My Journey
- Thread starter YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
- Start date
Jerry,
If the Good Lord is willin', creeks don't rise, and our 23 year old F350 diesel with 300,000 miles cooperates for her 7th trip from NC to the Northern Rockies, our ETA in White Sulphur Springs is late afternoon 7/22. We'll enter the cowpasture grounds of the Red Ants Pants Music Festival early on 7/24 and leave early 7/28. That will start us (and, "we" and "us" refer to self and my wife of nearly 47 years) out on a 2.5 week clockwise tour through Norris, Ennis, Dillon, Pioneers, Philipsburg, Rock Creek, Great Falls, Bears Paw, Little Rockies, Lewistown, Little Belts, and to Bozeman on 8/16. We'll then store the truck and camper in Belgrade for a month while we fly home to tend to business and help our widowed daughter-in-law with our grandkids as their school year gets under way. Fly back out on 9/16, snag the truck, and drive down to Elk Lake Lodge at the far eastern end of the Centennial Valley, where we'll spend 4 nights observing our 47th anniversary with several couples we've met there over the last 10 years. Leaving there on 7/21, we'll drive back up to BZN to pick up daughter in law and the grandkids who fly in from NC then. After 2 nights at Bozeman Hot Springs, d-i-law flies back to NC and we take the kids down to Yellowstone and the Tetons, then hit some hot spots in Wyoming and Nebraska enroute to NC and home. If we haven't killed each other at any point along the way, we'll be home for the Fall and Winter by 10/3 or so. I'd be most pleased if our paths crossed at any point along the way. Excepting a night in a hotel in Great Falls and another in Lewistown, each night after the Festival will be spent at a Gummint or commercial campground due to our appetites for electricity and hot water. I'm also keen to spare our new(er) travel trailer the beating I inflicted on our old pop-up, so long traverses on rough roads to reach disbursed sites are in the past. I can PM specifics for the loop if you'll be in the region--would love to shake your hand and set a spell.
If the Good Lord is willin', creeks don't rise, and our 23 year old F350 diesel with 300,000 miles cooperates for her 7th trip from NC to the Northern Rockies, our ETA in White Sulphur Springs is late afternoon 7/22. We'll enter the cowpasture grounds of the Red Ants Pants Music Festival early on 7/24 and leave early 7/28. That will start us (and, "we" and "us" refer to self and my wife of nearly 47 years) out on a 2.5 week clockwise tour through Norris, Ennis, Dillon, Pioneers, Philipsburg, Rock Creek, Great Falls, Bears Paw, Little Rockies, Lewistown, Little Belts, and to Bozeman on 8/16. We'll then store the truck and camper in Belgrade for a month while we fly home to tend to business and help our widowed daughter-in-law with our grandkids as their school year gets under way. Fly back out on 9/16, snag the truck, and drive down to Elk Lake Lodge at the far eastern end of the Centennial Valley, where we'll spend 4 nights observing our 47th anniversary with several couples we've met there over the last 10 years. Leaving there on 7/21, we'll drive back up to BZN to pick up daughter in law and the grandkids who fly in from NC then. After 2 nights at Bozeman Hot Springs, d-i-law flies back to NC and we take the kids down to Yellowstone and the Tetons, then hit some hot spots in Wyoming and Nebraska enroute to NC and home. If we haven't killed each other at any point along the way, we'll be home for the Fall and Winter by 10/3 or so. I'd be most pleased if our paths crossed at any point along the way. Excepting a night in a hotel in Great Falls and another in Lewistown, each night after the Festival will be spent at a Gummint or commercial campground due to our appetites for electricity and hot water. I'm also keen to spare our new(er) travel trailer the beating I inflicted on our old pop-up, so long traverses on rough roads to reach disbursed sites are in the past. I can PM specifics for the loop if you'll be in the region--would love to shake your hand and set a spell.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Ace.....thanks.....I liked the Pronghorn Antelope & the birds on the wire photo best. But yeah, the flowers were really special.....
Arjan.....I've got some photographs of beautiful mountains to post from that last trip.....coming real soon.....thanks.....
Foy.....that sounds like a great trip for a 23 year old.....truck. Let me know if I can be of any help. I've got a couple of acres for camping with water & electric. Plus a hot shower that comes with a racing stripe (as Big Dawg liked to say). And best of all.....2 dog chairs to kick back in. Also, if you run into any problems in this area, I've got a great diesel mechanic with reasonable rates ($90 per hour).....or it could be as simple as meeting for coffee like Ace and I did.....
I'll mostly be doing short trips this summer. If the weather is good, hopefully I'm gone. If it's hot, I'm probably here. If I'm not here, I can leave you the key.....
Now, the dogs and I..... we're gonna kick back and get out the bag of organic carrots
and read your daily reports that we all hope you post here.....
Tacototheworld and I have been carrying the load for far too long.....we need more members to post trip reports. As you well know, In Progress Adventures is darn near dead. So think about it.....
Arjan.....I've got some photographs of beautiful mountains to post from that last trip.....coming real soon.....thanks.....
Foy.....that sounds like a great trip for a 23 year old.....truck. Let me know if I can be of any help. I've got a couple of acres for camping with water & electric. Plus a hot shower that comes with a racing stripe (as Big Dawg liked to say). And best of all.....2 dog chairs to kick back in. Also, if you run into any problems in this area, I've got a great diesel mechanic with reasonable rates ($90 per hour).....or it could be as simple as meeting for coffee like Ace and I did.....
I'll mostly be doing short trips this summer. If the weather is good, hopefully I'm gone. If it's hot, I'm probably here. If I'm not here, I can leave you the key.....
Now, the dogs and I..... we're gonna kick back and get out the bag of organic carrots
and read your daily reports that we all hope you post here.....Tacototheworld and I have been carrying the load for far too long.....we need more members to post trip reports. As you well know, In Progress Adventures is darn near dead. So think about it.....
Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
I still post trip reports under the backcountry and adventure banner. But i don’t do near as many long trips as i used to. Short trips I have posted in the Retired Ol’ Farts planning thread.
I find posting on Facebook so much easier that’s where most of my reporting goes. I like to let my photos do the talking and much more difficult to get photos up on
ExPo.
But i still take nice photos:
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I find posting on Facebook so much easier that’s where most of my reporting goes. I like to let my photos do the talking and much more difficult to get photos up on
ExPo.
But i still take nice photos:
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
I have not posted much since my Peru trip, I am spending 3 days/month in the Chicago area. But did just get back from a week long 900mile trip around ( almost all )lake Michigan. But made a pretty big effort to keep the phone tucked away, and enjoy the time with someone special.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Ace.....I do understand that members are occasionally posting about their trips in other sections of the site, but under the banner of "In Progress Adventures" there's just not much anymore. For me that's important cause I rarely look at the other sections.....I just have little to no interest in most other topics. Facebook & Instagram don't interest me either. If I want to watch videos, I go to YouTube.....not XP. I find loading pictures on XP to be simple. I wonder why it doesn't work for you.....
PNWY.....I sure would like to see you go back to South America.....my favorite continent. I was glad to read that tacototheworld will be headed that way one day since their trip reporting & photography is so outstanding.....
We were up early the following morning (at least I was).....5:30 a.m. to be exact.....excited to hit the trail.....
We still had a rough 3 mile drive to the trailhead which took us better than half an hour to complete. The dogs.....they love nothing more than a day of hiking.....but never before had I seen Trapper so excited to get out into the wilderness.....the drool from her mouth clearly showed that level of excitement.....it's typically seen prior to a good meal.....not prior to a good hike.....
Finally, at 7:30 a.m. we found ourselves once again hiking on the well maintained Cottonwood Trail. This would be the fourth attempt at hiking to Campfire Lake for Tanner and I.....not too sure about Trapper. Our first attempt was in September, 2020.....when it was only Tanner and I.....it was actually our only successful attempt.....
The trail was in perfect condition and the weather couldn't have possibly been any better.....
We hadn't hiked more than a mile before spotting our first (and only) sign of a black bear. I'm not a professional tracker but the signs were clear that we had just missed an encounter here. The bear drought continues for me.....
We hiked for miles through dense Spruce forests along a small creek.....continually gaining elevation.....yet ever so gradually. I'd say at four miles (+/-) we entered the large wide open meadows and it was here that we took our first rest stop.....
We hiked across the meadow.....still quite damp from the snow that was melting out above.....it was so incredibly beautiful and peaceful too.....
At the far end of the meadow the trail climbed along the side of a steep ridgeline. Here we hiked up a series of zig zags.....to a ridgeline.....now at about 9,000' above sea level.....
It was such a great feeling to stand on that ridge once again.....nearly alone.....these hikers that I'd met along the way were an awesome group of young people.....very respectful towards me.....and loving to my dogs.....
PNWY.....I sure would like to see you go back to South America.....my favorite continent. I was glad to read that tacototheworld will be headed that way one day since their trip reporting & photography is so outstanding.....
We were up early the following morning (at least I was).....5:30 a.m. to be exact.....excited to hit the trail.....
We still had a rough 3 mile drive to the trailhead which took us better than half an hour to complete. The dogs.....they love nothing more than a day of hiking.....but never before had I seen Trapper so excited to get out into the wilderness.....the drool from her mouth clearly showed that level of excitement.....it's typically seen prior to a good meal.....not prior to a good hike.....
Finally, at 7:30 a.m. we found ourselves once again hiking on the well maintained Cottonwood Trail. This would be the fourth attempt at hiking to Campfire Lake for Tanner and I.....not too sure about Trapper. Our first attempt was in September, 2020.....when it was only Tanner and I.....it was actually our only successful attempt.....
The trail was in perfect condition and the weather couldn't have possibly been any better.....
We hadn't hiked more than a mile before spotting our first (and only) sign of a black bear. I'm not a professional tracker but the signs were clear that we had just missed an encounter here. The bear drought continues for me.....
We hiked for miles through dense Spruce forests along a small creek.....continually gaining elevation.....yet ever so gradually. I'd say at four miles (+/-) we entered the large wide open meadows and it was here that we took our first rest stop.....
We hiked across the meadow.....still quite damp from the snow that was melting out above.....it was so incredibly beautiful and peaceful too.....
At the far end of the meadow the trail climbed along the side of a steep ridgeline. Here we hiked up a series of zig zags.....to a ridgeline.....now at about 9,000' above sea level.....
It was such a great feeling to stand on that ridge once again.....nearly alone.....these hikers that I'd met along the way were an awesome group of young people.....very respectful towards me.....and loving to my dogs.....
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
The ridgeline is a very majical place to be.....it's much like standing on a mountain summit but of course it's not exactly the same. As I stood there taking it all in, I noticed that the hikers had disappeared somewhere into the rocks and soon enough it was just me and the dogs again.....
I looked back towards this mountain summit that I've been eyeing for some time.....there's no trail to it.....looking at the topographic maps.....it looks easy. But when standing on the saddle.....I think maybe not. It's Black Mountain (9,269').....I thought long and hard about attempting the summit that day.....it was oh so beautiful.....
I Just didn't think that I had the energy to hike to the lake and climb the mountain as well.....ultimately the lake won out simply because I thought the dogs deserved an afternoon of swimming in the lake.....
Maybe another day.....a fifth trip ? One where we don't descend to the lakes' shores but where we stand on a mountain top instead and admire the Crazy Mountains and the valleys far below.....
We headed down the opposite side of the ridgeline skirting by a 300' long snowfield that covered the trail.....I felt it too dangerous to downclimb across it.....
Now we were downclimbing through a steep scree field.....well off what should have been a well troddened trail. And once again..... I noticed that we weren't alone.....
Three mountain goats were doing their best to avoid the three of us.....at this point I thought how grateful I was that I had kept my dogs on leash.....
The mountain goats disappeared to the other side of the ridgeline.....and we had finally skirted the snowfield.....and had returned to the trail.....and began our descent.....it was only a few more miles.....
I looked back towards this mountain summit that I've been eyeing for some time.....there's no trail to it.....looking at the topographic maps.....it looks easy. But when standing on the saddle.....I think maybe not. It's Black Mountain (9,269').....I thought long and hard about attempting the summit that day.....it was oh so beautiful.....
I Just didn't think that I had the energy to hike to the lake and climb the mountain as well.....ultimately the lake won out simply because I thought the dogs deserved an afternoon of swimming in the lake.....
Maybe another day.....a fifth trip ? One where we don't descend to the lakes' shores but where we stand on a mountain top instead and admire the Crazy Mountains and the valleys far below.....
We headed down the opposite side of the ridgeline skirting by a 300' long snowfield that covered the trail.....I felt it too dangerous to downclimb across it.....
Now we were downclimbing through a steep scree field.....well off what should have been a well troddened trail. And once again..... I noticed that we weren't alone.....
Three mountain goats were doing their best to avoid the three of us.....at this point I thought how grateful I was that I had kept my dogs on leash.....
The mountain goats disappeared to the other side of the ridgeline.....and we had finally skirted the snowfield.....and had returned to the trail.....and began our descent.....it was only a few more miles.....
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YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Just as we were approaching the northern shoreline of the lake I noticed a large mass of mountain goat fur hanging in the bushes.....and of course that stopped me in my tracks.....
As I leaned over to take a photograph I noticed something straight ahead.....white, small, not moving.....and then there was mass chaos as maybe a dozen mountain goats....adults and young.....ran by us.....the dogs of course went nuts and all I could manage was a photograph of the last departing mountain goat.....
And then within seconds.....everything was quiet and calm once again.....
We took our lunch along the shoreline.....
The dogs were in and out of that lake for the next half hour.....honestly.....I couldn't have been happier anywhere else in the world.....nor could I have desired to share the experience with anyone else..... my two best buddies.....it was paradise.....
Eventually I called them in.....
.....and we went off to explore more of the shoreline just for a short bit.....we still had a long hike ahead of us.....and it wouldn't be easy.....
As I leaned over to take a photograph I noticed something straight ahead.....white, small, not moving.....and then there was mass chaos as maybe a dozen mountain goats....adults and young.....ran by us.....the dogs of course went nuts and all I could manage was a photograph of the last departing mountain goat.....
And then within seconds.....everything was quiet and calm once again.....
We took our lunch along the shoreline.....
The dogs were in and out of that lake for the next half hour.....honestly.....I couldn't have been happier anywhere else in the world.....nor could I have desired to share the experience with anyone else..... my two best buddies.....it was paradise.....
Eventually I called them in.....
.....and we went off to explore more of the shoreline just for a short bit.....we still had a long hike ahead of us.....and it wouldn't be easy.....
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Campfire Lake is without a doubt one of my favorite places in Montana.....maybe the entire world. This place of solitude and beauty is just unmatched in my eyes.....
An internet search on this hike will reveal an assortment of distances and elevation gains. For us, the ones who wander, we were already at 8+ miles before we headed back.....and I was feeling it. Climbing that ridge again.....honestly, that kind of wasn't so great.....
This time we crossed the snowfield as it's much easier to kick steps in snow when gaining altitude.....and there's little to no risk.....
We rested at the highpoint of the ridgeline.....hating to leave this wilderness behind. It seems as though we had worked so hard to get here.....and to spend so little time at the lake.....well, it was disheartening.....
"From 11,000 feet, Crazy Peak sends whispers in all directions across the landscape. It looms on the horizon northeast of Livingston, Montana, joined by the severe angles of its brethren, all gazing upon the Yellowstone River as it makes its meandering decent to the Missouri. Snow holds tight even in August on the tops of these mountains and in January whispers from the pinnacle are caught on gusts of wind that send crisp snowflakes tumbling into the air.
It was in the summer of 1857, during the short recess when winter relinquishes its stony grip on the mountains, when a 9-year-old boy tied his horse at the base of Crazy Peak and climbed toward the sky. He stopped near the top and waited, seeking spiritual guidance and blessing.
On the fourth day of prayer and fast, the boy was given a vision. Looking out across the valley, he saw the buffalo disappear into the ground to be replaced by the white man’s cow. He saw the white man come and change the land, and he experienced a mighty storm that destroyed all but one tree in an ancient forest. Within the surviving tree, the boy saw a chickadee.
Now known as Chief Plenty Coups, the young boy came to be a great leader for his people, the Apsáalooke, or Crow tribe. Plenty Coups’ vision guided his people, and many tribal historians believe it was key to the tribe’s survival.
Awaxaawippíia, or the Crazy Mountains, are no longer a part of the Crow Reservation, but their power remains prominent in Crow Country. And as Montanans seek ways forward together amid explosive growth in the Greater Yellowstone, a powerful statewide recreation economy and the already palpable effects of climate change, the story of the Crazy Mountains offers something more."
BY JESSIANNE CASTLE.....MOUNTAIN OUTLAW.....
I've known for many years that when I die I want my ashes spread in the mountains of Montana but I've never known where exactly. My oldest son knows this and it's been written. But while standing on that ridgeline looking out at the peaks, valleys and lakes of the Crazy Mountains, I decided that this is where my ashes should be distributed.....
Hopefully it will be a windy day when my son arrives here to spread my ashes.....I want to embrace this majical place in its entirity.....to become one with the earth.....
An internet search on this hike will reveal an assortment of distances and elevation gains. For us, the ones who wander, we were already at 8+ miles before we headed back.....and I was feeling it. Climbing that ridge again.....honestly, that kind of wasn't so great.....
This time we crossed the snowfield as it's much easier to kick steps in snow when gaining altitude.....and there's little to no risk.....
We rested at the highpoint of the ridgeline.....hating to leave this wilderness behind. It seems as though we had worked so hard to get here.....and to spend so little time at the lake.....well, it was disheartening.....
"From 11,000 feet, Crazy Peak sends whispers in all directions across the landscape. It looms on the horizon northeast of Livingston, Montana, joined by the severe angles of its brethren, all gazing upon the Yellowstone River as it makes its meandering decent to the Missouri. Snow holds tight even in August on the tops of these mountains and in January whispers from the pinnacle are caught on gusts of wind that send crisp snowflakes tumbling into the air.
It was in the summer of 1857, during the short recess when winter relinquishes its stony grip on the mountains, when a 9-year-old boy tied his horse at the base of Crazy Peak and climbed toward the sky. He stopped near the top and waited, seeking spiritual guidance and blessing.
On the fourth day of prayer and fast, the boy was given a vision. Looking out across the valley, he saw the buffalo disappear into the ground to be replaced by the white man’s cow. He saw the white man come and change the land, and he experienced a mighty storm that destroyed all but one tree in an ancient forest. Within the surviving tree, the boy saw a chickadee.
Now known as Chief Plenty Coups, the young boy came to be a great leader for his people, the Apsáalooke, or Crow tribe. Plenty Coups’ vision guided his people, and many tribal historians believe it was key to the tribe’s survival.
Awaxaawippíia, or the Crazy Mountains, are no longer a part of the Crow Reservation, but their power remains prominent in Crow Country. And as Montanans seek ways forward together amid explosive growth in the Greater Yellowstone, a powerful statewide recreation economy and the already palpable effects of climate change, the story of the Crazy Mountains offers something more."
BY JESSIANNE CASTLE.....MOUNTAIN OUTLAW.....
I've known for many years that when I die I want my ashes spread in the mountains of Montana but I've never known where exactly. My oldest son knows this and it's been written. But while standing on that ridgeline looking out at the peaks, valleys and lakes of the Crazy Mountains, I decided that this is where my ashes should be distributed.....
Hopefully it will be a windy day when my son arrives here to spread my ashes.....I want to embrace this majical place in its entirity.....to become one with the earth.....
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
I will return to South America at some point, at least I would love to do so. Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil are still on my list. As to when, well: That probably depends on the next few months, and this year’s end. And would even like to do the pan American coastline by boat when I retire.
I also look forward to following Taco to the Worlds reports once they get there.
I also look forward to following Taco to the Worlds reports once they get there.
You're so very kind. We've got reservations all made and the truck has had every fluid changed, right down to a brake fluid flush. Weather doesn't look terribly hot on our route over the next several days, so maybe the old war horse will rattle across the country at 1,700 rpms without fault once again.We roll from central North Carolina on Friday morning. But great to know there's backup in MT if needs arise. Should that be the case, or if you're hankerin' for a cup of coffee, I'll reach out via the PM function here.Ace.....thanks.....I liked the Pronghorn Antelope & the birds on the wire photo best. But yeah, the flowers were really special.....
Arjan.....I've got some photographs of beautiful mountains to post from that last trip.....coming real soon.....thanks.....
Foy.....that sounds like a great trip for a 23 year old.....truck. Let me know if I can be of any help. I've got a couple of acres for camping with water & electric. Plus a hot shower that comes with a racing stripe (as Big Dawg liked to say). And best of all.....2 dog chairs to kick back in. Also, if you run into any problems in this area, I've got a great diesel mechanic with reasonable rates ($90 per hour).....or it could be as simple as meeting for coffee like Ace and I did.....
I'll mostly be doing short trips this summer. If the weather is good, hopefully I'm gone. If it's hot, I'm probably here. If I'm not here, I can leave you the key.....
Now, the dogs and I..... we're gonna kick back and get out the bag of organic carrots
View attachment 887058
Tacototheworld and I have been carrying the load for far too long.....we need more members to post trip reports. As you well know, In Progress Adventures is darn near dead. So think about it.....
View attachment 887059
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
For sure, Eastern Oregon here. So not along the planned route though.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
PNWY.....I can't wait to read your trip reports.....thanks.....
Foy.....sounds good.....
Ace.....I haven't heard much about forest fires this year locally. Even better, I haven't smelled them.....The drought is the real deal this summer.....it really sucks.....
The return hike to the camper was a rough one.....only because my legs wanted to give up. The last two miles of that hike were quite the challenge for me. 16, 17, 18, even 20 miles.....once were not a big deal......things are a changing.....
We spent a second night at our campsite and headed home the following day. Temperatures in the 90's were now in the forecast.....and I just prefer being at the cabin when we have temperatures like that.....
Three days had passed when we had yet another weather opportunity to get back out into the wilderness. Temperatures dropped significantly so we took advantage of that good weather opportunity. We took the same interstate (Interstate 90) east, we took the same state highway (Highway 89) north, we took the same county road (Upper Cottonwood Creek Road) east.....
We left the cabin late that day since our planned campsite isn't much more than an hours drive from home.....we spotted deer and antelope grazing in the fields as the sun was setting.....it was stunning to see the fields and mountains in the evening light.....
I stopped quite a bit once we were on the gravel road.....just watching the sunset over a variety of different landscapes.....
Finally the sun dipped down below the mountains and sky just lit up......
It was close to 10 p.m when we arrived at the campsite.....not long after that we were sound asleep.....dreaming about one more amazing hike in the Crazy Mountains.....
Foy.....sounds good.....
Ace.....I haven't heard much about forest fires this year locally. Even better, I haven't smelled them.....The drought is the real deal this summer.....it really sucks.....
The return hike to the camper was a rough one.....only because my legs wanted to give up. The last two miles of that hike were quite the challenge for me. 16, 17, 18, even 20 miles.....once were not a big deal......things are a changing.....
We spent a second night at our campsite and headed home the following day. Temperatures in the 90's were now in the forecast.....and I just prefer being at the cabin when we have temperatures like that.....
Three days had passed when we had yet another weather opportunity to get back out into the wilderness. Temperatures dropped significantly so we took advantage of that good weather opportunity. We took the same interstate (Interstate 90) east, we took the same state highway (Highway 89) north, we took the same county road (Upper Cottonwood Creek Road) east.....
We left the cabin late that day since our planned campsite isn't much more than an hours drive from home.....we spotted deer and antelope grazing in the fields as the sun was setting.....it was stunning to see the fields and mountains in the evening light.....
I stopped quite a bit once we were on the gravel road.....just watching the sunset over a variety of different landscapes.....
Finally the sun dipped down below the mountains and sky just lit up......
It was close to 10 p.m when we arrived at the campsite.....not long after that we were sound asleep.....dreaming about one more amazing hike in the Crazy Mountains.....
