DRIVING TO MUSIGBROD LAKE VIA THE BURNED AREA OF TRAIL CREEK ON HWY 43.

 For our Sunday drive this week we drove over to Musigbrod Lake over in the Big Hole Valley.  This area had a large fire in this area in the last month.  It is still burning in some areas but the road is now open.  We did this to get to Musigbrod Lake where we have kayaked in the past.  It is a very pretty drive to get there although it is over some of the most wash-boarded gravel roads we have driven on!  They are still putting up their hay in that area.  It is certainly big ranch country.  And a very beautiful place.  High in altitude and very cold in the winter!  It is also known for it's aggressive large mosquitoes!  We did not bring our kayak as the water in the lake is used for irrigation and this time of year is getting low and we got a late start.  I also wanted to take some pictures of the burned out areas - some of which are below. I took a lot more!!  Lots more!

This is Trail Creek which the fire was named after.

You can see some smoke where the fire is still burning north of the Big Hole Battlefield National Monument. 

Lots of lilies on the lake in this area.

This part of the lake gets a lot of wind and blows the trees up here in high water times.

Some campers had too much time on their hands and made a few things out of the numerous little dead trees!

On this end of the lake there is a great white sand beach. 

Lots of fireweed around also.

ELAINA GOES TRAIL RIDING

Carl and Deb's daughter Elaina has been taking riding lessons from an instructor named Jen who we all know well.  Jen brought a few horses over to our place and took Elaina and her mother Deb for a trail ride.  Sure beats riding in an arena!  Connie of course tagged along or actually led them as she knows our area the best.  They all seemed to have a great time and there were a lot of smiles on their faces when they returned.  A few pictures below.

Cleaning the horses feet.  Carl was recruited to help.

Getting them saddled.

Deb just about ready to ride.

Elaina mounted up and ready to go.

Deb also ready to go.

And off they go on their ride with Zeph bring up the tail end making sure they all get going.

And they return.

All had a good time.

And look at that big smile on Elaina's face.

A DRIVE UP BLUE JOINT OVER TO ALTA, MONTANA

OUR SUNDAY DRIVE UP BLUE JOINT

Fireweed by an old stump in a burned out area. 

 

Connie by an old pondarosa pine that lived through a fire.

It really is a large tree.  Not sure of it's height, but very tall.

Some more old pines.

View looking south towards Idaho.

And a very large dead pine still standing among ones that are not.

 

 

And you can see how thick and down these trees are.  No wonder we are having problems putting out fires when they get going.  And boy do we have some trees burning here in Montana right now!  A very bad fire season we are having. 

This is where we had to turn around as it just narrowed to tight.

This grouse was wondering what we were doing driving on her road.  We only saw this grouse and one mule deer doe all day.