Snowy Owls near Bed & Breakfast, St. Ignatius, Montana

Photo by Eugene Beckes

Snowy Owls are here in Mission Valley and the Flathead Valley! They arrive on silent wings, visitors from the Arctic. Called an irruption, these periodic blessings occur when the birds come in large numbers to our region. There are so many birds reliant on the Arctic that we see here. They are a great reminder that these places are all connected.

They are circumpolar birds, usually living in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other sites north of Alaska's Brooks Range, as well as in Scandinavia, Russia, Greenland, Siberia and other Arctic lands. Snowy owls have been spotted across the country this winter from Seattle to the Northern Plains and New England.

What marvels they are: Gliding on silent wings, snowies are among the largest owls, with a wingspan that can reach nearly 5 feet and among the heaviest, weighing in at 5 pounds.

Their direct, yellow-eyed gaze and sharp talons help create a commanding presence. Their immaculate feathers gleam in the long, lush winter light.

“It's not unusual for the big white predators to fly south from the Arctic in search of food, especially yearling males,” said Denver Holt of the Owl Research Institute in Charlo. “What is different this year is the widespread sightings of the birds.”

They will be here until about March, feasting mostly on voles and other small mammals, resting and fattening before returning to the Arctic for the breeding season.  Come stay with us here at Bear Spirit Lodge for a winter wonderland full of all kinds of magic!

Visit Bed & Breakfast Montana on Your Way to Glacier National Park

"Forests, lakes, and rivers, clouds and winds, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes - every form of animate or inanimate existence, leaves its impression upon the soul of man." Orison Swett Marden (1850-1924) Founder, Success Magazine

Glacier National Park is one of the most magnificent parts of the Crown of the Continent ecosystem in Montana & Canada. Less than 3 hours northeast of Bear Spirit Lodge B&B, Glacier Park is visited by thousands of people every year. From snowshoeing and skiing in the winter to hiking and camping in the summer, Glacier Park provides an awesome wonderland of nature’s best.

With more than 1,000,000 acres of lakes, forests, meadows, rugged peaks and glacial-carved valleys in the Northern Rocky Mountains, Glacier Park is a hiker’s paradise that is traversed by more than 740 miles of maintained trails. The Park’s diverse habitats are home to nearly 70 species of mammals including the gray wolf, lynx, wolverine, and grizzly bear. Over 270 species of birds visit or reside in the park, including varied species from harlequin ducks to golden eagles.

The Park is named for its prominent glacier-carved terrain and remnant glaciers descended from the Ice Ages of 10,000 years past. Bedrock and deposited materials exposed by receding glaciers tell a story of ancient seas, geologic faults and uplifting, and the movement of giant slabs of the earth's ancient crust overlaying younger strata. The result of these combined forces is some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet.

It has been estimated that there were approximately 150 glaciers present in 1850. Most glaciers were still present in 1910 when the park was established. In 2011, the scientists estimate that there are only 25 glaciers larger than 25 acres remaining in Glacier National Park. A computer-based climate model predicts that some of the park’s largest glaciers will vanish by 2030. It is a premier living laboratory for worldwide studies on climate change and global warming.

You will want to visit Glacier National Park before it becomes UnGlacier Park! Some friends of friends in Florida came to Bear Spirit Lodge for a few days and got acclimatized to higher altitudes before a big hiking trip in Glacier National Park and Waterton Park in Canada.

 Rainbow Over the Montana Mission Mountains, the Northern Rockies

The Crown of the Continent is a territory of 10 million international acres ranging from Montana to Canada. Bear Spirit Lodge B&B in Montana is located deep in this magnificent natural wildland. The Crown contains some of the wildest country remaining in the lower 48 states - one of the only intact ecosystems of North America!

Directly north of Missoula, Montana, lie the scenic peaks, glaciated valleys and postcard-perfect scenery that constitute the Crown of the Continent ecosystem. Some call it “The Backbone of the World.” The landscape serves as a living laboratory for climate change, a stage for urban-wildland interface issues, and a rich tapestry of history.

According to Rick Graetz, University of Montana Geography Professor, the North America ecosystem includes the 1.1-million-acre Glacier National Park and the 1.5-million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness complex at its core on the U.S. side of the border. The Crown is one of the last two remaining wildland ecosystems that has entirely escaped post-industrial extinction of species — only one of 12 places in the hemisphere. This remarkable area provides one of the most promising opportunities for visionary conservation in the West.

The Crown of the Continent is truly a globally significant climate-change refuge, where native plants and animals and the ecosystems that support them remain largely intact, and the human communities that have co-existed with them for hundreds of years still flourish. The Crown is considered by many climate scientists and biologists is one of the best hopes in North America for preserving wildlands, wildlife and the myriad of cultures and communities that they support in the face of a rapidly changing environment.

Come stay at Bear Spirit Lodge B&B near St. Ignatius, Montana & enjoy the comforts of home while exploring the vast, incredible, spectacular,  & the wildlands of the Crown of the Continent!

Sheep's Head Peak near Bed and Breakfast St. Ignatius, Montana

          Sheep's Head Peak & Glacier

The Mission Mountains of Montana are not only beautiful, but they also offer challenging, great adventures for hikers and backpackers. This prominent peak of the Missions with its wonderful west ridge and spectacular, possibly unclimbed north face, is officially an unnamed peak of 9,417 feet.

It is commonly known locally as the Sheep's Head, Sheepshead, Sheepshead Glacier, or West McDonald Peak. The peak rises over 6,800 feet from the valley floor! The peak in front on the right of McDonald, is Sheep's Head Peak.

At certain times of the year, viewing from the northwest, people can see the outline of a ram's head in the north face and glacier, hence the name Sheep’s Head. After the first snowfall on the Mission Mountains a week ago, the snow "dusting" on the Sheep's Head dramatically brought the peak to life at sunset. It is a beautiful peak and a worthy mountaineering objective that is too often overlooked and bypassed in favor of its higher neighbor to the east, McDonald Peak. 

Sheep's Head peak is on the Flathead Indian Reservation within the Tribal Mission Mountain Wilderness. A hiking permit is required, and can be purchased at most sporting goods stores in Western Montana, or through the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Recreation Department in Pablo, MT (Phone: (406) 675-2700). The permit is currently $15.00 per season expiring every year on the last day of February.

In addition, it is located within the Special Grizzly Bear Conservation Zone that is closed to all human access from July 15 to October 1 each year unless posted otherwise. Come stay with us at Bear Spirit Lodge B&B, and enjoy the spectacular hiking opportunities waiting for you in the Mission Mountains of Montana.

Trumpeter Swans in Montana near Bed and Breakfast, St. Ignatius, MT

Trumpeter Swans in the Shadow of the Mission Mountains

Birding in Montana is full of hundreds of possibilities from majestic bald eagles & redtail hawks to the State of Montana bird, the meadowlark, and the successful reintroduction of the Trumpeter Swan. You might say, “Swans in Montana?” Good news – Montana is one great place for the trumpeter swans to nest. They are SO beautiful to see in the wild!

The trumpeter swan is one of eight swan species, the largest swan in the world and the largest species of waterfowl native to North America. The elegant trumpeter swan is North America's largest waterfowl, with a wingspan of 8 feet, and they can weigh up to 30 pounds. The trumpeter derives its name from its call, described as resonant, deep, loud, and trumpet-like, resembling the notes of a French horn.

Trumpeter swans faced extinction in the early 1900's due to hunting and the draining of nesting grounds for agriculture, but these magnificent birds have made a gradual comeback. By 1932 only 69 trumpeter swans were known to exist in the lower 48 states. Trumpeter swan restoration and management programs that began in the mid-1900s in the U. S. and Canada gradually boosted trumpeter swan populations. The reintroduction of the trumpeter swans was successfully made by the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes in the last few years.

Trumpeter swans mate for life but do not breed until they are four years old, so recovery is slow. The trumpeter swan has a life span of 20 to 30 years. Trumpeter swans prefer large marshes and lakes ranging in size from 40 to 150 acres. They like shallow wetlands one to three feet deep with a diverse mix of plenty of emergent and submergent vegetation and open water. These shy birds prefer to nest in secluded areas on rivers, marshes, or ponds and almost always nest on an island or on a beaver lodge.

One of the best places to see trumpeter swans is at the 2,000 acre Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge only 15 minutes from Bear Spirit Lodge B&B near St. Ignatius, Montana. Come see us soon!

Bed and Breakfast St. Ignatius, Montana

The month of August is very busy with wildlife activity of all kinds from elk and bears getting ready for hibernation to birds getting ready to migrate south for the winter. From the end of May to the first part of September, our hummingbird feeders are busy with the humming sounds and the beautiful variety of hummers that migrate here every year. The other night, while 5 guests were sitting in the hot tub, we counted at least 12 hummers feeding at the 2 feeders! They added laughter and smiles to the already happy crowd enjoying the Jacuzzi and the sunsets at Bear Spirit Lodge.

Hummingbirds are small, colorful birds with iridescent feathers. John James Audubon, American bird artist, said hummingbirds were “glittering garments of the rainbow.” Such beautiful “neighbors in nature,” they provide bird watching and photographic opportunities to guests staying here.

About 5 species of hummingbirds can be found in Montana, although their ranges within the state can be very limited. We usually see the some of the following species:

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Calliope Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird.

The hummingbird’s name comes from the fact that they flap their wings so fast, about 80 times per second, that they make a humming noise. Hummingbirds can fly right, left, up, down, backwards, and even upside down. They are also able to hover by flapping their wings in a figure-8 pattern.

They have a specialized long and tapered bill that is used to obtain nectar from the center of long, tubular flowers. The hummingbird’s feet are used for perching only, and are not used for hopping or walking. Percentage wise, the hummingbird has the largest brain of all birds (4.2% of its total body weight).

Despite their small size, hummingbirds are fearless and quick to defend their food sources. They eat protein such as worms and spiders as well as nectar from flowers and sugar water from hummingbird feeders.

According to storyteller, Jamie Sams, the “hummingbird is the creature that opens the heart.” Plan your next vacation here at Bear Spirit Lodge for hummingbird watching season next summer!

Annual Spirit Quest Sept. 8th-12th B&B St. Ignatius, MT

Adventures of the SpiritTM

Invites you to

“Spirit Quest:

Deepening the Connections”

Co-facilitated by

Great Bear

&

Dr. Ann Harwood

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011, 6 pm thru

Monday, Sept. 12, 2011, 6 pm

In this workshop, you will learn how to:

Experience the Spiritual Nature of the Mission Mountains

Balance Masculine and Feminine Energies

Through Sacred Ceremonies

Experience Earth, Air, Fire,& Water thru Ancient

Traditions

Reconnect to Your Real Self & Spiritual Being

Practice New Songs, Meditations & Prayers

Call 406-745-3089 for details