Doodler Posted March 31, 2021 Posted March 31, 2021 15 hours ago, norseman said: I highly suggest you leave the computer on www.russianwives.com until she comes around on the camping thing....... 😉 Right! I love camping. I've camped as a reenactor with my clothes, knapsack, haversack, rifle, knife and bedroll. Sleeping on the cold cold ground, so to speak. And up to tent camping in canvas or modern stuff. She didn't pick me, and I didn't pick her because of camping. But I did ask, and she said, if the Russian wife likes to cook and clean, she's welcome to join the team. LOL Can't get anything past this woman. 3
PNWexplorer Posted April 2, 2021 Posted April 2, 2021 My girlfriend said she loved camping when we first started dating. What I later learned is that her idea of camping was a luxury RV or in a campground with shower facilities. We compromised and I brought along a port-a-potty when we tent camp. 3
norseman Posted April 2, 2021 Admin Posted April 2, 2021 7 minutes ago, PNWexplorer said: My girlfriend said she loved camping when we first started dating. What I later learned is that her idea of camping was a luxury RV or in a campground with shower facilities. We compromised and I brought along a port-a-potty when we tent camp. Your a reasonable man..... 1
BC witness Posted April 12, 2021 Author Posted April 12, 2021 I'm glad I had a plan "B" in mind! I set off today with the intention to scout the length of the Silver-Skagit/Ross Lake Forest Service road complex, where our group has followed up on several sightings over the last few years. This logging road system extends about 60 km S from Hwy 1, following the Silver Creek drainage for around half its length, then cresting a pass and following the Skagit River flowing in the opposite direction to Ross Lake, which straddles the Canada/US border. The gravel main logging road is in typical spring shape, some nice smooth sections connected by stretches of shock eating potholes, often hidden in shaded areas where they're difficult to see before you shake your fillings out. At the first branch road, I managed to get 6km up the feeder creek before I met another 4x4 who had stopped because the wet spring snow at that higher elevation had halted his progress, even with chains on, so it was turn-around time for both of us. Back on the FSR main, I continued south, until reaching a security roadblock at km 26, less than half way to my goal. The young woman at the gate explained that a recent wind storm had blown many dozens of trees down onto the road from that point on, and logging crews were clearing them, so access was closed till they finish up on Tuesday. So now I needed plan "B" That entailed back tracking to Hwy 1, and turning south on the next watershed road system, which is a much steeper creek valley, but less well known, and less busy than my plan A trip. I only got 8 km in on this road, hitting heavy wet snow pack on the road at the 1,000M elevation (3300 ft), which stopped my H3 on a steep climb, so I hiked a little further up, till my old legs got achy, then returned to the truck, and headed home for supper. I scanned a lot of km of snow along the roads, without seeing any tracks at all, and no wildlife other than birds, but it was satisfying to get on the back roads again to try for that lucky break. 1 1 2
Wolfjewel Posted April 12, 2021 Posted April 12, 2021 What kind of tracks do we have here, yours? Looks like an excellent snowpack for tracks.
BC witness Posted April 12, 2021 Author Posted April 12, 2021 Yes, those are my tracks up the hill. It's hard plodding in that stuff, but as you say, perfect for spotting tracks. That's exactly the kind of condition that I found my trackway over 40 years ago, within 20 miles of here, and about the same time of year.
PNWexplorer Posted April 12, 2021 Posted April 12, 2021 (edited) Nice to see you getting out! I've been chomping at the bit for weeks to get back into the mountains. But, we just had a freak snowstorm Saturday which surely coated my favorite area with more snow. Then it got down to 21 degrees overnight in town, so I'm sure the mountains are still impassable. Normally, I'm ready to start looking for morel mushrooms about now, but the mountains are still covered in snow. Edited April 12, 2021 by PNWexplorer 1
BC witness Posted April 12, 2021 Author Posted April 12, 2021 There were a lot of cars parked along the lower level of the Silver-Skagit road, for the first 6 or 7 km, where there was no snow, and I assumed they were morel pickers. Out at 26 km, I spotted a wreck that indicated someone wasn't paying attention! The security people at the logging gate had reported it to police already, and it looked like it had been there a few days.
norseman Posted April 12, 2021 Admin Posted April 12, 2021 6 hours ago, PNWexplorer said: Nice to see you getting out! I've been chomping at the bit for weeks to get back into the mountains. But, we just had a freak snowstorm Saturday which surely coated my favorite area with more snow. Then it got down to 21 degrees overnight in town, so I'm sure the mountains are still impassable. Normally, I'm ready to start looking for morel mushrooms about now, but the mountains are still covered in snow. Wasn’t a super harsh winter but spring is slow in coming...
PNWexplorer Posted April 15, 2021 Posted April 15, 2021 Got out in the woods today, finally. Sunny and breezy with temps in the low 60's. Headed East into Idaho and saw a little bit of snow on the hills. Got to my secret morel spot and there was no snow and very little mud. The surrounding area showed signs of excessive winds with several large trees down. You can see their root balls spread out over the area. The area next to my clear cut area got logged heavily last year. Lots of elk and deer sign... Got all excited at finding what I thought initially was a tree structure... But, upon closer inspection and the high winds in the area earlier, I think it was likely just a random phenomenon. Still, it was odd. Trunks showed evidence of lots of force and twisting... Still too early for morels and too late for antlers, so no bounty. Decided to go check out a really Squatchy area deeper in the woods, but there ended up being a lot of heavy, frozen snow and I nearly got stuck a couple of times when my 4Runner broke through the crust. Turned around and got buried a couple of times on the way out, but didn't take pictures. I was puckered up pretty bad and just wanted to get back to dirt. Just got a pic on the way in before I started sinking in. 1 1
PNWexplorer Posted April 15, 2021 Posted April 15, 2021 Oh, and it was my new brush rifle's first time out in the brush. Still waiting on the Vortex Venom to get back from Vortex. First one was bad out of the box. But, the rifle carried well and I really liked the Limbsaver Kodiak Lite sling... 1 1
norseman Posted April 15, 2021 Admin Posted April 15, 2021 Report. Went back to my old haunts behind Lake Ellen. Got almost to the cow corrals before the snow got to deep. And I didn’t want to chance it again! 😬 Saw a lot of moose sign, blow downs from all the wind we are having and the skunk cabbage is in full bloom. I did find two tracks in a spring off the side of the road. Pretty old. Nothing I would send to Meldrum but they were human shaped with a heel. No toes visible and they were bigger than my size 12 boots. So? Who knows? Both pictures have a .45-70 shell for comparison and the tracks are pointing left. On the way out I snuck onto the Rez and checked out Elbow lake. Cool area! The tribe has logged back in there recently. White mountain has a lot of snow on it still. Last pic is of the Columbia river on the way out and they are still feeding the Angus bulls together on the Cowley ranch. 1 1
BC witness Posted April 15, 2021 Author Posted April 15, 2021 I'm glad you both got out, and your conditions look pretty much like what I found on Sunday, wet spring snow and blowdowns. I'm hoping to get out again this coming weekend, the weather is supposed to be great. 1
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