Hiking Luke from Bitterroot Backpacking was awesome. Our meetup spot was easy to find and parking at the trailhead on a weekday was no hassle. We were the only cars in the area.
Luke carried almost all of the gear needed for our hike and more (bear spray, water filter, delicious snacks he bought for us, tea and coffee, packrafts, paddles, life vests, extra sunscreen..), made sure we hydrated and ate properly on a hot 90°+ day, set a pace that was perfect for the group, and kept the conversation fun and informative. We carried our own swimsuits and water shoes to change into at the lake, and our own sunscreen and bug spray. I am usually a good 10 paces behind my ultra quick husband, but thanks to Luke I wasn’t left behind, and we all definitely took in some sights and sounds of nature. Luke shared info about the area plants, birds, animals, and geologic formation on our way up to Camas Lake.
When we got to the lake Luke inflated the packrafts and we were floating quickly. Loved the calm cool water, jumping trout, and osprey overhead. Luke made us tea and coffee from shore, which were a pleasant extra treat during our float. The half day was so wonderful, made me sad to be leaving Montana for home. We will definitely be checking what Bitterroot Backpacking has on our next visit to big sky country!