hot out, pretty good.

A trail winds through forest, with little flowers below and blue cloudy skies above. [Fuji X-T5 / Tamron 18-300]

Book Rated: Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space, by Adam Higginbotham

Cover for Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space
> SCANNING: Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space> AUTHOR_SIG: Adam Higginbotham> SENTIMENT_Q: 80.0% POSITIVE> THEMATIC_VECTORS: QUEBEC_NATIONALISM, FUNKY_ROBOTS, UNDUE_SNARK> LEXICAL_DENSITY: 51.91> MEMETIC_HAZARD: LOW

Looking down into Blodgett Canyon. Our arrival in the Bitterroots coincided with the arrival of smoke from eastern Oregon and Washington, which is unfortunate on many levels. Still really enjoyed seeing the terrain, though.

A view down into a slightly smoky large canyon, filled with trees. [Fuji X-T5 / Tamron 18-300]

Book Rated: The Light Pirate, by Lily Brooks-Dalton

Cover for The Light Pirate
> SCANNING: The Light Pirate> AUTHOR_SIG: Lily Brooks-Dalton> SENTIMENT_Q: 80.0% POSITIVE> THEMATIC_VECTORS: SWEARS, UNDUE_SNARK, SASQUATCH_APPEARANCES> LEXICAL_DENSITY: 49.18> MEMETIC_HAZARD: HIGH

Sunset down Rock Creek. We've been wading around since my wife got very into the idea of finding sapphires in the water, and has now found like 15. Not bad! I don't think we count as rockhounds yet, but "rock appreciators" perhaps.

A road lies next to a running river, with trees in silhouette as the sun sets in a cloudy sky. [Fuji X-T5 / Sigma 17-40 1.8]

Lil' guys of Rock Creek. The pika were a wonderful surprise; we've been hoping to see one for years now, and now we find that they're a 10 minute walk from the guard station!

A little squirrel pokes its head up, its mouth filled with grass. [Fuji X-T5 / Tamron 18-300]

Hearst Lake, tucked up behind Anaconda. Every time we roll through Anaconda we really like it – it seems like there's always something neat going on. The co-owner of the Pinter's Portal Hostel (itself very nice) was telling us about a couple new trails that've just been built coming off town, yet to formally open, so yet again we have a reason to go back!

Many rocks lie under the surface of a lake, with mountains and forest behind. [Fuji X-T5 / Tamron 18-300]

Heading south down the back-side of the Pintlers. We're starting to get a lot of smoke from the fires in Eastern Washington.

A mountain range rises in the distance behind greenery and a rocky outcrop. [Fuji X-T5 / Tamron 18-300]