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How time fliesAug 2, 2008
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| Well, we have been here at Lost Creek State Park near Anaconda for 3 plus weeks now. It seems like we just arrived. We have settled in to our duties very nicely, establishing a "sort of" routine. Our site is about a mile from the camp loop with 15 of the 21 sites so they have provided us with a Polaris Ranger to run back and forth. We affectionately call it our "Go Cart". There has not been a camp host in this campground for about 10 years now we find out from the locals. They must have wanted one pretty badly because the State of Montana invested a goodly amount in developing a host site. They drilled a well, put in a septic tank, built a shed and installed a large generator that runs the pump from the well as well as providing us with electricity on demand. Sweet deal. Last fall they had to remove over 4000 trees that were diseased with the notorious pine beetle. What that has done is to remove an extreme fire danger in this canyon. But it has also opened up the view. We understand from locals and returning visitors that the canopy was so heavy before you could not see the beautiful cliffs on both sides. Now the view is incredible. The bad news for us is that where we are located, they had to clear cut to get the diseased trees out. This part of Montana is high mountains, but mostly rolling hills type of terrain. As you drive along the highway one would never know this really rugged canyon is here. The canyon walls are limestone and granite cliffs that are popular with rock climbers. One morning we sat on our patio and watched a couple of climbers. It was really interesting.;; There are supposed to be big horn sheep and mountain goats, neither of which we have seen yet, and bear and mountain cats, which we have not seen either. However, bear have been reported to us on the edges of the park but none have come in to the campsites yet. Up at the end of the driveable part of the canyon, Lost Creek drops down the mountain about 50 feet or more in a spectacular water fall. There is a Forest Service Trail that leaves out of the park and goes on for miles we understand, along the creek and past some old cabins and bridges from many years ago. Every morning we take Teddy and walk up the road to the main camp loop and back. It a rise in elevation of about 500 feet and a distance of about 2 miles, round trip. It is good news and bad news. Bad news is it is a one mile walk up hill. The good news is the return mile in down hill. But it is a good chance for us to visit with the campers when we are on foot and we also check out the areas that need tending to later in the day. |
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