Trail Log 1995-1997 - Lamar at Colorado State University

Lots of caves in the Chinese wall face. This is the Lewis overthrust. Limestone.
One out of every four acres of National Forest in Montana is wilderness.
Satellites seen in the sky both nights, quite bright.
The second star of the Big Dipper is double. Indians used to separate out those who had eyesight
good enough to be braves this way.
August 4, Monday. Day ride around Halfmoon Peak.
Rode down Halfmoon Creek, then turned to go down Straight Creek, and reached Green Fork
cabin, where the Green Fork (of Straight Creek) leaves. Lunched there, with some backpackers.
Rode up the Green Fork to the lake down from the falls coming out from the cave. Walked up a bit
toward the falls (pix), and then came back for a swim. The lake has leeches in it.
The ride was 9-10 miles, a little of it (the Straight Creek part) on the Continental Divide Trail.
Horses are built to go uphill better than downhill.
rain in the night.
August 5. Tuesday.
Packed up and began the ride out.
5 hoary marmots (Marmota caligata) on the highline ride under the wall. This marmot is from
Alaska down to northern Montana, barely, and is found in the high mountains. It has a whiter
(hoary) head and shoulders, with black on the head, not so on the Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota
flaviventris) of most of the Western U.S., also in Montana, but hardly here. Interestingly, the
eastern woodchuck (Marmota monax) swings around up from the Eastern U.S. and across Canada
and is found in bits of Idaho. See distribution maps, Burt and Grossenheider. Another one is
confined to the Olympics.
If the horse walks away from you when mounting, grab her mane good with the reins holding her
up tight, and she won't move while you get on.
Walked downhill past the divide for about a mile and a half. Smoke said it was too steep to ride the
horses down.
Golden eagle perched in a tree as we crossed the divide.
Grouse perched in burned tree as we walked the horses past.
Ride of about 8 miles. Camped at Carmichael cabin. Pancakes, now six mornings in a row.
Smoke cooks quite a breakfast.
Bill and I took a stroll in the woods for an hour or so. Olive-sided flycatcher. Fawn with white
spots, seemed young for this late in the season.
August 6, Wednesday. Ride out, about 14 miles. Out about 3.30 p.m., good but uneventful ride
out.
Total ride about 65 miles.