Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A . C O M 51 THE FRONT RANGE e LOG CABIN CAFÉ in Choteau is so good we included it twice (see sidebar on page 52). It's located about halfway be- tween Yellowstone and Glacier so it's the perfect stop to fuel your hiking tank. e Log Cabin serves unique pie flavors you aren't likely to find elsewhere like lemon sour cream, choco- late bourbon pecan, and peanut butter cream (a local favorite). It's a bit of a drive to get to OUR LAKE TRAILHEAD, but it's worth the effort. e hike lies at the edge of the BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS along the Rocky Mountain Front where the prairie ends and the mountains begin. is 2.5-mile (one-way) trail switchbacks through forest with several viewpoints of Rocky Mountain Peak, the highest in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Consider hiking to the saddle above the lake for a view of the famed Chinese Wall. EAST GLACIER You'll be ready for another slice of pie by the time you get to LUNA'S in East Glacier. Luna's unique huckleberry pie has a graham cracker crust and open top — a recipe inspired by a Glacier National Park ranger. It's listed on their menu as "a perfectly respectable breakfast." We couldn't agree more. For a real adventure hike the 18.8 mile DAWSON/PITAMAKAN PASS TRAIL beginning at Two Medicine Lake along Glacier's east side. e gals and I hiked this difficult three-day loop earning ourselves three slices of pie (one for each day). is trail offers spectacular views above timber line along a narrow trail travers- ing the side of Flinsch Peak and over two mountain passes. WHITEFISH With more than 20 pie offerings, LOULA'S, located in the historic Masonic Temple in downtown Whitefish, is the place to go for pie. eir specialty? You guessed it — huckleberry. But not just ordinary huckleberry. Loula's mixes 500 gallons a year of this Montana favorite with raspberry, peach, strawberry, and many other fruits to create a dazzling array of huckleberry confections. THE TRAIL OF THE CEDARS and AVALANCHE LAKE just north of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park is a stunning contrast from Glacier's drier east side. is 3.1 mile (one-way) hike begins on a boardwalk that meanders through a mystical red cedar and western hemlock forest. When the trail leaves the board- walk, you'll continue to Avalanche Lake along a moss-draped gorge where American dippers dive in and out of the fast-moving water in search of aquatic insects. e lake, rimmed by steep cliffs, is fed by several waterfalls cascading from Sperry Glacier which is just out of view. CONTINUED Peach pie from Chester Spuds The chocolate cream cheese pie from Choteau's Log Cabin Café Raspberry pie is popular at the Grass Range

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