October 30, 2016
KooKooSint trail
The KooKooSint trail (USFS trail 445) starts about a mile north of the junction of the Thompson River road and Montana Highway 200 and makes its way up to the top of the western end of KooKooSint Ridge. In about two miles of hiking through eleven switchbacks on the primitive, rocky and rugged foot trail you climb about 2,000 feet to the ridge top from which this photo was taken looking to the east over the Clark Fork of the Columbia River. Somewhere near this point was where the Copper King fire started this past summer.
21 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Montana Outdoors 
Great view and a nice photo.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Malcolm R. Campbell — October 30, 2016 @ 10:29 pm
That’s the way I prefer to look at the world.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by montucky — October 30, 2016 @ 10:42 pm
The Clark Fork is one of the prettiest rivers I’ve ever seen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by wordsfromanneli — October 30, 2016 @ 11:08 pm
Yes, it’s very pretty and a good trout stream as well.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — October 31, 2016 @ 8:36 am
We love crossing that river as it winds under the highway again and again and again. Would love to be able to stop and fish it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by wordsfromanneli — October 31, 2016 @ 10:26 am
Wow, what a great view. It was worth every foot of those switchbacks to climb up to this one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Vicki — October 30, 2016 @ 11:17 pm
The trail also took us through a good section of the burned area of the Copper King fire too. I will post some photos from that too later.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — October 31, 2016 @ 8:41 am
Wonderful vista
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Ron Mangels — October 31, 2016 @ 5:08 am
It’s a view that very few people ever get to see and I’m afraid that the trail may not survive the fire.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — October 31, 2016 @ 8:43 am
For a view like that I’d make the climb! I like the mist in the valley.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — October 31, 2016 @ 3:07 pm
I thought it was well worth it. Might have been better on a clear day, but there have been very few of them lately.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by montucky — October 31, 2016 @ 3:16 pm
I like the clouds at the various altitudes, and that wide, wide view. At first, I thought the bare “thingies” in the foreground were the tops of trees, but I decided they’re some kind of plant. The variety of vegetation up there never fails to amaze me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by shoreacres — October 31, 2016 @ 8:29 pm
The photo was taken within several hundred yards of where (I think) the Copper King fire began on July 31. It was nearly under the retardant drop in my photo from August 1. The plants to which you referred are Mullein growing in a clearing at the ridge top. I was amazed to see anything up there that wasn’t burned and totally surprised to see fresh elk dropping on what remains of the trail.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — October 31, 2016 @ 9:56 pm
What a spectacular view ! Probably hardly any “civilization” noises around apart from an occasional plane, birds, the wind in the trees, some unidentified cry, the sound of your steps on dry leaves… Wonderful photo.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by isathreadsoflife — November 1, 2016 @ 10:13 am
Yes, very quiet, very secluded. The world looks different from up there.
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 1, 2016 @ 10:40 am
I love the view, which You presented. Now I am back and our move to Helsinki went well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Sartenada — November 2, 2016 @ 5:00 am
I’m glad that your move went well and that you are posting again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by montucky — November 2, 2016 @ 11:36 pm
Hi Montucky, What a beautiful vista. Thanks for sharing the glorious scenery of your gorgeous forest and mountain trails. Have a super day tomorrow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by wildlifewatcher — November 3, 2016 @ 8:11 pm
Thanks wildlifewatcher. I’m glad that you enjoy the scenes. You have a good day too! (I’m going hiking.)
LikeLike
Comment by montucky — November 3, 2016 @ 8:49 pm
What a view to get water, mountains, clouds, trees all in one shot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Candace — November 5, 2016 @ 1:40 pm
That trail is a challenge, and the effects of the fire made it even more so, but the view from the top makes it worthwhile. Very few people ever get to see that view.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by montucky — November 5, 2016 @ 7:41 pm