One last? backpack planned for next few days, then probably heading east
4PM 9/30/2012
Hmmm.... I thought I had sent this earlier. Just found it in my drafts - will update it soon.
Hi everyone,
So I'm back in Choteau, MT after a pleasant 5-day backpack to the northern portion of the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. I've enjoyed the continued above-average temperatures and dry conditions for this time of year, though much of the time it has been quite smoky from fires nearby - and much through forest already burnt just a few years back, though it was a varied mosaic of burnt and mature-growth forest. On the way in the aspen leaves and forest undergrowth were at the peak of their fall bright reds & yellows. On my return, many of the same trees had dropped half their leaves, remaining leaves brown spotted black, and the undergrowth leaves were drying out and dulling to tans & browns.
I had managed to wear out my tires on all the gravel roads I've been driving, so today I bought a new set of tires here in town (a locally popular brand purportedly good on the gravel roads in this area.) I had gotten a quote from a shop near Great Falls for about $600 and these came to $560, though no wheel alignment was included as in the other quote. Probably missed out on an excuse to visit Great Falls (unless I start heading east from here...)
Tonight I hope to drive a bit further south to Augusta, MT and tomorrow begin another backpack from the Benchmark trailhead back into "The Bob" to take a look at the southern portion of the Chinese Wall - Benchmark seems to be the more popular starting point to the wall, and there is a good vantage point on a hill called Prairie Reef early on in the hike, in case the weather turns nastier than expected sooner than expected on me. The weather has been changing some and I hope for somewhat better atmospherics this time. About mid-next week a more significant "pattern shift" is forecast, with rain and much colder temperatures.
After this backpack, I'm considering making it down to Yellowstone for a second brief drive-through, anticipating maybe some snow due to the weather shift, and in any event, fall conditions. But I may skip that if the weather becomes too nasty.
Then I will be heading east. Not sure what I should/could see along the way/out of the way in the midwest. Any suggestions of oughta-see things? I had thought I would have much more time to look around there, look at some of the tall-grass prairie lands, the major rivers, historic POI's like following the Lewis & Clark trail, etc., but I guess I spent extra time around the northern rockies, which I guess is OK.
I will likely take advantage of an invitation to visit Sandy's Sister who lives in Manchester, MI which is a bit east of Detroit. I also do want to pass through Cleveland. I may want to touch other areas around the great lakes. Not sure what the state of the autumn leaves will be by the time I get east of the great lakes, but passing through northern NY & Vermont has been on my agenda.
Gary
4PM 9/30/2012
Hello again...
So I did follow through as planned and spent just two days up to the "lookout" on Prairie Reef with still disappointingly hazy views of the southern portion of the Chinese Wall. Unfortunately I was there just a day too soon, or rather, didn't stay another day, because it did start to clear up just as I was driving away from the trailhead!
Now I'm in Helena on my way back to Yellowstone. I plan to enter at West Yellowstone and leave a few days later via one of the two east-bound roads. I expect to be there during the first winter-like storm to hit this area (tue-fri Oct 2-5) so it could be interesting, depending on how much it snows. I'll be trying to find out whether they might close the east-bound roads for the season if there is significant snow - both of these roads go over high elevation passes. I do have new tires AND two sets of chains (4 total, for both front and back, since I have AWD) I plan to update you of what I've learned later today or in a day or two.
Gary
6PM 9/30/2012
Hi Gary,
Heard about the cold front that is supposed to move in back your way. Be careful. Hope you have enough warm clothing and a warm sleeping bag. According to the weather channel, the fall foliage has already peaked in the northern great lakes and northern Maine and NH and VT. We're beginning to get color here but peak in CT is mid to late Oct, although I think there is always a lot of nice color into November.
When you get here, we have a good local garage in case your car needs a tune up.
Have fun!
Liz
2PM 10/2/2012
Liz:
I do have warm clothes and sleeping bag at the ready, and just rearranged my car to make it easier to just crawl into the back to sleep without having to pitch a tent and deal with the wind and rain - except - I don't yet have a good solution for keeping windows open a crack without rain getting in - probably will use duct tape to attach a "rain-flap" of some kind.
Forecast is saying most of the snow will be north of Yellowstone, so I think I'll just need to contend with some wind and cold & rain. (Too bad... no really awsome picts of snow in Yellowstone as I had hoped.) I probably will still head through there, assuming I can get confirmed that the fax I just sent to take care of some important business (loooong story, groan!!!) did indeed make it and is acceptable... So at the moment I'm still stuck at the library in Bozeman north of Yellowstone.
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