Seeley Clearwater River Canoe Trail

A fun summer water activity is to paddle the Seeley Lake/ Clearwater River Canoe trail.  From Helena take Highway 12 West until you arrive at Avon.  Turn right at Avon, taking Highway 141 past Helmville. Keep on 141 to the next junction, Highway 200.  Turn left as if you were going to Ovando. Keep going to Clearwater Junction, Highway 83.  Continue on 83 past Salmon Lake and through the town of Seeley Lake.  Keep driving past the ranger station, looking for a sign to the canoe trail.  The sign is on your right, the turn is to the left.

The first part of the trail has some tight turns.   As you approach the lake, the river widens and the turns are more gradual.  During the spring, there is more flow, but later in the summer you can see western painted turtles sunning themselves on the logs and rocks. There were also ducks and other water birds.

The trail empties into the north end of Seeley Lake where there are lillypads and sometimes loons. You paddle across the lake to the take-out point. Since it was a little windy when I went, I was glad the wind was at my back.  A direct paddle across the lake would be a difficult one, across deeper water.  Cross winds and head winds are never good with a canoe.

After taking out your canoe, you hike a trail for a mile back to the point where you launched and where your car is parked.  There is a wildlife viewing area along the trail, so you can take your binoculars if you wish to watch wildlife for a while.  This trail is mosquito ridden in the spring and early June, so mosquito repellent may be in order at that time of year.  When you pick up your car, drive to the ranger station.  That is where the canoe take-out point is.

I really enjoyed this float, but was glad we launched early.  It was very busy around noon.

My Favorite Things

Preston

The road to Louise Lake

 

 

New trails to hike

 

 

 

Indian Paintbrush

 

Mountain Heather

 

Pygmy Bitteroots

A Mediocre Day at Work is Better that a Rotten Day Fishing

I recently saw a bumper sticker:  the worst day fishing is better than the best day at work.  Obviously that person has never been fishing with me.  I've had some BAD days fishing.  I have had WAY better days at work.

Yesterday Preston and I four-wheeled into a nearby mountain lake.  No. I'm not telling anyone where our fishing spot is.   After spending twenty minutes attaching tippet and fly to my fly rod I was ready to go.  Then I spent twenty minutes casting my fly and untangling it from trees, bushes, and grass. I walked to what I hoped was a good fishing spot where my reel fell off my rod and into the water.  My wet reel wouldn't reel anything in or out without an appreciable amount of persuasion. When I finally lost the fly in some grass and realized my tippet was too brittle (probably it is too old) to fish with, I switched to my other rod.

After taking a fly fishing class from a premier fly fisherman, I can never switch to using a lure without feeling like an uncultured barbarian of the first order.  The thing is, lure fishing is soooo much easier.  For most people.  On my first cast, my lure became lodged under something in the lake.  I spent ten or fifteen minutes walking this way and that, climbing over logs and boulders, trying to free it - which I finally did.  I fished without success for a while and decided to change my lure.  To change the lure, I had to hike a half a mile around the lake to the tackle box, change the lure, and then hoof it back to my "good spot."

At the good spot I cast my line a few times while fish jumped in the center of the lake.  Determined to get my lure where the fish were, I gave a forceful cast.  The top of my rod flew off the pole and into the middle of the lake and sank.  Naturally, my lure tangled in something too and could not be reeled in.  After several minutes, I kissed the lure goodbye and hauled in the line. Thus ended my fishing for the day.

Preston caught a good sized cutthroat trout, which he released.  We called it a day.  Tomorrow, I am buying a new rod, but I question the advisability of the purchase.  In my case, it's like buying aggravation.  The problem is, I can't stand being beaten. I hope this persistence will not end up driving me out of my mind.

Yes, I LOVE to Hike

Quite often when I attend a gathering of women, people are asked to introduce themselves.  Several women will usually say, "...and I love to hike."  Well, maybe some of them do.  More often, when my hiking partner and I extend an invitation to hike with us we get some creative excuses:

• I never hike below 40 degrees.  (This wipes out half the year.)
• I must stay home and redecorate my bulletin board.  (Not a dedicated hiker here.)
• I was going to go, but a friend called and wanted me to go shopping instead.  (This person usually calls a half hour before we are going to leave when we delayed our departure time just so she could come.)
• I was going to come, and then realized I hadn't visited my aunt for a while.  Could we go at noon instead of 8:00 a.m. so I can visit her first?  (No.)
• I don't have the right gear. (How have you been hiking enough to know you love it without boots, backpack, water bottle etc.?)

Since we live in an area with scads of hiking trails, it seems to be fashionable to "like" hiking.  I've learned that with most women it's all talk.