Summer’s End – The “Last Best” Weeks

   ~Doug Stevens; The Graytrekker

Please excuse the obvious reference to “Montana – The Last Best Place”, but it is how I feel about the last two weeks of summer.  While astronomically speaking, summers ends with the fall equinox, on or about September 21^st, culturally, it seems to end with the Labor Day holiday weekend.  The kids go back to school, the boat gets covered and put away until next year, football starts, etc. However, there are still about 2 weeks of actual summer left between when people have switched into a fall frame of mind and when fall actually starts.  For most years, no-one has told Mother Nature this.  Those last 2 weeks of summer, “Summer’s End”, can be some of the best days of the year to get out. The heat of August has cooled off, the days are a bit shorter, the nights a bit cooler and longer (better for star-gazing), the bugs are now gone, but the days can still be sunny and quite warm.  With the full array of fall splendor is still 2 weeks away, you can already see first intimations of the fall colors in the mountains, hinting at what is to come.  While most plants have gone to seed, there are still some flowering at this time of year, such as the bluebells and the fleabane – purple colored daisies.  The fruit on the mountain ash has become a deep orange/red and the huckleberry bushes are taking on their deep brick red colors.  Up high, if you look carefully, you can still find some huckleberries that the bears missed.  Other green foliage, such as the mountain willows, thimbleberries and some cottonwoods begin to display a yellowish hue.  If there has been some rain at the end of August/beginning of September (and there usually has been), the mushrooms are beginning to emerge.  To top it off, all this is happening under (usually) blue, warm skies.

If it has been a smokey summer, by summer’s end the skies are usually a lot clearer due to that late summer rain, [see Smoked Out of Glacier Again – https://www.distinctlymontana.com/node/40298].  OK - so that wasn’t an issue this year, but in years past it certainly has.  The wildlife is a bit more active than before Labor Day.  Now you can hear the first bugling of the elk heading into their rut.  Perhaps a word of caution is warranted here.  If you are heading out into bear habitat, know that this is a very active period for them, too.  Known as “hyperphagia”, they are hungry and putting down as many calories as they can before the onset of winter and hibernation.  Please carry bear spray and be prudent!

The added benefit of this time is there are usually far fewer people in the mountains, without having to sacrifice decent weather  - a definite “win-win” situation.  There is greater availability of campsites, fewer people on the trails – more alone time.  An exception would be the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area.  Here there is an early opening to the rifle season (generally Sept 15) and there is a lot of activity at the trailheads and along the main corridors with many trucks and horse trailers coming and going and large pack trains packing in supplies for the hunting camps there.  But get off the main thoroughfares, and The Bob is big enough to absorb quite a large number of people before you notice them. 

If, instead, you head to the parks, state or national, where hunting is not allowed, that will thin the numbers out a bit, as well.  It is true, though, that visitation rates to our parks has been growing steadily over the last several years, with even September numbers up.  However, there are significantly fewer people than during the pre-Labor Day summer.  If one avoids the main areas where these visitors generally go (like the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park), one can more easily find that soul-restoring solitude many of us need. Indeed, I have recently returned from a 10 hour, 14 mile day hike in Glacier to a backcountry lake and saw no-one all day except around one of the backcountry campsites and the trailhead.  It was sunny and warm, the scenery was absolutely fantastic and I was totally alone!

Montana is blessed with such incredible, diverse physical majesty.  Summer’s End is a perfect time to get out and really explore and appreciate what we have here at home – so put down that remote and get out there!

Happy Trails – Doug Stevens – “The Graytrekker”.

Granite Ghost Town

     ~Montana State Parks

Once a thriving 1890s silver boomtown, Granite Ghost Town State Park, is exactly what its name suggests, the remains of a mining town from the 1800s. In 1865, Hector Horton discovered silver in the area and in the autumn of 1872, the Granite mine was discovered by a prospector named Holland. The mine was relocated in 1875.

This is one of the best ghost camps in all of Montana. At one point the Granite mine was the richest silver mine on the earth, and it might never have been discovered if a telegram from the east hadn't been delayed. The mine's backers thought the venture was hopeless and ordered an end to its operation, but the last blast, on the last shift uncovered a bonanza, which yielded $40,000,000 in silver.

In the silver panic of 1893, word came to shut the mine down. The mine was deserted for three years, never again would it reach the population it once had of over 3,000 miners.

Today there is no one living in the camp. The shell of the Miners' Union Hall still stands. The roof supports have caved to the bottom floor, the third-floor dance hall, second-floor union offices, and ground-floor saloon/cafe are about to collapse together. The company hospital still stands.

Permits are required for some activities.  View Map HERE

Prepare for a steep and windy drive to Granite from Phillipsburg. The road gains 1,280 feet in elevation and you may need to pull over for oncoming traffic, but you’ll have a beautiful view!

Only a few buildings still remain, but the main street of Granite was once bustling with saloons, a newspaper office, rooming houses, and restaurants. The state park preserves the Granite Mine Superintendent’s house and the ruins of the old miners’ Union Hall, both of which are included in the Historic American Buildings Survey. 

Be sure to take some time to hike the web of trails that lead to old homes and other ruins in the area while you’re here!

Did you know?

At its peak, Granite had a both a Chinatown and a red light district. 

Activities at Granite Ghost Town include:

✅ History

✅ Photography

✅ Wildlife Viewing 

✅ Plus more!

Top 10 Fly Fishing Rivers of Montana

   ~Sean Jansen

With the days shortening and the temperature beginning to fall with the sun, the days of summer are showing in the rearview mirror as we continue driving down the road to fall. With the beginning of school starting and the leaves slowly changing their colors, there is one thing that doesn’t seem to change with the switch of the seasons, the fishing. The summer crowds have thinned with the textbooks open and the seasonal job crunch in full effect, the trout continue there chase of the remaining flying insects. Here is a list of the top ten trout streams in our, “Trout Mecca,” of a state.

10. Clark Fork

Known for its darker past of polluted water, the river has since recovered to a vital lifeline for surfers, college students, and anglers alike. Long are the days of a hostile river. Nothing but outdoor recreation and casting dry flies to pods of fish on this river.

9. Jefferson River

One of the mighty tributaries to the longest river in the country, and aptly named after our third U.S. President, the Jefferson braids its way to form the Missouri. Under fished and under the radar, probably just the way it likes it.

8. Gallatin River

Once a river of solitude despite the highway running from Big Sky to Bozeman, the Gallatin still holds the picturesque quality that Robert Redford used in the film, “A River Runs Through It.” A sanctuary from the heat in the late summer and early fall days, the trout are holding even with the traffic lines blazing down the highway.

7. Big Hole River

A tributary to the Jefferson, the Big Hole runs for around 150 miles through some of Montana’s prettiest landscapes. The fishing is as varied as the landscape and with strict regulations keeping this blue ribbon fishery happy and healthy.

6. Missouri River

The longest river in North America begins its life here in Montana. With nutrients coming from Yellowstone National Park, the Continental Divide and the Madison Gallatin Range, making it a hot bed for a healthy river system and trout fishery.  Whether by float or wade fishing, the Missouri is a gem in our state.

5. Beaverhead River

One of the first rivers I fished in Montana, the Beaverhead is lodged in my brain with large and numerous trout. Though it is a relatively short river in Montana standards, what it lacks in length it makes up for in abundance of quality fish.

4. Smith River

As we all know, the Smith River could potentially be the most sought after fishery in the state, but sadly it’s also the most threatened. If you get the chance to score one of the highly prized permits to be able to float and camp on the Smith, take advantage of the situation and its beauty for we don’t know how long it will stay that way with the threat of the mine.

3. Big Horn River

Though the river starts its life in Wyoming, the epic fishing begins in the state of Montana. Flowing through the Bighorn National Recreation Area, the world-class tailwater fishing of the river has a higher fish count than any other river on the list. Nymphing, streamers, and hoppers all making the angler happy for nine months of the year.

2. Yellowstone River

The famous Yellowstone River. Flowing from the first national park of its namesake, this river boasts what seems like an infinite amount of water and some of the greatest fly fishing on the planet. Known around the world, grab your raft, hire a guide, or slap on the waders and fish from shore, the Yellowstone is a must-cast river.

1. Madison River

You can’t think of fly fishing anywhere in the world without the Madison coming to mind. Named after U.S. Secretary of State James Madison by Meriwether Lewis in Three Forks, the river brings in most of the annual revenue of Montana’s fishery. With every variety of fly fishing from swinging streamers to casting midges in winter, it is the ultimate fly fishing river.

Lost Creek State Park

   ~Montana State Parks Foundation & Prairie Populist

Lost Creek State Park is a public recreation area and campground located six miles north of Anaconda, Montana, featuring limestone cliffs and multi-colored rock formations that rise 1,200 feet (370 m) above its canyon floor.

The 502 acre state park features a short walking trail to Lost Creek Falls, which plunges 50 feet. The park is open year-round for hiking, bicycling, fishing, and wildlife viewing with mountain goats and bighorn sheep commonly seen. The park is open seasonally for camping. 

This place is a hidden gem… a lot of people don’t realize it’s here,' said Katie Harding of Butte.

A diamond in the rough of industrial copper country, Lost Creek State Park is a different vista than what is typically associated with the historic mining and smelted landscape around Anaconda.  It is not by any means lost, but to many, it has yet to be found.  A lot of people have no clue that this secluded, paradise of public land hides in one of the many draws of the Pintlers

Wildlife, especially mountain goats, golden eagles, and bighorn sheep are frequently seen on the cliffs above the park.  Pika are often seen and heard in the rocks and talus of the upper portion of the canyon. 

If you prefer a longer hike, US Forest Service trails just north of the falls parking area lead for miles into the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

One such trail winds for several miles along Lost Creek through forests and meadows with great views of the surrounding mountains.

Located in the Flint Creek Mountain Range, Lost Creek State Park is a must for Montanans and visitors alike.

Did you know?

With the significant growth of Aspen throughout the park, the colors are brilliant come fall – so be sure to get this on your list!

Grey limestone cliffs rise high above the canyon along with towering 1,200 foot pink and white granite formations. 

You can also: 

✅ Keep your eye out for wildlife which includes mountain goats, golden eagles, bighorn sheep, pika, and elk!

✅ Fish for native trout in the tumbling creek.

✅ Go mountain biking along a Forest Service trail.

✅ Winter? No problem, you can go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

✅ Plus so much more!

Let’s get outside!

Montana Substance Abuse & Treatment

Substance abuse does not only affect the user mentally and physically, it clouds their perception and makes communicating with them very difficult. Even if not addicted, many people tend to find difficulty communicating and wind up misunderstanding each other, resulting in shouting matches and fights. So imagine what it's like communicating with someone whose actions and words are being controlled by a substance. Being around people who have an addiction isn’t always easy and communicating with them doesn’t usually happen naturally. You may often find yourself walking on eggshells, worried about saying the wrong thing. 

Addiction creates confusion within the addict and those around them. To have better communication with an addict, you might have to go through trial and error several times before you come up with a way that opens the channels of communication. It is advisable that you consult with professionals for advice. In Montana, USA, for example, they provide free rehabilitation services in a number of centers. You’ll find that this is because the number of addicts in Montana in particular has gone up considerably. According to the State Crime Lab in Missoula, the number of people testing positive for heroin and meth has gone over 143 percent in the past 3 years. The problem has escalated to the point where even the number of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome has risen- meaning these infants are plagued even before they’re given a chance to live. The drug problem in Montana is indicative of how fast the drug scene is growing worldwide and how much of a serious problem it is that is slowly getting out of control. But the silver lining is that the options for rehabilitation are increasing and so are the efforts for effective treatment. This is great because you can consult with the people at the centers or even go there and have a talk with someone who can guide you on how you can proceed in communicating. This could be very useful as they can also guide you on how you can eventually have the addict check themselves into rehab at some point.

Here are a couple of tips on how you can move forward in communication:

Be Kind

People do not choose to become addicts. Probably the biggest problem that people have when dealing with someone with a substance abuse problem is that the symptoms of addiction are everything society rejects; lying, stealing, aggressiveness, etc. Addicted people often expect others to belittle and criticize them. Being kind and compassionate will not necessarily stop their addiction, but it is a means of showing you accept them as they are and are not looking down on them. 

Be A Listener

You will have a better chance for good communication if you listen rather than talk at a person. A person suffering from addiction doesn’t want to be preached to and they might open up when talking to someone who is not criticizing or interrupting them. When you listen, it helps them to put their guard down and you may discover what the core issue is.

Check Your Actions

If you know the person has an addiction, such as alcohol for example, it’s certainly not the best of ideas to talk to them about it over a bottle of wine at dinner. Your actions are just as important, if not more important, than your words. While the addicted person can be very unpredictable in their actions, you need to be the opposite and be consistent in your behavior towards them. Don’t take addicts by surprise by words or actions that may derail them as this will cause them stress. Until they have the coping tools they need to deal with stress or anger and other emotions, you need to keep the upper hand in staying calm and displaying the correct behavior.

Support Change

Usually we tend to believe that it is only the addict that needs to change; but the truth of the matter is, anyone dealing with an addict also needs to change. If you’re not addicted and compare yourself to an addict, you will probably come out with the conclusion that you’re a better person. Truth be told, if you don’t change and support the change a patient with an addiction is trying to make, you will not advance towards recovery. That’s why the best rehab programs to treat alcohol dependency do not only treat the addict, but also offer programs to

help families. Once the addict starts to benefit through counseling and other means offered in these programs, they will have a different view of ‘change’ Their fears will lessen when they see you are willing to make changes, too.

Provide Support

Remember that your main job is to provide support – not fix the problem. There are professional people better equipped to put the substance user on the road to recovery. Your job is to support and encourage when an addict makes proper choices; even if you don’t agree with the means. You might have a different view on how the addict can get better, and that view may differ than the addict’s own strategy. As long as both of you are receiving the desired outcome of getting the addict recovered, then that’s fine. But you should be clear and firm about what is unacceptable in their behavior. It’s important to let them know that you do not condone or support their addiction, and make it clear that you will not be the enabler, only their support in getting through this ordeal.

Directing Anger In The Right Direction

Regardless of how much you love this person, there will be times when your anger gets the better of you. You have to learn how to separate anger towards the behavior of the addict, and the individual themselves. It’s absolutely normal to get angry and frustrated at the behavior, which is different than getting angry at a loved one for being an addict. The person you love is still there, but being completely controlled by drugs. Speaking about love, you might be thinking that if they love you, the addict should be able to quit. The truth is, love has very little to do with the ability to overcome substance abuse. Quitting has a structure to be followed and is about learning new skills to cope with what is going on around you. It’s a process that has a beginning, but doesn’t really have an end as it’s a work in progress. Loving the addict is important, but it’s not a magic cure that will turn everything around.

It is known that substance abuse is a family disease; if only one person is addicted, all family members are affected. You will need to find better ways to communicate. When you understand that their addiction is a disease and it doesn’t mean they don’t love you, and doesn’t mean they have chosen drugs over you, you’ll be better able to communicate. It may never look like it, but it’s true that every addict wants to quit. Your kindness, support, understanding and love are all needed. When paired up with professional help, the ability to lead a drug-free life is very much in reach.

Growing Up in Montana

   ~Tammy Ward

When I was a little girl, I spent every spare minute I could, riding my buckskin mare, Stormy, through the mountains. I knew that area like the back of my hand. I explored every park, every valley, and every mountain within riding distance. Any of the areas I wasn’t familiar with, I set out to find out about them. Learn the landmarks, and which trails to take. Most importantly how to get back to camp before dark! I had a few rules I had to follow so Mom wouldn’t worry. 

I would get up as early as I could, strap on my .22 magnum Ruger, grab that horse, bridle her and sometimes saddle her, pack up my lunch (matches, a royal coachman fly and piece of fishing line) and off I would go. Early on, Smokey, our Malamute/wolf dog and later, Snowy, our sweet little Spitz always following faithfully beside. 

We explored every nook and cranny within riding distance of the cabin. Quite often, I would stop at one of Dads mining claims and do some assessment work. Each claim had to have a certain amount of work done to it every year to stay valid. Dad usually had a shovel and pick stashed somewhere near the claim. Sometimes I would search for sapphires or pan for gold, but my attention span has always been short, so I was more thrilled to find the Calka Pyrite.. it wasn’t worth anything, but I just loved those shiny rocks. 

Over the years I saw deer, elk, Wolverine, badgers, Rock chucks, eagles, hawks, camp robbers, porcupine, brown bear, grizzly bears and all sorts of various other animals and birds. I remember listening for the different sounds of the animals, sometimes a coyote or a far away mountain lion, the assortment of birds, even the flies and bees. But I so enjoyed the soft whisper of the wind whistling through the pines.

I used to love to search for the different flowers, Indian paintbrushes, bear grass, deer tongue, sego lilly’s and was always so excited when I would find the Lady Slippers, so fragile and beautiful, usually hidden close to the creek, in the cooler spots and mostly in the shade. I can still remember the taste of the wild strawberries and raspberries, such a special treat! Occasionally I’d catch a brookie and roast it over a campfire, but I wasn’t very fond of fish.  I loved to catch them though, so I often took a few home for Mom or Dad to cook. And the icey cold spring water, was like heaven on my lips and the smell of the mountain air I can’t even begin to explain. 

Lunch was usually enjoyed sitting in a bear grass patch, with Stormy and my dog close by. Stormy would stay right beside me although I never tied her up. She would graze right near me, eating every single blade of grass around me. Other times she would lay down and I could cuddle between her legs and lay my head on her stomach. She was my constant companion and always such a comfort when I needed friend. 

You know, I remember very few moments of ever feeling lonely or afraid. It was my home, my comfort and the silence of those mountains would come alive.

 Montana's Greatest Through-Hike

   ~Sean Jansen

The Beaten Path is a 26-mile thru-hike, point-to-point trail that climbs its way up and over the Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains. The range runs east to west covering nearly one million acres of granite and forest. Boasting over 30 mountain peaks skyrocketing beyond 12,000 feet, cradling Montana’s highest peak. Over 300 alpine lakes, thousands of creeks, numerous specie of trees and plants and the largest unbroken area of land over 10,000 feet outside of Alaska.

The Beaten Path dissects it, following the East Rosebud Creek, now declared Wild and Scenic, up and over the range via East Rosebud Trail and down to Cooke City via the Clarks Fork Trail. The side you choose to start is decided upon you. Although many start on the south side, or Clarks Fork drainage.

The East Rosebud starts at an elevation of 6,280 feet. The trail reaches a height of 9,967 feet. The elevation of the Clarks Fork is around 8,000 feet. So the theory to start on the Clarks Fork side is that you climb less, which may be true. But the Clarks Fork is forested at the start. Where as the East Rosebud bursts into granite, views, and water like a switch from cable to direct TV. The trail instantly climbs and doesn’t hesitate to mellow until the top. But the views around each bend, lake, and stream are far worthy of the struggle to get there. Elk Lake is the first puddle of water stumbled upon.

The trail meanders slowly through patches of rocky outcroppings and direct sunlight, or if you’re unlucky, horrendous thunder and lightening, which come up without warning. But the section south of Elk Lake en route to the next lake, Rimrock, has to be the most spectacular.

You climb for ninety percent of the trail to the pass, but the section before Rimrock Lake will decide the trip. The switchbacks, which can be seen going up the mountainside, question you’re physical ability and the logistics of whom constructed it. But the sheer granite walls on either side with a waterfall cascading from above certainly make for every break on the climb worth the steps. Once to the forested section atop the switchbacks, you wind through the trees until a brief clearing of forest. And like out of a movie, Rimrock Lake appears, with a view of the trail crossing above the waterfall just climbed. Camping along the lake is near impossible, with it being named quite literally. However the next body of water isn’t far, and certainly has options for cozier sleep with previously used tent areas.

Rainbow Lake is the next stop. Just a hop, skip, and a jump away, with of course some more climbing, the trail follows along the lakes western shore where it drops to water lever and meanders around each bay lined with pine and a patch of wildflowers, blending wonderfully to the azure blue hue of the lake. The Forest Service requires a minimum of 200 feet distance when camping from water. Besides Elk Lake, Rainbow is the first to offer such amenities. Patches of dirt areas have mixed large boulders and trees for coverage from weather.

For the most part, the lakes are relatively even in space between each other. With Lake At Falls being the next example. Like Rimrock, out of the trees and into a sweeping view, Lake At Falls might be the most aptly named lake on the entire trail.

Between Lake At Falls and the next lake, Duggan, the battle of the waterfalls is a good one. The waterfall at Lake At Falls is one that breaks the height barrier and beckons what is up where it is cascading, but the trail doesn’t meander in that direction. Where as Duggan breaks the volume barrier and once again hints at more water to come.

There are a few bodies of water in route to Dewey and finally the top, Fossil Lake. However, once a hiker has reached this point, the camping at Dewey and Fossil far exceed those previous. Dewey offers excellent camping and sweeping views of the very peak the lake is named after. Possibly the most popular spot for camping with large areas of grassy patches and forested for protection from the unwarned lightening strikes. Fossil has nothing but space for the hiker to set up camp with not a tree in sight at an elevation of 9,967 feet and the highest point on trail.

The peninsulas and bays of Fossil Lake offer solitude for anyone who wishes to set up a tent. Each one offers casting space for hungry cutthroat in this surprisingly large lake. Grasses and wildflowers blanket the shores inviting at the least, a picnic for the days hiking efforts. Once atop, the views and grandeur of the Beartooth Mountains take in the attention as the granite points skyward to unfathomable heights.

A gradual and soft hike in route to Cooke City now on the Clarks Fork Trail as you follow a creek meandering down from another off trail lake now blanketed with wildflowers even more spectacular than that of the north side of the range.

With the open grasses and wildflowers of altitude now fade slowly to forested, the next two lakes seem like a blink compared to the literal latter of lakes climbed previous. Dropping down further through more forest and old burned areas the highway and picnic area come faster than anticipated.

The trail is little more than a marathon, dissecting one of the largest wilderness areas in the lower 48 states. Some want to backpack it and take days on end to soak it all in, while others  challenge themselves and hike or run it all in a day. Whichever method, length of time, or direction you decide, the Beaten Path is worth every huff and puff and drop of sweat spent to get there.