We started back down - with much reluctance - because we knew we were seeing something incredible - such vista views and how you felt so small in the world. Our timing was something else - the couple who manned the fire lookout will begin to take things out of the lookout tower that evening in preparation for it’s closure on Thursday. The wife said that in the winter there could be 20 feet of snow easily on top, although she has never seen it like that, she has seen snow fly prior to their shut down in years past.
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| Oh my goodness - we had inches left! |
Over the past weekend it was 17 degrees at the lookout, boy did we pick a great day to visit. Temperature was about 61, slight breeze, clear sky. Just gorgeous.
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| Area where we had our lunch |
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| Remains of 2006 fire |
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| Found the trail marker just by luck |
On our way down, we had to carefully hug the road because a truck was coming up. Talk about white-knuckling!!! Oh my goodness. Got to where the fire watch couple’s RV was (the campground) and we went looking for the lake that the wife told us about. Could not find the trailhead, had our lunch, then as we were sitting there - right in front of us was the sign she told us to look for. Dah.
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| Looked up on way back down - there was Heavens Gate |
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| I could still see the lookout even farther down the road |
Started on the path to the lake and decided not to do it. Went in switchbacks down deep and Dave went ahead to see the trail conditions and we decided not to do the hike. As it was - the time was 3pm and we knew we had at least another hour to go before we got back down to Riggins. Packed up and started down. This time we passed a number of vehicles coming up. And a young woman and her black lab dog walking down. She was one of the visitors at the lookout the same time we were there. We could not figure out why another couple of this group were still sitting at the campground in their car - they were allowing her and the dog to walk down, probably at some time will start down and pick her up.
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| Riggins below |
Looked up at one point and we could see the fire lookout way way up there. Double Wow!
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| Good ole boys coming up - notice gun on front? |
We passed 2 ATVs - and saw the rifle strapped to the front of the handlebars. Okay. Another truck stopped and a young couple hiking to a ridge to look out. Passed horse trailers and trucks stopped along the way. Uneventful, but did see Ruffed grouse sitting along the road. At first had no idea what I was seeing until Dave spotted one on his side and got some good pictures. Saw 2 waterfalls - wondered where the water was coming from?
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| Where is the water coming from? No snow in this part... |
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| Saw this bush with purplish berries all along dirt road down |
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| Large ranches just down from dirt road to go up |
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| Ruffed Grouse |
When we got to the paved road we noticed a large blotch of orange painted on trees, rocks, shrubs and realized that we were in a no hunting zone - that’s probably to tell people the boundary.
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| Almost back to Riggins |
What an incredible, lovely day! Have to say what we saw yesterday was so spectacular and special - will be hard pressed to top this.
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