Spring Creek

Here in the southeastern part of the Cabinet Mountains of western Montana a small stream flows down from the TeePee – Spring Creek Roadless Area at the end of KooKooSint Ridge below Big Hole Peak for about ten miles through tall old-growth cedars in a deep, steep and narrow canyon to where, in spring, it enters the Clark Fork River. In late summer, fall and winter, the stream disappears below ground several miles before it reaches the river.

This time of year however the stream is swollen with snow-melt and instead of simply flowing, it plunges, roaring, through several miles of steep cascades on its downward journey.

Here are a series of photos that were taken on the tenth of May of this year from the trail (USFS Trail 370) in the lower several miles of the canyon. The very first one though is from April of 2010 before the annual spring run-off when the stream flow was at a much lower level and was flowing at a much slower rate. It is posted by way of comparison.

I usually refrain from posting so many photos in a single post, but this is an attempt to provide the viewer with a visual feel for what it is like to walk the trail through the canyon.

Catching up ~ from May 28

For one who loves the outdoors, summer time in Montana provides a full schedule; so much to do and see and so many remote places in which to just be. Somehow I’ve gotten far behind in posting stuff and now will try to play catch up, knowing that as I do, things will backlog even further. Oh well…

A month ago on a very cloudy day it seemed good to walk in the high country, in the clouds and the rain. Here are a few photos spread through that ten miles of outdoor bliss.

For those who are familiar with this area, the hike was along the old logging road (Forest Service Road 5587) after the gate at the trail head to Big Hole Lookout, to the intersection with the Spring Creek Trail (Trail # 370) then along it to it’s intersection with the Munson Creek trail (Trail # 372) and then back out. I have promised myself that sometime soon I will leave a car at the Munson Creek trail head and then complete the hike from Road 5587 all of the way down Munson Creek. It will be a full day.

Soft on the eyes, quiet underfoot

The mystery of the canyons below

This trail sign is very old, but in pristine condition; no vandalism 5 miles from motorized access.

Flirting with the ridgetops

Peering through a window in the clouds

Spring? What Spring!

On the Spring Creek trail today. As cold as it looks? No, much colder!

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Six months apart

Today as I hiked along this road near the Spring Creek trail head, I remembered something that was blooming there in June, now resting beneath the warm blanket of snow.

December 14:

June 4:

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Winter moss

This is the time of year when the winter mosses put on their bright green clothes and play by the water. These are beneath the tall cedars in the Spring Creek canyon.

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Our most precious natural resource.

Spring Creek begins where a small cold spring bubbles out of a mountain side in the TeePee – Spring Creek roadless area just below 6,900 foot tall Big Hole Peak. It flows for five to six miles through a beautiful wild canyon among tall firs, pines and cedars and disappears into the ground to supply clear pure water to the aquifer about three miles before where it would otherwise reach the Clark Fork river here in western Montana. Today, water wars are being waged in the courts and legislatures all across the country and still so many people don’t fully understand the critical importance of streams like this one and the natural forested areas that make them possible.