Kootenai Falls Montana

Wednesday we took a drive over to see how the Kootenai Falls were falling. They were falling very nicely, thank you very much. The Meryl Streep movie "River Wild" was filmed here. We love Meryl almost as much as the river. Class acts are hard to find these days.

Kootenai Falls May 11, 2016

Kootenai Falls May 11, 2016

After visiting the falls we went around to the north side of the river and walked the Kootenai River Trail. It's a wonderful walk along the river where you can see just about anything from bears to eagles fishing. It's about the easiest, most beautiful trail you are likely to find.

Molly Montana on the Kootenai River Trail -Please obey the leash laws

We saw some big horns but they were not in the high cliffs along the river but in someones back yard! Smart little dickens.

Big Horn Grazing in someones yard

It was a great day and a serene walk. Saw exactly two people in two and a half hours we spent on the trail.

Kootenai River May 11, 20126

If you are traveling through Libby, Montana don't miss the Kootenai Falls or the Kootenai River Trail. Both are great places for a picnic.

Until next time,
Molly Montana

©Kinsey Barnard

Hiking Bass Creek Trail-Bitterroot Mountains

Brady, at the Blue Mountain Bed & Breakfast, turned us on to the Bass Creek Trail in the Bitteroot Forest. He told us we could find a waterfall but we never did. That's OK because it was a great hike.

The trailhead was easy to find. Believe me this is not always the case. Clearly marked on 93 and a straight shot to the trailhead.

Road to Bass Creek Trailhead Bitterroot Mountains

The weather forecast was for rain but as usual that was wrong. It was an absolutely perfect hiking day. Bass Creek is a very cool, literally and figuratively, trail.  As you might imagine it wanders along Bass Creek. The spring melt seemed to already be underway and the sound of the rushing water echoing off the canyon walls was awesome.

Molly Montana On the Bass Creek Trail-Bitterroot Mountain

You will notice in the above photo I am on the leash. This trail is also a popular horse trail, and well, Kinsey worries about meeting riders and me causing an accident with my enthusiasm. I don't blame her really. I do still forget myself when meeting new people and other critters.

I would rate this an easy trail even though there is a pretty good elevation gain. One can always just walk as far as they want and still enjoy the creek. The first landmark we found was the log jam pond. For some this is a destination. We trekked on by looking for that waterfall.

Log Jam Pond Bass Creek Trail Bitterroot Forest

The next Land mark we found was the sign notifying us we were entering the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness.

Entering the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness

We kept on looking for a big boulder we were told we would find where we would go one way to the falls and the other to Bass Lake. It's eight miles to Bass Lake and no way we could make that trip in a day. Well, I could but Kinsey even in her best day couldn't make that long a mountain trip roundtrip in a day. For those looking for an overnight backpacking sort of trip this looks like a good one. Below is what we could not see for ourselves.

Bass Lake-Bitterroot Wilderness ©Helene Bazin-Lee Photography

About 3 miles in we found a stone arrow in the ground that pointed the way up the trail to the right, up being the operative word. Straight ahead was a trail but it was covered with blown down. Kinsey thought the falls must be on the low road but she didn't feel like scrambling over the trees. By the time we got back down to the trailhead Kinsey's knees were screaming so I guess it's just as well be turn back when we did.  It was after all our first mountain trail of the season.

The point of this story is; this trail has something for everyone and we highly recommend you check it out when your are in the area.

Until next time.

Molly Montana

©Kinsey Barnard

Hiking In The Kootenai Forest

We got up early this morning and headed out into the Kootenai Forest. There really isn't much to say except that it was a beautiful Montana morning and we greatly enjoyed ourselves.

Kinsey took photos of things that caught her eye and I basically made a nuisance of myself lunging after squirrels.  Below are some of the things Kinsey saw.

The sun rising over the Kootenai

Wild daisy

Indian Paint Brush

My adorable self

A beautiful day in the Kootenai Forest

Pictures can say it better.

Ciao for now
Molly Montana

©Kinsey Barnard

HERRON PARK MONTANA

Yesterday we made a new hiking discovery and it's only a mile further down the road from Lone Pine State Park. This park is a Flathead County Park. And as it turns out a way cool park.  Like the sky this is a big park for a county park over 400 acres. I wish we'd found it this winter because it looks like a great place to snow shoe.

Herron Park

The big meadow is setup for eventing jumping/competitions. And, even though it's still early spring and the grass is still brown it's not hard to imagine how beautiful it is once the grass greens. Kinsey wants to find out when they have their play days cuz she is crazy for cross country jumping. You may recall the Rebecca Farms Event she went to last July. I had to stay at home last year but she promises no photography this year just me getting a chance to behave in a crowd. Yay!

Ha! I could jump over those obstacles with the best of them.

Molly Montana at Herron Park

But, all Kinsey would let me do was pose.

Molly Montana at Herron Park

I don't know if you can tell. I've had another grooming nightmare. This time using a neighbor recommendation. Kinsey's mother taught her "If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything". Kinsey passed that bit of wisdom on to me. So, I'm just saying this one didn't work out either. I look like a wooly lamb. My tail looks like a pom pom!

Herron Park

When we arrived it was sunny but, as so often happens in the spring before long it started to rain. The trails go up into the mountains and we had gotten just a couple of miles before we turned back in case the rain turned into something more than we wanted to endure. At this time of year they aren't warms rains. Me, I would have been fine but you know who is such a wuss. But, from what we saw there is much more for us to explore here and we will be returning very soon.

Ciao for now,
Molly Montana

©Kinsey Barnard

STILLWATER SNOWMOBILING - NOT

This past Friday was a glorious day in Montana. The sun was shining and everywhere you looked snow was glistening. A perfect Friday the 13th. We could hardly pass up the chance to walk in such splendor. With no destination in mind we headed out on highway 93.

On a whim we turned off on the road to Upper Whitefish Lake in the Stillwater Forest. In winter, unbeknownst to us, the road is closed to all but snowmobiles. The road is groomed for snowmobiles and looks to be a great place to enjoy the sport. As luck would have it, we are having the longest, warmest winter melt we've ever experienced, for Kinsey that's 14 winters. The melt usually last about ten days. So far, this one is a month old. As a result the snow is receding at a rapid rate.

There is a staging area just a few hundred feet in from the highway. Only few trucks were parked. The conditions did not look at all good for snowmobiling. The track was bald or slushy. Even though the road indicated it was closed, except for snowmobiles, it didn't specifically say anything about foot traffic. If conditions were different we wouldn't recommend walking this road. You'd risk getting mowed down by a snowmobile. It would definitely be dangerous. We made the decision to do it anyway because there wasn't likely to be much traffic and what traffic there was you would be able to hear coming a mile away in the silent Stillwater Forest.

We walked a little more than three miles in. In that time we saw exactly one snowmobile. We heard him coming in plenty of time to place ourselves far out of his way. It wasn't hard. He was hugging the edge of the road trying to stay in the snow. He didn't look like he was recreating. He was towing a sled with gas cans and a propane tank. Looked like he was on a supply run to us.

Stillwater Snowmobile

Even if the walk was slushy it was beautiful. With only one snowmobile to break the silence it was like having the forest all to ourselves. That's one of the things we love most about this part of the world, there are millions of acres of public forest and very few humans out in them.

Stillwater State Forest 2-13-2015

Stillwater State Forest 2-13-15

We also learned that although we were in the Stillwater Forest some of the time we were not all of the time. A lot of the land the road passes through belongs to Plum Creek Timber who allows the public to enter their property as long as they are proper guests. We hope the people who use the road are respectful.

Plum Creek Timber

And, of course, no post would be complete without a photo of moi. Dang I am pretty. I mean get a load of those eyes!

Molly Montana Stillwater Forest 2-15-15

So, here's what we learned. If you like to snowmobile this looks like a great place to do it when conditions are good, which they are not at the moment. If the conditions are good you do not want to walk here in winter. It would be dangerous for everyone. This is a road we are putting on our to do list for this summer. We'll report back what it's like when the hiking is good.

Ciao for now!
Molly Montana

©Kinsey Barnard

EXERCISE, THE ELIXIR OF LIFE

As mentioned in my previous post EIGHT DAYS IN THE FLATHEAD Koty and I just returned from eight glorious days in the Flathead. Our summer has been pretty much ruined by my stupid decision to use Home Depot for my kitchen remodel. It was a worse nightmare than I could have ever imagined. Every conceivable thing that could go wrong, went wrong. Things like: 12 of 17 cabinets had to be rejected and re-manufactured; I had no water in my kitchen for two months; a remodel that should have taken a few weeks took four months. I could go on and on and one day I will probably tell the whole bloody tale but that's not what this article is about.

 Because of the above I was in a state of complete flux. I am creature of habit and when my world is turned upside down I get off balance. Unfortunately, what happens to me happens to Koty. Because I was constantly waiting around for people to come about the kitchen I was tied to the house. When I wasn't tied to the house I didn't feel like doing what Koty and I love the most, hiking. Prior to our trip Lakota was really starting to slow down and it pained me greatly to watch. I was worried that he would not even be able to make it in and out of Clementine (our RV). And sure enough when we got set up down in the Flathead he struggled with the steps. It broke my heart.

 My mission for this trip was to get in as much hiking and walking as Koty could handle. So we hiked everyday and took a walk in the evening. Each day I watched as Lakota got seemingly stronger. Until, by the time we left for home, he had actually gotten a little of the spring back in his gait. The effects of getting a good, daily dose of exercise was nothing short of miraculous. I came to realize that I had been literally killing my dog by not keeping to our normal active lifestyle. I hadn't been doing my own health any favors either. I lost weight from the kitchen debacle but it wasn't a healthy loss.

 I continue to give Koty Supraglan and flaxseed hulls daily. I can't say that these remedies are any kind of cure. Koty is still losing his hair. I suspect if he lives long enough he may end up hairless. He still drinks copious amounts of water and piddles in kind. His belly is bloated, his liver enlarged and his appetite insatiable. But, what I think these remedies may be doing is slowing the effects of these symptoms and offering him an extended happy period of time.

The point I would like to make here is how important exercise is not only for your pet but for its owner. Nothing I have tried to help Koty with is Cushing's has had a greater effect on his health than exercise. Whether your dog is sick or not take him/her for a walk everyday. The benefits for your pet as well as for yourself will be immeasurable.  You will most certainly have a longer, happier life together.

Koty will be 13 on October first. The average lifespan of a husky is thought to be 12 to 15 years. Going forward I will consider each day of quality life together as a supreme gift. I will see to it that Koty gets the most effective medicine available every single day, exercise!

Koty exploring Lion Lake Sept. 2012

©Kinsey Barnard

HIKING THE NORTH COAST TRAIL

Enjoy the hike!

Fisher Bird Trifecta on the Tobacco River.

August 26, 20011

A couple of weeks ago a friend and I took a hike to Wolverine Lake in the Ten Lakes Scenic Area. On the way up I pulled a muscle in the back of my calf about a quarter of a mile from the lake. It was painful to keep walking up the mountain but I wasn't about to wuss out. Coming back down the mountain didn't seem to hurt much at all.

I know that, upon returning home, I should have immediately applied the RICE (Rest-Ice-Compression-Elevation) treatment but you see my guest was thirty five years younger and I wasn't about to show any weakness. Pride goeth before great pain. 

Needles to say I didn't take proper care of myself and have suffered dearly for it. Koty has been going nuts waiting for a walk and since I live on a mountain all trails lead uphill either coming or going. So, today I decided we would take the Tobacco River trail which is flat as a pancake.

The river has come down quite a bit. One casualty I noticed was the old wreck that has been gracing the bank of the river for as long as I can remember. I liked looking at it. It had character. The old dear is probably resting at the bottom of the Koocanusa.

Old wreck on the banks of the Tobacco River

About a half mile into our walk I heard quite a bit of bird chatter. Someone was quite annoyed. The voice sounded like an angry osprey. I slowed my pace and tried to identify where the chatter was coming from. In a gap in the bushes I could see across the river. The first thing I saw was an osprey sitting in a cottonwood. Very nice.

Osprey

I kept searching the far shore and low and behold right next door I saw an always elegant Great Blue Heron sitting atop a fir tree.

Great Blue Heron

And, a little to the left of the heron was an ever regal Bald Eagle!

Bald Eagle

These birds are pretty common around here but to see all three sitting not twenty feet apart is pretty special even for these parts. I never did see who was making all the racket. Pretty sure it was an osprey and probably upset with all these other guys invading "its" territory. They looked to me as though they were staking out there spots for the fishing derby that is soon to begin. It won't be long now before the river turns red with spawing  kocanee salmon  and these birds will be fishing fools.

I did see one osprey get up and take flight.

Osprey Up, Up and Away

On the return we ran into a whitetail doe and her fawn. The fawns are getting pretty big now, lots of feed this year,  and their spots are starting to fade. This cute little fawn is very leggy.

Whitetail Doe and Fawn

As things turned out deciding to take a lowland, level walk was a great idea. Good for me in every way. I can never quite get over how fortunate I am to be able to see these fabulous images everyday of my life. If this isn't the Garden of Eden it's pretty darned close to it.

Oh and if the above wasn't enough I got this for my sunset.

Dancing Deer Sunset

I will soon be entering my 10th winter here in northwest Montana and I still feel like a kid in a candy store. I sometimes feel as though I must be the luckiest woman alive.

©Kinsey Barnard

The Blacktail Trail - Ten Lakes Wilderness

Sunday July 10, 2011

I didn't feel Koty and I got enough exercise yesterday when we went to check out Lake Koocanusa's current water level.

So, we got up bright and early to walk the Blacktail Trail. The hike is pretty much uphill until you get to the draw and then you go down to Blacktail Creek and you can actually take it all the way to Ten Lakes. That's more than a day hike.

We headed out bright and early and made it to the 49th parallel in about and and fifteen minutes. The 49th parallel, as you may know is the line the border with Canada lies. At this point a switchback in the trail falls right on it and the spot has been marked by the Forest Service.

Canadian Border - 49th Parallel

The view of the border from here is really quite beautiful. The line runs through the forest, down the Galtons, onto the Tobacco Plains, across the Koocanusa and up into the mountains again.

Canadian Border-49th Parallel

There still aren't that many wild flowers up here. Mostly Indian Paintbrush and wild Primrose.  My favorites the wood lily are generally out the last of June and first of July. But, I did not see a one this day and already the 10th. Seems they are even later than last year.

The condition of the forest here is pretty sad. Infestations of various beetles assisted by several years of drought conditions have really wreaked havoc. The number of dead standing and dead fall is astounding. Many places along the trail look like a giant game of pick up sticks is going on.

Dead trees along the Blacktail Trail

I was curious to see if we could make it all the way over the pass. The last time we were up here the bush was so thick you'd have to have a machete to get through. I don't much like those spots because they are ideal for startling a bear.  Happily, most of the brush had been cleared but some spots still had quite a bit left.

Blacktail Trail disappearing into the brush. Also Kotys'

I thought we might encounter a bear, we usually do on this trail. And, whilst we didn't actually see one we sure both got a whiff of one. It's amazing how strong a bear's odor can be and it's nasty. Koty went into overdrive wanting to follow the scent. It was all I could do to hold him back. Needless to say I sang off key, the only way I know how, and talked to any bear that might be nearby. I heard a hiker was mauled to death in Yellowstone just in the past week or two when they startled a bear. I don't take any chances with startling a bear. When I get to a bend in the trail I can't see around or the brush gets thick I start singing and hollering. I have noticed that animals find the sound of the human voice quite repugnant and are inclined to move away with great speed.

The Blacktail Trail was actually once and old mining road. I don't think anyone ever made their fortune up here. In fact one of the mountains is called Poorman. Just as you get to the top of the pass is a relic loading dock from those times.

Loading Dock on the Blacktail Trail

I often wonder how it is one seldom ever hears of anyone getting bonked by a falling tree or a boulder coming down the mountain. For all the hiking I do I've never even been close. Thank goodness.

Big boulder having fallen onto the path.

Once through the pass we encountered snow. That was certainly a first for me for this time of year. Koty was really happy to see it too! But, what was so totally awesome was the thunderous sound of water rushing into the valley below. It is beyond belief how much water is still pouring out of these mountains. It gives me goose bumps just recalling it.

Green Mountain ten Lakes Scenic Area Montana

Across the way I could see a still snow covered Green Mountain. Over that ridge and one will be on their way to Ten Lakes. I wanted to get all the way down to Blacktail Creek but I had to meet a carpenter who never bothered to show up.

I never walk in the forest that I don't find some natural design, pattern or still life that catches my eye. The photo below is of small pine cones resting in the trail. I don't know, maybe no one else thinks they're beautiful but I sure do. Nature is so endlessly fascinating to me.

Pine Cone Still Life

©Kinsey Barnard

West Kootenai Wildflowers - Mt. Web Lookout - Blue Heron Medicine

Friday July 1, 2011

A very unusual thing happened this morning. I was loading up Shadow to go for a hike and when I went out with a load of equipment a Great Blue Heron rose up in flight from a Spruce. I dropped everything and tried to get a shot of it. I didn't get much but I wanted to have some record of it in any event. I consulted my medicine cards to see what the significance of the heron might be but, as I was afraid, there was no information on the heron. A quick Google Search and I had my answer Blue Heron Medicine. I continuously marvel at the fact that most believers in the significance of animal medicine must draw cards to receive guidance and I am blessed to have the actual animals appear to me.

Great Blue Heron in the Trees

I had need of another good hike so I decided to go over to the West Kootenai and take the Web Mt. Trail. If you go far enough you will reach the Web Mt. Lookout. You can drive to it but there is a trail too and it's really an aerobic workout.

Blue Lupine

The mountains are just now starting to get covered with wildflower color and blue lupine are one of the most prevalent wildflowers in the Kootenai National Forest along with Indian Paintbrush.

Young Indian Paintbrush blooms before they turn vibrant red

I am utterly amazed at what lousy shape I am in. The long winter and cold, wet spring has set me back just like it has everything else in nature. Usually, by this time, I am climbing up mountain trails like a mad woman. Today I was huffing and puffing like a slacker. Before I got to the first crest, about an hour nearly straight up, my thighs were burning like fire.

Indian Paintbrush in bright red bloom

After a small rest I decided not to go further because I was actually concerned my legs would give out on me on the way back down and on that steep trail I could cook my goose pretty damned quick. What a freaking wuss. I am very disappointed with myself. I can't believe I've let myself get in such shitty shape.

Beautiful rock formation with Mullien and some other yellow flower perhaps some kind of Yarrow

Well, I got a workout that's for sure. And, I got a wake up call on my physical fitness level. I think I shall make it my goal to get up to the Lookout before the snow flies. Koty is so maddening. In dog years he's around 80 years old and he flies up the trail like a spring chicken. Boo Hiss!

©Kinsey Barnard

A Little R&R in the Kootenai National Forest

Saturday Junse 25, 2011

Last week was packed with things to do and problems to solve regarding the solar energy plant I'm trying to build. Both Koty and I were more than ready for some quality time in the forest along with a good long aerobic exercise.

I chose Camp 32 as my launching point because I also wanted to see what Pinkham Creek was up to. It was running strong and looked like chocolate milk. The Camp 32 road was close so I'm guessing it was flooding. We headed up the mountain to see what we could find.

The wild primroses were out in strength. Normally, they have already bloomed but everything is behind this year due to the much colder than normal weather. The thing I love about these wild roses, well I love everything about them but my favorite thing is, they are so aromatic. They just fill the air around you with that marvelous rose fragrance. It is so awesome. I just stand around and literally fill up my senses.

Wild Primrose Image

Wild Primrose Photo

Wild Roses Photos

The hillsides were also covered in blue lupine which are also lovely wildflowers but they don't give off much of any kind of fragrance. They just stand there looking pretty.

Blue Lupine Photo

The path we took gave us a very good workout. The trail climbed the mountain until we got to a place where the vistas were just gorgeous. This first photo is looking eastward across the Tobacco Valley at the, still snow capped, Galton Range. Half of what you see to the North is actually British Columia, Canada.

Photo of the Galton Range Montana

This next photo was looking in a northerly direction. You can just see a bit of Lake Koocanusa. The lake has been rising in a wicked hurry with all the rain and snow melt. The lake was at a record low this spring in anticipation. You can see photos of what the lake looked like earlier this spring when it was drained to an inch of it's life. Record Lows at Lake Koocanusa. For those of us who live around here it was quite a site.

Lake Koocanusa Photo

It was a fairly cloudy day and I expected that it might rain at any time but we got lucky on that score and missed the afternoon storm. I just love looking at clouds and could not resist taking a photo or two of them. They are like live theater with their endlessly shifting and intriguing shapes.

Montana Sky Photo

 Didn't see a lot in the way of wildlife. Thought I might see a bear or two but didn't even see any scat. I did see quite a bit of elk pellets and tracks. Lots of cow and calf tracks. Elk and moose pellets are very similar in terms of shape but moose pellets are more like the size of walnuts. Didn't see any moose signs at all.

Elk Pellets Photo

And, we did scare up a wild turkey. She was pretty angry at us so I suspect she had chicks somewhere nearby.

Wild Turkey Photo

It was a lovely morning hike with an a very good aerobic exercise. And, as always, a hike in the Montana wilderness not only refreshes the body but it soothes the soul with it's endless beauty and picture perfect scenery.


©Kinsey Barnard