Suce Creek and a MOOSE!

We have been practicing all our animal sounds and actions lately and since we really don't make a very good "moose" sound, it was cool to see one.  Well, actually, seeing this momma moose made my heart skip a few beats and turned me on my heals as fast as I could move, but it's cool to talk about now.

Grandpa Scott is in town and the weather has been breathtakingly PERFECT this week, so we have been found outside in town, the yard or on the trails all week long.  Dad (my dad) had never hiked up Suce Creek (the closest drainage to Livingston), so I thought it would be perfect.  Jim Pa also went, as he was needing a little training for his bigger Yellowstone Hike that he signed up for on Saturday.   The Suce Creek trail is pretty tree covered and woody, so with all the fall colors and leaves I knew it would be beautiful. I also expected to see something wild in the bushes.  It is known for bear and moose, especially this time of year.   Mattie wore her special hiking "Junior Park Ranger" vest, demanded to wear her "hat" and did a nice job of scaring away anything wild by singing and talking in the backpack for the entire 2.5 mile trip.  She was LOVIN' getting full attention from her two grandpas, mom, and the dogs.

All was good and we were ready for a much longer hike, but as we turned a corner just after one of our creek crossings, I spied a couple of big dark ears and a very cute Moose face.  I didn't stay long enough to even see if there was a calf and we turned and boogied.  This mama bear did NOT want to mess with a mama moose on this gorgeous fall day.   We all had fun seeing her and didn't mind cutting our walk short.   Matine was tuckered out after playing with leaves, eating hiking snacks, bossing the dogs, and narrating things from high upon my back.

Montana, Montana, my two-dads, and the fall - it doesn't get any better!