Lots to Do

The Wise River area is a place in the outdoors where there is an abundance of things to do.  In this area you can hunt for crystals at Crystal Park, hike and hike and hike and hike, visit a Ghost Town, and visit Hot Springs about 30 miles away.

I was disappointed with some aspects of the National Forest in this area.  My map showed many trails that could be accessed with a motor vehicle 50 inches or less.  This promised access did not prove to be accurate. Possibly, I purchased an outdated map last year. Bobcat Lake trail (supposedly 3 miles into the lake, but a killer hike of more than three miles) is only for the use of motorcycles now.  Four wheelers are permitted on one trail into Odell Lake.  However, the trail is horribly rocky and steep, so you will probably need all the fillings in your teeth reattached after the ride. Obviously, the purpose of this Odell Lake trail is to kill off anyone who rides four wheelers.

My husband and his friend, Dave, braved the rocky trail to fish in Odell Lake.  When they reached a meadow near the lake, there were two four wheeler tracks.  Two riders had left the trail and plowed through a beautiful meadow, tearing it up.   It is discouraging to have a few short sighted, selfish imbeciles who are devoid of respect for the forest ruin access for everyone.

There is another trail into Odell Lake where only hikers and horses are permitted.   This trail has rails to tie horses and parking for horse trailers.

The provisions for horses and horse trailer made me wonder if the reigning powers in this forest are riding enthusiasts or have investments in dude ranches. My map indicated that the Mono Creek Trailhead No. 2086 provided access for vehicles 50 inches or less near the high Torrey Lake in the Pioneers.  According to the map, a rider need only hike the last couple of miles into the lake.  Not True.  The trail is set up for horseback riders for the eight mile journey into Torrey.  Unfortunately, horses are very expensive and time consuming.  Most  people don't have the time, money,  or expertise to keep horses for trail riding. So if you don't have horses, plan on an overnight backpack trip into Torrey Lake.  Eight miles in and eight miles out.  Those who are out of shape and not staying at a dude ranch, or are not horse owners are out of luck.

Trails with destinations of three miles are less are scarce in this area.

The Ghost Town of Coolidge is fascinating.  The town must have been fairly large at one time.  I was puzzled by the signs warning against taking artifacts and destroying property. It's hard to imagine what havoc anyone could wreak on the piles of wood that were once buildings that are scattered everywhere. There has been no effort to save any of the buildings, except for one large home where a tin roof was installed. Our friends assured us that when they last visited 35 years ago all the buildings that are now wrecks were still standing.

After visiting the ghost town, our friends took us to Elkhorn Hot Springs for swimming.  I didn't see any guests, the restaurant was closed, and there was green algae on the bottom of the pool.  We opted out.  If we wanted to drive about 30 miles, we could gone swimming at Jackson Hot Springs.


If we visit this part of the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest again, I am going to plan ahead.  A weight loss program with an enhanced physical fitness program seems in order if I want to see the choicest places.  Although, I do have friends with horses. Maybe riding lessons are in order?

A Hike with a View

It won't be long before we are snowed out of the high country.  Now is the time to hike up high. One high hike with a great view is Trail 117 to Horsethief Park, over the top of the Elkhorns to 343 over the mountain and connect with Trail No. 301, Casey Meadows.

Directions
For this hike, leave a car at Casey Meadows and ask a friend to drop you off at Forest Service Trail 117. From Helena, take Highway 12 East toward Townsend.  Shortly after Winston, you will see a National Forest Access to Pole Creek.  Use this access.  Follow the road through private property.  There is a ranch near the trailhead.  Both Tr. 117 and 115 start at this point.

Description
This hike is a grunt. It goes steadily and fairly steeply uphill. There is plenty of water along the trail  as you climb because there are numerous springs on the mountain.  Once you get to Horsethief Park, the trail is not quite so steep while you walk through the park to the top of the mountain.  In late June or early July, look closely in the Park for Pygmy Bitterroots.  You enter trees again near the top of the mountain.  There are trail markers near the top also.

The view from the top of the mountain is spectacular.  Stop and enjoy it for an hour or so.  After you cross the top to the other side of the Elkhorns, the hike is an extremely steep down hill.  You may want to pass on this hike if you have bad knees or a fear of heights.  Numerous trails weave in and out on the steep down hill descent.  Keep your eye on Casey Meadows, on your left as you hike down the mountain.  As you descend, watch for a sign directing you to Casey Meadows and Trail No. 301.  Once you reach the meadows it is an easy three mile walk out.

Fishing and Me

Lake where we camped and fished

 

Trout my husband caught that went belly up and got off the hook

 "Well, should I get out the fishing rods?" my husband asked as we were sitting on the banks of a serene mountain lake.

     "Why ruin a perfect day?"  I asked.  

My fishing experiences often remind me of the TV sitcoms where a furious, frustrated golfer marches down to the water hazard and plunks all his clubs into the pond.  TV writers must not fish.  Otherwise the sitcoms would show some episodes of frustrated anglers, full of puncture wounds from fish hooks, breaking their rods in half as they pitch them into the creek.

 I keep telling myself that I need to go fishing more often, and then I will not be so aggravated. I wonder how many hours of fishing practice I will need before I can tie my tippet to the leader of my fly rod in less than a half hour.  Will the first fly I tie on my rod always mysteriously vanish after 15 minutes of fishing, no matter how carefully I consult the Orvis knot manual as I painstakingly tie it to my tippet?  Will I ever choose the fly the fish want to bite?  Will I ever realize I have a fish on my hook quickly enough to set the hook and actually catch the fish?  Will I ever spend more time fishing than the time I spend untangling my line from patches of Canadian Thistle? I knew it was time to call it a day with fly fishing when the dog decided to mosey by my fishing rod and got the hook of my fly lodged in his ear.

After wrestling the dog to the ground so I could remove the fish hook from his ear, I decided to switch to fishing with a lure. My second cast saw my lure fly into a willow bush.  I removed it from the bush to find the fishing line bore a remarkable resemblance to a granny square, and the lure had vanished from the swivel. After cutting off all the tangled line and tying on a new swivel,  I did manage to hook about an eight inch trout.  True to form, the fish got away before I could set the hook.

So my final question is, Will fishing ever be fun or will it always be aggravating?  If I knew the answer to that question, I would know whether to throw in the towel and stick with my camera or keep trying to fish.

Things to Include in Your Backpack

This Thursday I went hiking with my friend Gail and her granddaughter Ivy.  We decided to hike by some old mines.  While we ambled along,  I asked them what they find useful to carry in their backpacks.

We all thought the usual items such as sunscreen, mosquito repellent, maps, camera, matches, water, etc. were a must.  One of Gail's most useful items was a bandanna.  She uses bandannas in the following ways:

*Dip it in the creek to cool off
*Sling for a sprained limb
*Sweatband
*Covering her nose and mouth if she gets a sudden urge to hold up a stagecoach
*Wrapping something she needs to protect
*Covering for a wound

Ivy mentioned a pencil and paper as one of the things she likes to take. Pencil and paper can be  important on a hike, but hikers seldom remember to include these items in their pack.   I wish  I would have had a pencil and paper to write down all the funny comments Gail and Ivy made in answer to my question.  Pencil and paper are light weight and can be useful in a number of ways:

*Notes about how to get to the trail and the trail itself.
*Notes on wildlife and habitat
*Something to write on if you have to make calculations, such as location
*Leaving a note in an emergency

One of my most useful items to include in a backpack is a zip lock bag.  I have used them in the following ways:

* Keeping my camera dry in case my water bottle leaks
*Lessening wear and tear on my flower books and keeping them together and dry
*Giving the dog a drink when hiking far from water
*Keeping my matches together in the box
*Stopping my toilet paper from rubbing to pieces, and a place to keep used toilet paper (Leave no trace)

Old cabin

Part of an old dam near the mine

Old refridgerator

Gentian

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