Woo Hoo!

Gary and Dona's Outrageously Wonderful 2011 Pack Trip to the

North Fork of the Sun River, the Chinese Wall, and Prairie Reef

September - October 2011

Part 2: North Fork Sun River to My Lake

After our discombobulated drive over to Gibson Dam, our ride up to the North Fork of the Sun River was a good start at getting my head in a better place.

After a good night's sleep, we awoke with frost on our bags in the morning. We got a liesurely start and had a pleasant day winding in and out between the meadows along the river and the forests on the edges. Along the way we saw several sets of wolf tracks in the trail. They are BIG!

Looking West from North Fork of the Sun View North
Looking West from North Fk Sun
Gary, Looking North View North View North
Gary with the Horses and Max Heading North
Photo by Dona
North Fork of the Sun Country View North
Looking North Looking North
Looking North
Photo by Dona
Looking South
Photo by Dona
Dona on Sky
Dona on Sky
Wolf Track Wolf Track
Wolf Track

Our trail took us away from the river for a while. We went up over a ridge and down to Moose Creek. Where we crossed Moose Creek, you could see the rearranging Mother Nature had done in early Spring when the high water tore out trees along the bank and piled them up downstream.

Uprooted Trees in Moose Creek
Uprooted Trees in Moose Cr.

Then we wound our way back down to the Sun, and camped in the vicinity of Miner's Creek.

At one point Sambo started home, and I had to chase him about half a mile. He might have turned around, being alone; but he wasn't showing in signs of doing so. When we returned to camp I resolved to work with him more with his hobbles. I would lead him to a patch of grass, hobble him, and let him eat until he wanted to move. Then I'd let him stew for a while and finally I'd help him move his feet a little at a time. By the end of our overnight stay, he still hadn't figured it out.

Horses in Camp on North Fork of the Sun River Gary with Horses at Camp
Horses after Arriving in Camp, North Fork Sun River Gary Unloading Horses at Camp
Photo by Dona

Someone before us had a lot of time on their hands, and had built a pretty fancy chair. They had also collected some elk antlers, but either they were from two different animals or it was a very right-handed elk.

Camp Chair Gary with Antlers
Camp Chair
Photo by Dona
Elk Antlers
Photo by Dona
Looking North on North Fork of the Sun Looking North
Looking North, North Fork Sun River Looking North
Photo by Dona
Looking South on North Fork of the Sun Looking South on North Fork of the Sun
Looking South, North Fork Sun River
Looking South
Looking South
Photo by Dona

This was our last camp on the river, so I took what time I could to test out the fishing. They weren't taking drys, so I had to resort to nymphs. They were fiesty little buggers. You're only allowed to keep fish below 12" in length here, so it's a good thing we weren't counting on fish for dinner. Besides, at this point I was more interested in lightening Scheba's load than messing with cooking and cleaning up afterwards.

Gary Fishing Gary Fishing
Gary Fishing
Photo by Dona
and Fishing...
Photo by Dona
Gary Fishing Gary Fishing
Success!
Photo by Dona
Gary Fishing Gary Fishing
A Montana Prize...
Photo by Dona
... and Another
Photo by Dona
Gary Fishing Gary Fishing
More Fun...
Photo by Dona

The next day we rode up through gorgeous grass covered hillsides to Gates Park. Dona loves to hike, and depending on the terrain, either hikes or rides. Depending on how her lower back feels and how her ankle feels, she does one or the other. When she changes off we try to take the time for her to either put on or take off her ankle brace. The day was warming up, and at Gates Park she took off her hat and shirt and stuck them in the elastic bands on the back of her fanny pack. I've never liked elastic as a means of holding things on packs. About two miles up the trail, after we had crossed Red Shale Creek, Dona realized she'd lost her hat and shirt. We tied Sky and Scheba and I trotted back on Sambo to find them. They were about a hundred yards past the place where she had taken them off. One of the disadvantages of being relatively short, and hiking on trails where horses have pounded a rut in soft soil, is that you're kind of down in a trench and the surrounding bushes are a lot higher up on you. The shrubs in Gates Park had snagged them.

Crossing Creek Leaving Camp Crossing Creek Leaving Camp
Crossing Creek Leaving Camp
Photo by Dona
Crossing Creek Leaving Camp
Photo by Dona
Above the North Fork of the Sun, Looking South Gary and the Horses Above the North Fork of the Sun
Above the North Fork of the Sun, Looking South
Photo by Dona
Gary and the Horses, Above the North Fork of the Sun
Photo by Dona
Gary and the Horses Above the North Fork of the Sun Gary and the Horses Above the North Fork of the Sun
Gary and the Horses, Above the North Fork of the Sun
Photo by Dona
Gary and the Horses, Above the North Fork of the Sun
Photo by Dona
Horses above the North Fork of the Sun Above the North Fork of the Sun
Horses above the North Fork of the Sun Above the North Fork of the Sun
Photo by Dona
Above the North Fork of the Sun Gary and Horses Above the North Fork of the Sun
Above the North Fork of the Sun
Photo by Dona
Gary and the Horses, Above the North Fork of the Sun
Photo by Dona
Looking South, above the North Fork of the Sun
Looking South, above the North Fork of the Sun
Gates Lake Max the Pack Dog
Gates Lake
Photo by Dona
Max the Pack Dog
Looking Southwest, Gates Park Gates Park Guard Station
Looking Southwest, Gates Park Gates Park Guard Station
Typical Trail Sign
Typical Trail Sign

We continued on up to My Lake near the Continental Divide and the Chinese Wall. It was a long day, but pretty scenery all the way. As we worked our way higher, new ranges of mountains kept poking their heads up in the distance. We didn't see much wildlife, but we did find fresh moose tracks and occasional bear scat in the trail. This wasn't a very good year for berries, so the bears were having to scrounge around a lot.

My Lake is a small, shallow lake. It's pretty but void of fish, I think. It looks like it probably freezes solid in the winter. You're not allowed to camp with stock within 500 feet of the lake, which is a good thing. The shoreline is fragile, and stock is pretty hard on wet ground. We camped downstream of the lake, and picketed the horses even further away.

Heading Up To My Lake Getting Higher
Heading up to My Lake Getting Higher
Getting Higher Getting Higher
Getting Higher
My Lake
My Lake Panorama
My Lake
My Lake
Photo by Dona

Our next day was planned as a layover; we drifted off to sleep hoping for a great day exploring the Chinese Wall.