I got to know my friend Joyce a couple of years back, via a now-moribund online forum for Glacier Park fans. Joyce lives in Virginia, but she fell madly in love with northwestern Montana during a trip out here several years ago, and now she spends a few weeks here every summer, living out of her Prius, hiking and backpacking amazing distances. We met for the first time last August on a hike to Thoma Lookout, a day that hatched the idea of my actually working at one of these places someday.
Anyhow, Joyce has been in Montana for the last few weeks, and just finished an extended backpack through the Bob Marshall with some folks from the legendary "Over the Hill Gang." (That trip included a visit to Jumbo, the most remote of Montana lookouts, which made me very jealous.) Then, today she hiked up to Baptiste look out to visit me. It was great to see her again, and to catch up ... we talked for hours, me with one ear cocked to the two-way radio, just in case.
It was a great recipe for a lovely evening. She's here for the night, and will hike down in the morning, ready for more adventures.