12/30/2025
“Finally made it—12 miles deep into Montana’s backcountry, legs screaming, but this creek-side forest clearing is pure gold. Tent up, fire crackling, fly rod ready for tomorrow’s brookies. Creek singing the ultimate lullaby.
Grinning like a fool in my Great Grey Owl hoodie: 4-way stretch crushed the climbs, thumbholes stayed locked, gaiter blocked brutal sun (UPF50 saved me), wicked sweat like magic and quick-dried before camp. Creek rinse tonight, hang by fire—fresh for the hike out.
This silence, this spot… feels like the owl’s watching over it all. 🦉
Fun fact: Montana’s Great Grey Owls—North America’s tallest owls (up to 33” with 5ft wingspans)—are fluffy ghosts of the conifer forests. They hunt voles by sound, plunging headfirst into deep snow, haunting lodgepole pine and meadows near water. Elusive residents of our western woods!
Level up your adventures: Grab the Great Grey Owl Hoodie + Ewing Hackle for killer flies at SaltwaterOnTheFly.com 🔥
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