Happy Earth Day from Butte, Montana

This post is dedicated to Gaia, our Earth. Every day is Earth Day. Here's a glimpse of my corner of Earth in southwest Montana, month-by-month, as seen through the eyes of a year-round outdoorsmen. [Caution: October and November are illustrated with photographs of dead animals.]

January
Moose at Butte's Moulton Cross Country Skiing area settle into the willow bottoms:

February
Back country skiing opens up, like the ungroomed pole line run at The Moulton:

March

The full moon calls us out for a night ski (friends Don & Andrea Stierle on Big Flat overlooking Butte):

April

Ice goes off the creeks of the upper Big Hole River, and the water offers up a mess of Brook Trout for a Spring Feast:

May

Elk return to their calving range near Anaconda, Montana:

June

Salmon flies hatch on Montana's Big Hole River, making for outstandint fishing with large dry flies:

July

Peakbagging in the Pintler Wilderness near Butte, Montana:

August

Annual campout with family & friends at Dr Anaconda Lake (the area burned off in a big forest fire in 2000):

September

Watching wolves in nearby Yellowstone National Park:

October

Hunting season begins, and the hills of the Lower Big Hole River offer up a pronghorn antelope:

November

Hunting season continues with white-tailed deer, mule deer, and (shown here) elk. The freezer is full. Thank you, Earth:

December

Temperatures drop, more snow comes, and it's time to begin skiing again: