A Ski Along the River and an Afternoon Owl

This month has been a bit overloaded for me. I've gotten out a few times but I've mostly watched the snow pile up as I've spent far too much time working. Upon completion of a major work project just before the deadline I grabbed my cross county skis and headed for the river flood plane near our house.

It wasn't an epic adventure or anything, but sliding around quietly I came upon some beautiful views and a few birds.

River ducks and Ward Mountain

Duck take off and landing marks I think.

In the woods an owl flew by and me and landed in a tree. I set my camera to burst mode and watched him for a while.

Max electronic zoom.

Just as I was turning to leave he began to fly and I caught a burst of him in flight:

Ice & Snow

Ice sheets colliding on Lake Como

I love watching the changes in nature as weather ricochets from one extreme to the other.  Here are some photos from the last month from bitter cold, clear days to the heavy, wet snow melting on my roof now.

Deep, fresh snow at Lolo Pass

Lake Como

Slush and ice floating down the Bitterroot River

The flicker eating crabapples in our front yard

Ice on Lake Como

Half frozen lake at the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Preserve

Warmer than hot chocolate

In honor of the nation-wide freeze today, here are some of the warmest things I know:

Bouldering in the sun

The smell of flowers wafting on a hot breeze

Sweating in a raft before jumping in the river

Cuddling in poofy coats

Baking in a tent to avoid mosquitoes

Scouting rocks during the heat of the day

Belaying on a sunny ledge

Stay warm out there!

Boulders and crags under snow up Roaring Lion Creek

Last week's storm cycle blanketed the valleys as well as the peaks in the Bitterroot.

To my eyes, the first few snowfalls accentuate the landscape.  Shadowy trees and rocks that usually blend into the background stand out starkly in their frosty finery.

We brought both snowshoes and chacos - but used neither.  The slippery log above saved us from wet, cold feet.  We'll need another storm or two before snowshoes would be useful down low.

From Peak to Creek

The movement of water through the mountains is dramatically visible standing at the trailhead for Little Rock Creek: snowy peaks tower over a green, mossy drainage, leading to the empty shores of Lake Como.

Lake Como is a large reservoir used primarily for irrigation.  I swam in 30 or 40 feet deep water in early summer.

Fall rains and snows are refilling alpine lakes and streams.  I bet the waterfall (above) on Little Rock Creek was a trickle about a month ago.

From Stanley to Sunbeam, from Clayton to Challis....

Harvest moon rising over City of Rocks

This is an eclectic collection of photos, a bit jumbled and wonderful like the backseat (and trunk, and passenger foot well) of our car on our recent road trip through Idaho. We started on a mad dash for the City of Rocks, and then, when camp sites were all reserved on the weekend, we made a detour that unexpectedly followed Yonder Mountain String Band's song, Idaho.

The Toyota Corolla, entirely more hardcore than it seems at first glance.

City of Rocks

First stop: City of Rocks, to take advantage of the perfect fall climbing temps. The undulating landscape of granite domes looked to me like an endless playground.  Two days was not enough time and we'll be back for more.

Ryan got his start climbing here on family vacations, and I can see why!  I don't think it is possible to visit this place and not at least wonder what it would be like to scale the walls and perch up high with the vultures.

Sawtooth Mountains & Red Fish lake

From the City of Rocks we drove North(ish) following the Salmon River from Stanley to Sunbeam where we stopped for awhile at Redfish Lake and hiked up a ridge to get a view of the craggy Sawtooth Mountains.  The renowned Elephants Perch was close enough to taste, but not to see.  Only 5 hours from home.  Then we headed from Clayton to Challis, through the rangeland palace with sage brush all around.

Along the Road

Views from the car were almost as good as the ones farther from the road.  I love a good road trip where there's always the possibility of discovering a new magic spot.  So very many here.

Wild cows of the West

Useful books for this area:

• Idaho Atlas and Gazeteer - indispensable!  Good to know the locations of campgrounds as well as public land, especially in areas where a smartphone won't work.
• City of Rocks, A Climber's Guide - Covers routes and areas that are classic, as well as new areas. Lacking some info that I like in guide books such as what size gear to bring (always interesting to climb 2/3 of a pitch and then find out that you really should have brought that number four cam on a route touted as a great hand crack.)
• Idaho, a Climbing Guide: Climbs, Scrambles and Hikes - Wish we had brought this!  Alas, we left it at home when we thought we'd spend the entire trip at the City of Rocks.  Looks like a really good guide, covers the Sawtooth and other ranges.
• Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Northwest - This is the land of hot springs flowing into the Salmon River.  The Forest Service/Visitor Center just South of Stanley also has flyers with some hot springs locations, as well as lots of maps and guidebooks for sale.