Trillium-My First Montana Wildflower for 2010

Koty and I mozied over to the West Kootenai yesterday. The West Kootenai is on the west side of the Koocanusa in the Kootenai National Forest. You'll notice I spend a lot of time in the Kootenai National Forest. This is not hard to do because the forest encompasses 2.2 million acres and I have to go a long way from home to get out of it.

Today was the day that I made my first wildflower siting and it was a white trillium. They are typically the first guys to arrive, blooming from March to May.

The Forest Service has been control burning in the area so it was kind of smokey. I really don't get the Forest Service thinking.  Open burning starts the first of March but they don't start "control" burning until it's nice and dry and warm. And then they just go off and leave the fires burning and unattended. Smokey the Bear would have a fit! Trust me on this, Forest Service "control burns" quite frequently go out of control and I honestly do not wonder why.

My mission was to check out Arnold's Pond but there was barely any water in it and very little of interest. So, I figures to go further on and visit Dodge Creek. Here's a good lesson on why you must always take the shot when it comes your way. Never, ever say "Oh, I'll get it later". The photo below I took last year.


Dodge Creek - Montana by Kinsey Barnard

Nice photo I think. But, check out what it looked like yesterday!

We ended up taking a walk down FS 303. I wanted to walk to Young's Creek but the old ankle started squawking and I had to turn back after only a couple of miles. I didn't have my map with me but I think I was quite close. I'll have to go back and check it out. I couldn't resist taking this self-portrait. LOL! I look like a plump stump!

I also found on the road before me this little caterpillar. He was traversing the road when I found him but when I stuck my camera in his face he promptly showed me what he thought of my rudeness by curling up. Very clear body language message.

On the way home I stopped on the Rexford Bridge, I think that's what it's called, and took this photo. I thought it was a cool perspective. But, then I'm not paid to think. :)

So, that was our little junket to the West Kootenai. We'll be coming back real soon!

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©Kinsey Barnard Phtography

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Murphy Lake

Yesterday, we went to Murphy Lake near Fortine. It's also a wildlife viewing area. The main thing you will see there are loons. We couldn't get to them but we could here them calling. If you've never heard a loon you've missed something. It's a very special sound.

After walking around Murphy we decided to see if we could find Martin Lake. We took off down FS 7006 on foot. Mom likes to walk places as much as possible cuz we see and experience more. The first thing we saw and experienced was a tree nearly falling on us. The wind came up, we heard this big crack and an old tree came tumbling down not 20 ft. from us. Mom is not crazy about hiking in the forest in the wind and this is why.

Shortly after that an 8 pt. whitetail buck came crashing down the hill above us, flew across the road and into the forest below. It was a sight to see but happened a little too fast to capture. I pointed out several bear scats (poops). I really have a nose for this. It wasn't fresh, maybe a day or two old. I could also tell there were bears around by the torn up logs and stumps. Bears love to eat the ants and grubs that live in them.

We finally came to a concrete barrier and a little way from that, a trail. It had a sign that just said "trail". Not real helpful. We could see it was a trail. We would have liked to have known to where. We took it up the mountain a mile or so but it was getting late in the day and mom decided we'd better head back. Turned out to be a good idea too because as we walked along in the warm, summer sun the wind kicked up again and before we knew it, the skies turned dark and the temperature dropped like a rock. Those old trees were really rocking and rolling. The thunder was also rolling. We turned up our speed and made it back to the truck just as the rain came down in sheets!

Note to hikers & bikers: I'm sure you've heard it before but it bears repeating; always be prepared for weather changes in the Rockies. It can happen so fast it'll make your head spin. We've seen the temperature drop 40 degrees in less than 5 minutes. If you don't have the right gear you'll be mighty uncomfortable or worse.

Until next time.....