I thought I would go for a drive and explore the Little Snowy Mountain Nat. Forest north of Billings. We have been getting a few flurries and some cold weather but I thought that the roads north of us would be fine as all the severe weather reports have indicated that the bad weather was to the south. The snow has not been accumulating here in Billings so I figured it wouldn't be that different in the Little Snowy Mts. as they are not that high in elevation nor not that far north of us.
The drive started out great. Then I hit a little snow but not much. However, as I drover deeper and deeper into the hills the snow got deeper and deeper. The road had sections with 6 inch ruts which got to be 12 to 18 inch ruts. Every time I felt 'the panic' and thought I should turn around the road would level and and be hard flat gravel. This pattern of "ohhh.. crap then ahhh... this ain't nuthin" went on for about 10 miles. Then I hit a bad patch but I thought "ahhh just around the bend it will get better." It didn't and 'the panic' began to set in again. By this time though I had driven in far enough to think "If I turn around now then I will have to drive through all that bad crap to get back, it will probably be easier to just keep going." As I drove the road got worse and I thought this is some sick "Patrick McManus insanity." Ohhhh just one more quarter mile it will get better! I pondered how pissed I was going to be if the road dead ended.
This picture doesn't do the road justice. It looks pretty tame, but it had me worried.
I wouldn't be typing this if I hadn't of made it out of there, but the forest service roads in central Montana are no joke. They can be nice and easy for miles and just randomly turn into soupy rutted crap in an instant. Maybe I'll have to try sometime in late summer, maybe they do some maintenance and make it better during the summer months. Or maybe next time I'll bring my hiking shoes and next time I hit crap, I'll park it and get out and hoof it. Yeah Dave, you warned me about roads in Montana and now I know what you were saying. At the time I thought "psssshaaa! I've driven roads from Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado I can handle anything Montana has for me." Yeah, one major difference between Montana (at least central MT) and any other places I have been is that typically if a road is bad, it will be bad from the get-go. In central Montana you are lured in by a few miles of pristine road, then it turns into a mire of horrendous treachery.
2 comments:
Phillip and I know about roads in MT. Seems like every road we took out of Sheridan, MT turned into cow trails a few miles in. One we went up into Wisconsin gulch, even a cow would have trouble negotiating. Been on a few down here in AZ that were worse though.
A big adventure-no joking matter. I guess it's on how you look at it and how far your adventure can go. While reading your story, I recall many times in the past that I got myself into a few tight spots. It always helps to have someone with you that will either encourage you to go farther and deeper into that adventure or encourage you to give it up. I always say, if it goes bad you got someone to blame, right Philip!
Sounds like you picked a good area to explore-I envy you. You've got the Musselshell directly north of you and Big Pryor mountain south of you.
I only hope that you can get enough time off to explore these 2 mountain ranges they are fantastic.
Keep in mind in the Pryor mountains you are only 30 miles or so from Yellowstone. If you get up into the high country in that mountain range keep your eye out for big bear. Those bear range from the park now that the population is going up. Your typical range those bear have are 30 miles. Keep your eyes open your nose active. Don't be afraid to going to the high country it's well worth the hike ,take lots of pictures, we want to see them.
Mom and Philip will tell you where we used to hike down in the Ruby Valley, we were seeing cohabitation signs from Fish wildlife and Parks on on cohabitating with the grizzly bear. Again I hike in the backcountry 54 miles from Yellowstone Park. We are seeing grizzly bear sign. No bears yet, but there's always next year. Be prepared, were glad to see you get out ,take lots of pictures ,B Safe . When you get to the end of the road, park it, hike it, you're on your next adventure. C you in the high country!
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