Dave Carter, RTD, and I went for a hike in some hills overlooking the Cardwell Canyon of the Jefferson River. Lewis and Clark passed through here in late July/early August, 1805, and called the area "third mountain gap:"
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We hiked along a ridge that might have been the same climbed by Clark as he reconnoitered the landscape:
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There are great views, of course, west and to the Highland Mountains just south of Butte:
It's rough country, with vertical slabs of limestone that sometimes run for a mile or so, creating sparsely vegetated ridges separated by sagebrush valleys and even a few trees on northern aspects:
Though it doesn't look like moose country, there was sign of a cow and calf having wintered here:
Like mule deer, they must like the mountain mahogany:
And the bitterbrush:
Nothing like a cool spot of snow to press your ass into on a warm, sunny spring day:
And lo,"Consider the lillies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor sping; and yet I say to you even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these!"
Several days later, I drove over the Continental Divide to the Bitterroot, where I gave a talk about the Big Hole River and fluvial Arctic grayling to the local Trout Unlimited chapter. I drove through the Big Hole and up Trail Creek and across Chief Joseph pass. Still lots of snow in the Big Hole, here a view toward the Pintler from the Mule Ranch on Deep Creek:
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Near Hamilton, RTD and I found a nice campsite in the ponderosa pines at the mouth of Blodgett Canyon. Just enough light to build a nice fire to sprawl in front of and relax before bedtime:
And enjoy the nice view of the rimrock above camp:
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You can press your nose into a ponderosa trunk and inhale the aroma of vanilla. And I love the graceful, long needles of the ponderosa:
Just after making my morning coffee, I strolled out to a sunny point and sat down. Looking up toward that rimrock, I watched several mule deer work their way up the grassy zig-zag chute. The deer in the rear of the group spooked and bolted back down the chute, but the deer in the lead stood fast. Hurrying back to the tent, I grabbed my binoculars, found a spot to sit, and watched a mountain lion slip from the rock into a patch of bruch 50 yards or so above the deer. I thought I was going to witness a Wild Kingdom moment, but the deer stood its ground, the lion remained in the brush where I could not see it, and after about 20 minutes I decided to finish my breakfast and pack up. By which time another bunch of deer walked into camp, seemingly unafraid of me or the excited whimpers of RTD:
On my way back to Butte, the ice was just starting to break up on the upper Big Hole River near the Fishtrap Access Site and Sportsman's Park:
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Here and there throughout Montana, as here at Fishtrap, you will see the cool fence post art sculptures by Cory Holmes of Havre:
A mating pair of sandhill cranes look forlorn out there on a still frozen meadow:
But spring is on the way, as these pussy willows will attest:
Almost home to Butte, I'm welcomed back by the herd of antelope in Butori's pasture along the Crackerville Road:
See also:
Lewis & Clark in the Cardwell Canyon
Montana fencepost art
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