Road Trips beyond Montana.....

Thank you for following along. You can experience some of our other trips at the following link. Some are still being constructed. Some are complete - like a lengthy trip to Alaska.

Enjoy!

http://kimbasfam-roadtripamerica.blogspot.com/

Headed Home

We had a great time. Lots of R&R. Awesome scenery. Too many memories to document. We hope to return some day in the future. Next time I will ask for a skinny horse so I don't have to practice my splits before I come - side saddle is just a bit too "out there" to suggest.

JJJ - Wrap Up

I will miss the coolness of the early mornings a lot. I love getting up early to see the sun rise over the hills. The air is cool most mornings, but the last couple were VERY cool. One morning I was invited along with the wranglers to round up the horses in the hills and bring them in for tacking. I longed for gloves that day. Most days however, I got away with a sweatshirt and shorts.

I often tried to get some photos of the horses being brought in or put out to pasture in the evening. Generally unsuccessful due to the low light. I did get a couple that passed the last evening we were there.

If you are ready for the horses, the direction they will approach, and have any time to scout the property in advance, you could get better shots than I did. It took me a while to realize that these horses operate almost as a pack when they move. If you are standing in the road as they come down, you are the "change" they do not know / want to know and they get a bit spooked - therefore, you don't get the picture and have to wait til the next day. Find a good hiding spot the next day and they decide to take a different path - guess what, "no shot, wait til the next day"....doesn't take a genius to figure out you run out of opportunities fairly quickly and then look back and say "I should have...."

JJJ Ranch - Final Night Picnic

The last night, the Barkers took us all down by the river for a good ol' fashioned cookout. The wind was strong enough to keep the bugs away and everyone enjoyed the sound of the rushing water, the fresh air, and the companionship. Max and Ann have great stories from years gone by. We fill ourselves for the last time this week.

A couple of the guests tried their hand at fishing and a small trout was caught, but enough to give anyone with interest a taste of fresh fish - REALLY fresh fish.

I have this thing about wading into the local waters on my trips - sometimes it is a bit more dangerous than others. So, I went for a quick wade in the water - about knee high. High enough with the current and loose rocks to give you a dip in the drink if you weren't careful.

On the way back to the ranch, we went by the Dam at Gibson Resevoir just outside the ranch property. Really something when you are up close.

JJJ - Gymkana

Gymkahna Day! This is a day when the kids get to "paint" (literally) their horses and then there are games played in the corral. We did not end up with any rainbow horses or pink horses...rather tame outcome all things considered.

The group is broken into a couple of teams and there was come competition to see how well you controlled your horse after a week of riding - making him walk instead of run, some barrel-weave obstacles, etc. Great time. It was also a good time for me to take a break from the saddle pains (READ: Sores) I had - by now I am quite sure I could do a full split with a gymnastics team. There were no sores, really, but I was certainly sore - like riding a bike after years away. That seat just unnaturally touches you in ways and places that make you uncomfortable....not exactly dinner table talk type of uncomfortable either.

The last game of the Gymkahna games was a scavenger hunt on horseback. into the woods to locate different colored bandanas - a capture the flag type game. Whatever team located their 10 colored bandanas in the branches first, won.

JJJ - Horseback Riding

July 31, 2008: Guess what we did today.....No, really, guess....Correct! We rode horses. There is always a lot to see. We took a ride into the high country as a family. A fair bit of trail breaking on the way down. The wrangler lost the trail in the open field up high. Quite frankly, it is impossible to get lost because the valley is so narrow and the sides so high. The trail was visible below us and we just wove our way down. The horse is in "self-preservation" mode on any rocky or hilly terrain so you just hold on and there is no worry about getting where you are going. There were several small children (including our own) on the trip without incident. It was a great ride and a welcome change from some of the 'nose to tail' riding we did before.

When we returned, dug into one of the beers I brought - it is BYOB at the ranch. Don't forget that! There are no stores nearby.

The rockies appear to be waves on the ocean in some of our photos. Very peaceful here.

JJJ - High Country & Sing Along

July 30, 2008: More riding. While there is undeniable "pain in the a$$", by the third day, you have largely adapted. The Barkers trailered the horses to an area where we could ride into some high plains with views forever. If you were comfortable, they let you do some cantering & galloping in the open fields. We went to a high plateau at about 6,000 feet where we saw some sea shell fossils in the ground - fascinating. We were allowed some time to get off the horses and just relax and enjoy the views, but only for 15 or 20 minutes. You look around and want an hour or two, and a couple of beers.

On the way down, we stopped in a field of wildflowers for photos. In the evening, we were entertained by some of the wranglers without any shyness issues on their guitars and their singing. That was great. These were interspersed with stories from the family of the history of the ranch provided great entertainment and some stress-free downtime.

While you are there, forget about the cell phone and email. You are in a valley and it just does not work. They do have a wireless web connection, but it is for the ranch and they strongly discouraged us checking into work. At the end of the week, we were thankful for the separation and down time of a real vacation.

JJJ - All day ride & Picnic

July 30, 2008: The thousands of acres at the ranch that are accessible are very varied. Today we took a long family ride with a couple of the wranglers. We lunched by a stream in the high country. We spent a lot of time in open fields and wooded areas. There is plenty of variety for everyone. It would be easy to get used to this lifestyle. I suspect the winters are cold, long, and lonely.....

JJJ - Ride to Gibson Resevoir

July 29, 2008: The mornings are very cool here - even in late July. A sweatshirt is usually enough, but a couple of nights we did light the wood stove to warm the cabin. Afternoons are usually high 70s / low 80s. We had no rain - spectacular weather. No bugs. The wildflowers are in bloom EVERYWHERE. Wide open fields of color.

The ability to relax is everywhere - but rarely taken. Too many things to do / places to go. Never turn down a ride to a new area. I did turn down a chance to hike to the top of the range surrounding the valley.

Nights are cool, but more importantly, DARK! There is absolutely NO light polution. It was the first time I got to see the Milky Way in years! I would go out on the porch around midnight. Without a light, you got that feeling of being somewhere on the bottom of the food chain. I rarely lasted outside on the porch in the dark for long. Standing in this shade of dark, I quickly felt like the hunted, not the hunter. I retreated quickly to my cave....

We took a couple of rides today - one before lunch, then one after. Our morning ride was to the Gibson Resevoir. You pass the dam on the way to the Ranch.

We took a ride to the high country in the afternoon. You can see for miles over the Rockies. The views are spectacular. The ranch hands ("Wranglers") are incredibly helpful and know the area very well. They pace the ride to everyone's abilities and interests.

JJJ - Riding to the top of the Valley

July 28, 2008: Day 2. My couple hours on a horse yesterday placed an undue level of pain on my a$$. I was really worried about what a full day would do to me. Our hosts, the Barkers, split the group into kids and adults for different rides. Even the adults were split based on interest levels. They did a great job trying to accommodate everyone's interest and riding level. Thank goodness they separated us from the whack-job that insisted on bringing her own saddle and exagerated her abilities beyond reason. It was difficult to listen to.

It is hard to describe the beauty in western Montana. Even a wide angle photo is hard pressed to capture the "Big Sky" and wide open country. We really enjoyed this trip.

JJJ - Arrival at the Ranch

July 27, 2008: We were provided a brief time to get settled in our quiet cabin in the aspens and then fed more food than a family should be allowed to eat. We then had a group meeting where Ernie & Kim introduced us to the ranch hands and the family who would host us for the next week. We also got introduced to the others that were to share the ranch with us for the week - not everything can be perfect, I guess.

Our home this week would be a small cabin in the woods. One bedroom, one bath, big loft, living area and a small wood burning stove. All we needed actually.

Everyone was very excited about what was to come. after dinner, we were introduced to our horse (for the week). I was assigned to Trooper, a large pack horse used to carrying a lot of weight long distances on the back country treks. Good for him as he would have haul my 220lb of dead weight up and down some big hills for the next 6 days. He had an awesome personality - always pushing the horse in front of him with his nose - big hurry to get everywhere. He also had this thing about brushing me close to the trees we walked near as if to drop me, or scratching his behind on a short tree. It was very funny.....

Travel from Glacier NP to JJJ Wilderness Ranch

July 27, 2008: We had breakfast at the Park Cafe - excellent food, but it is hard to justify hte wait. The pie is good any time of day. After breakfast, we drove the roughly 3 hours to Great Falls, MT where we were to meet up with the Triple J Wilderness Ranch folks. Along the way, we spied a lot of horses both on and off the road.

The anticipation of the horses kept the "are we there yet" to a minimum. Good for all!

The ranch is about a 2 hour drive from Great Falls. We were picked up by Max, who (with his wife Ann) first named the ranch in the mid-seventies. His son Ernie (and Ernie's wife Kim) run the ranch now. We did the one week vacation at the ranch in our own log cabin on the site. They also offer week-long back country trips that seem a long way from roughing it.

You can't help but be in awe of the wide open land, the views, the wildlife. What a way of life!

SWIFTCURRENT Lake & Lake JOSEPHINE

July 26, 2008: We hopped the small cruise boat behind the Many Glacier Hotel across Swift Current Lake followed by a short 1/4mile hike and another cruise across Lake Josephine . We then hiked roughly a mile to the lake formed below Grinnell Glacier. This is an easy family-friendly hike for our small children. There is time to wade in the greenish water formed at the base of the melting glaciers. It is a great day hike. Bring your own food, water, and bug spray. We were in front of the rest of the boat passengers (and therefore the noise that goes with them), but probably not a bad idea to carry bear spray.

Without the kids, I would definitely have hiked up to Grinnell Glacier. Looks like a fairly steep climb, but on a well worn trail. Worth the trip though.

MANY GLACIER Hotel

July 26, 2008: We rise for the sunrise over the hotel and Swiftcurrent Lake. After breakfast, we hike to Red Rock Falls. We are the only ones without bear spray - big mistake! Get your bear spray. While we did not run into any bears, we were a bit self conscious about it. About half-way through the hike, I looked behind our group. This coyote was following us down the trail. Later on, we spied this momma moose and her two babies taking a nap in the woods. Red Rock falls was an easy hike for the family. Flat and probably 3 - 4 miles round trip. Plenty of area to explore around the falls and a great picnic spot for lunch. The views are to die for - spectacular.

That evening, my wife went on a short car ride to the road entering the Many Glacier section of the park. Dusk tends to bring out the wildlife - grizzlies in particular. There were a couple only 100 - 200 yards off the road foraging in the field. Difficult time for photos of wildlife, but a grizzly siting nonetheless. There was one false charge at a guy who apparently has been living in a cave for the past 50 years and ignores all the warnings of "do not approach the bears", "stay in your car" and any other common sense, basic instinct of self-survival that your brain might trigger. On the other hand, the rest of the crowd might have gotten some GREAT photos to talk about had he sacrificed himself for our vacation photos....(kidding.....sort of).

I, on the other hand, sat on my balcony overlooking Swift Current Lake from the Many Glacier Hotel drinking a beer and watching the sun set. Not sure who made the best choice.

MANY GLACIER Hotel

July 25, 2008: We head to Many Glacier Hotel for our room overlooking Swiftcurrent Lake. It is one of the nicest areas of the park. A bit crowded with the hotel, but plenty of areas to explore without much difficulty. First, we hiked around Swiftcurrent lake - maybe 3 miles. Our weather is perfect, but we still had a fair amount of whining from the little ones - it kept the hike moving at a rather brisk pace.

After dinner, we rented a couple of the canoes on Swiftcurrent Lake behind the hotel while the sun set. Great way to relax for an hour. This is clearly intended for the "city boy" in all of us. The lake is simply not that big. To the end and back in about 20 or 30 minutes without really breaking a sweat.

HIDDEN LAKE OVERLOOK HIKE

July 25th, 2007: We had a great day today - absolutely a highlight of the trip. We took another trip up the GTTS road with sunshine. We stopped at Logan's Pass and hiked to Hidden Lake. Even in late July, most of the trail is snow covered (deep but packed snow) and slippery. It is amazing the number of morons in flip flops up here - dragging kids that don't want to go. And, don't get me started on the people that can't walk the length of the mall but think they are going to tackle this hike. It is moderately difficult for an average person. The wildlife is everywhere. The goats are the most likely to come within VERY close proximity to you, but always give them their space. The big horn sheep are also likely to come close, but their forboding looks are likely to keep you at bay. One strike of the horns and its over! The scenery on this hike is spectacular. Make sure you bring a camera!

The one we wished we did is the Highline trail, but the kids voted down the first 1/4 mile where you cross a small ledge just above the GTTS road. This short beginning narrow ledge is not as frightening as people might say, but the cable on the mountain side to hold on does seem to give you a bit of concern. I didn't see too many of the people who ride around Walmart on their shopping scooters on the trails.

GTTSR & south Glacier National Park

July 24th, 2008: In addition to the hikes, a short stop at the Wild Goose Island Overlook is allegedly "all but mandatory". Again, our day was a bit overcast and therefore, limited the visual effect, but it is a quiet, easily accessible location. But, the view across Lake MacDonald is at least as nice.

If your timing is correct, you need to stop at the Park Cafe about 100yards north of St. Mary's on the east side of the park. The homemade pies are incredible, but limited each day. It gets crowded so don't show up at 6pm and expect to be seated quickly. If you do wait, it is worth it.

South Glacier NP...Over the GTTS Road and then south of Glacier NP the likelihood of seeing wildlife is very high. The goats at the 'Goat Lick' on the southwest corner of the park are plentiful, but blend well with the rocks so you need to look carefully. Generally other people in the area have scoped out the animals and willingly point them out. If you want the up close and personal view, this isn't the place.