Travel Adventure #13

Anther camping trip with Gail happened July 23-25.  This time we headed out the West Fork Rd, past Conner, MT, to Watchtower Creek campground.

Gail was sure there were great huckleberries across the creek and up the hill.  However, the bridge was out 3/4 mile up the trail.  She scooted across a log that had fallen over the creek, but it seemed a bit too dangerous for me.  

I instead tried going across some of the dryer looking rocks on the creek bed.  But alas, one slip and water flows freely into my new hiking boots. Ugh!  All my socks are soaked as well as my pant legs up to the knee.  

Fortunately I brought along extra clothes and shoes.  I found some paracord and put up a clothesline to get everything dried out by the next morning.

Some small birds were very interested in the fire pit, when there was no fire burning.  They pecked on stuff left in the ashes.  Even when there was a fire, they would come sit on the rocks around it for a short while.

Because there was no easy way to get up to the huckleberries on the trail by Watchtower Creek, we headed up to Nez Perce Pass. The huckleberries were bigger there than what I had found in the Bitterroot Valley in previous years.  We spent a great deal of time picking the berries.  I love this activity as it's quiet and encourages reflection on deeper things.  I can ponder the deeper things in life while I look for the largest berries on the bush with sunshine on my shoulders and peace in my soul!!

I don't want to forget to share the beauty of the sunrise and sunsets while we camped on the pass.

The Nez Perce Pass was such a great place for picking.  So I headed back up there on July 30th and picked all day. I had almost a gallon of huckleberries to clean when I got home. I think I'll try making some huckleberry jam this year.