Ride to Burnt Cabin on Monture Creek
June, 2006
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I finally broke down and got a new horse trailer.
I've been looking for a used one but haven't been able to find one I like,
and I finally decided if I'm ever going to see the things I want to see,
I better just get one.
I put shoes on Daiquiri the day before,
and the weather didn't look too bad,
so I loaded her up and drove around the corner to the Monture Creek trailhead.
I wanted to start getting the horses in shape
so I could take a longer pack trip
and some longer day rides before too long.
We were headed up Monture Creek to Burnt Cabin, about 8 miles one way.
There isn't a convenient loop that wouldn't be quite a bit more work,
and for a first ride I didn't want her too worn out.
I was fortunate -- someone had been up the trail a few days before
and cut out most of the fallen timber,
so I didn't have to cut too many logs.
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| Scapegoat Skyline |
Horse Trailer and Daiquiri |
While there have been quite a few forest fires in this area
the past few years,
most of the trail was still in virgin timber.
There were a few places where a lot of trees had their tops broken off
from heavy snowfall.
They generally don't break when the snow is weighing them down --
instead, they snap off when the snow all falls off at once and the tree
springs back upright.
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| Monture Creek and Center Ridge |
Burned Forest |
Spooky Big Trees |
More Big Trees |
Tree Broken from Snow |
The creeks were all running more or less bank full,
and spilling out into the trail in places.
Fortunately, there were nice pack bridges in places.
But other places didn't have much.
It wasn't a big deal except we were on a steep hillside
and if anything was soft we would be in for some excitement.
That only happened once,
when the trail caved a little under Daiquiri's left hind foot.
I was a bit nervous for a while after that...
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| Nice Bridge |
No Bridge |
No Bridge |
About half way up to the cabin,
the creek retreats into a gorge.
It was pretty hairy looking,
with quite a few logs straddling the bottom
just off the water or in it;
and a number of blind corners with not a lot of room to eddy out.
I don't think this is a good creek to boat;
or at least not for me...
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| Center Ridge |
Monture Creek |
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Side Creek |
It rained for three days q few days ago,
and the wildflowers were popping out everywhere.
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| Service Berry |
Clematis |
Indian Paintbrush |
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| Shooting Star |
(shy) Glacier Lily |
Wyeth Biscuitroot |
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| Oregon Grape |
Strawberry |
Arnica |
Wild Lily-Of-The-Valley |
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| Stream Violet |
Lupine |
Lupine and Arrowleaf Balsamroot |
There were some flowers I couldn't identify;
so if you know what they are, please send me a note.
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| Unknown White Flower |
'nother Unknown White Flower |
Unknown Blue Flower |
There were some cool fungi on some of the trees.
I looked for Morrels in the burned over parts,
but didn't find any.
I'm not very good at finding mushrooms...
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| Tree Fungi |
I saw this really cool butterfly,
white with orange on the outside third of its wings.
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| Butterfly |
I heard a Pileated Woodpecker,
but never saw it.
But there were plenty of trees they had been poking at.
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| Pileated Woodpecker Tree |
It threatened to rain towards the end of the day,
but it held off until I got home.
And on the way home I got a couple of treats.
I saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes in a marsh by the road,
and a Great Gray Owl on a fencepost.
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| Great Gray Owl |
S/he didn't like me |
All in all it was a good ride.
Daiquiri didn't get sore,
although she did get tired!
And I didn't get any blisters on my butt,
or sore spots on the inside of my knees.
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