No need for a blow-by-blow, but over the next couple of days, we marched and hiked over as much of the property as we felt moved to. Up the nearly-naked peak across the road and checking out the view of the meadows:
I’m taking this shot from a relatively flat area (referred to as a “bench”) across the road. You can see the open meadow through the trees, and the peak on the right side in the distance is part of the parcel (the rest belongs to Nature Conservancy). For an on-the-ground-tour of all of the meadows, click on the link on the left “Walking the Meadows.”
Next: How to easiest access the lovely, babbling creek? There’s a wide stretch of bank that’s been eroding for the past 100+ years (yes, I have a copy of the original survey done in 1899 and it’s easy to see how the creekbed has gradually moved) that’s equally steep. Further into the woods and closer to the beaver ponds, the banks gradually descend until getting much closer to the water; but I have to really claw through scraggly bushes to access water this way (machete on the list for next visit). But once there, it’s heavenly to just sit and listen. You can close your eyes and enjoy the experience as well, if you click on the link on the left entitled “Sittin’ by Fish Creek.”
Lots of quiet, restful moments between hikes and discussion. So easy to get lost in the wilds here, and so hard to believe I now have my own state park campground!
The next day, Matt and I head into town after the gentleman from Camp Well drilling has chatted with me about the whys and wherefores and how much-es of drilling a well. We have a bit of lunch, ask questions at the post office (I have no road number – the property is now listed legally as NHN (no house number) Fish Creek Road), check out Main street and then it’s off to Home Depot for nails, orange paint and “Private Property” signs, and back to the homestead. According to Montana Fish and Wildlife regulations, it takes signs and orange paint applied in small rectangles on trees to officially and effectively mark private land. We are taking care of business!
my trusty helper!
One of the things that is evident when walking the property is how raw and natural everything still is in this valley. Wolves, moose, mountain lions, the occasional bear, and plenty of deer can be seen if you’re up at the right time of day. With all that life and all of those predators, it was no surprise to find the occasional remains (a round-ish area of deer fur tufts with bones scattered within:
Not meaning to be gruesome, just the natural order of things!
On our last day and Matt and I decide to check out the “peak” across the creek. We pack up and head out. Our hike in pictures:
across the creek (oh, the large stump of an giant tree….what creatures live within?)
and the rocky island in the stream:
the walk is almost straight up (I nervously tell Matt I’ll never make it down, but he’s as encouraging and as persuasive as usual). A bit of a trail is actually here:
Once up to the saddle, we sit and enjoy the view:
we came upon a very old fallen tree; be sure to note the size by seeing how far it comes up to me:
and as you can imagine, there is ripe firewood everywhere. fallen trees can also, as I find out, be used for javelin practice:
Next stop, Olympics!
We head back down and so hot, sticky and itchy that it’s a pleasure to wade back through the creek (which is, of course, freezing cold but completely transparent):
A few more shots for your enjoyment, but no way to really understand until you accept your invitation for a visit. Going to start with a guest cabin, situated so I can make a final decision on where to place the main cabin, a high-class outhouse, and a water pump. Then the main cabin will go up, along with solar and running water. I have made the acquaintance with Darell, the property’s previous owner, as well as touring his place with Lance and Matt. His hydroelectric, solar and wood-burning water heater set-ups which he has figured out for all of them are amazing. He has offered to build/take on my projects or to see they get done (he’s been a contractor for the past 30 years). Greg Martinsen, a referral from Darell, will be doing my surveying work, but is a wealth of information on all sorts of matters relating to the land and county procedures. It seems I have been graced with the senior men in the valley acting as my shepherds through this project. Lucky me!
And so, the two most overwhelming realizations from this trip: I am so lucky and realize that this longstanding dream has actually come true and it feels as good as you can imagine, making my heart want to burst, and second, it’s going to be a lot of work and give me plenty to do for a long, long time! So don’t be surprised if there’s a list of chores posted when you finally make your way out to Fish Creek!