Two Mountains, One Lookout, One Bear

Thursday September 24 I finally realized my long stated desire to hike up to the Mount Thoma lookout and also Mount Hefty.  I had to hike alone as I am wearing out hiking partners.

I have lots to write about and 238 photos to go through to save, toss and stitch.

In brief...

• I didn't shake any of my teeth's fillings loose on the North Fork and logging roads (rough is an understatement!),
• I climbed to the top of both Mt Thoma and Mt Hefty,
• I didn't get lost (though I lost the trail briefly),
• I didn't cross into Canada (other than to take a photo of that side of the U.S./Canadian border survey monument on the top of Mt Hefty's shoulder - in the middle of nowhere), 
• I sank a little one time but did not slip off the logging road and down the mountain side as I drove, 
• no rocks ripped out the under carriage of my low clearance car, and
  
• the large bear did not eat me (the very closest I have ever been to a bear!!!  Let's say about 30 ft give or take. )

Yes... there is much more to my day of hiking and exploring.  And I'll leave you with that as I am off to bed after a long day.

Here is the east view from the Thoma Lookout.  Of the far mountains, the right half are in the U.S. (Glacier Park) and the left half are in Canada.  You can see it was a very smokey day from the forest fires.