A Mid-Winter Trip to MT

 

Three White-tailed deer taking an evening walk in my parents yard. Oh, deer, I love the views and wildlife sightings in Western Montana! 

This February, I took a trip back home to the Flathead Valley area of MT to spend some time with my parents. It was a Winter Wonderland while I was there. It snowed a lot my first night, so the next morning brought lots of fresh powder. I kept looking out the window and feeling like I was in a real life snow globe. I grew up in Columbia Falls, right in town. But now my folks live outside of town and the views of the trees and mountains are really something else. When I visit, nature puts on a show for me. The second evening I was there, I was happy to see several deer hanging out. Elk, birds, and wild turkeys are also spotted regularly by my parents. I was happy to get some great winter shots during my visit. 

But before all of that, I had to get there! I flew Alaska Air and the flight was really easy, only one hour. They even served complimentary wine. I enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay. It was very smooth and buttery! I also really liked the views from the air. The snow below made cool patterns. And there's just something about being above the clouds that I enjoy. Before my flight, I bought some Mac & Cheese from Beecher's. They're a local cheese company in Seattle and I'd been wanting to try their Mac & Cheese for a while. It ended up being really creamy and cheesy! 

Speaking of food, I had some yummy eats while I was in MT. My parents and I had lunch at Wheat Montana in Kalispell. When I saw they had Huckleberry Bear Claws, I ordered one. They were huge, but I shared with my parents. It was such a good pastry and I loved how the huckleberry part tasted. I also enjoyed half of a Grilled Cheese with a cup of Broccoli Cheddar soup. For dessert, we walked across the street to Sweet Peaks for an ice cream cone. The three of us each selected a scoop of the Huckleberry Morning Buns ice cream. The texture was so creamy and I could really taste the flavor of the huckleberries along with citrus and small pieces of pastry.  

The other meal out we had was at The Backroom in Columbia Falls. This is one of my fav spots to eat in town. Their fried chicken and fry bread is legendary. The wait for your food can take a while, but it's always worth it. When my food arrived, I dug in and just went for it. The chicken was so juicy and tender. The fry bread was hot and tasted wonderful with some honey butter on top. My parents made some really good and filling breakfasts during my visit. One morning they made waffles with strawberries and real maple syrup on top. Yum!  

Since I ate a lot I made sure to get outside for some exercise. One morning, my aunt and I went on a winter walk and caught up on things. Then on my last day, we drove to Glacier National Park. Between the grey sky and all of that white snow, some of my photos look black and white. We drove to the head of Lake McDonald and checked out the frozen lake. The views in the wintertime are really quite stunning with all of that snow. 

Before I knew it, it was time to hop on a plane and fly back to Seattle. The views of the valley were really neat as we took flight, especially of Whitefish Mountain Resort. I'm so happy I made it over to MT for a winter trip!