Trail Log: 8-17-2021

•  Trail: Clear Creek - Halfway Or.
• Miles: 7.54
• Riders: Self - Mike K. 
• Horses: Jack and Drifter - Stuart
• Dogs: Hank

Notes: At last...cool weather and no smoke.  We finally got a reprieve from the heat and smoke with a high of 80 and enough of a breeze to blow the smoke out of the valley. Mike and I hauled up just short of the Clear Creek TH. We likely could have hauled all the way in but weren't sure about the road conditions. 

They could use a Back Country Horseman of Oregon in this area for sure. There are so many awesome places to ride, but the trails are horrible. The thought crossed my mind to start up a chapter.

Mike rode ahead most of the way in. He popped up on a ridge overlooking a picturesque meadow. Granite mountains towered in the background. Mike signaled for me to ride up beside him quietly. A herd of 50 or more elk grazed in the beautiful little valley. You can get pretty close to elk when you are  horse back. They didn't show much alarm until we started talking. They serpentined up the steep granite mountain toward an almost vertical narrow shoot leading toward the top. The adult elk sent an avalanche of loose rock crashing down the shoot. The babies, apparently unable to make the steep climb...bleated in panic. They called back and forth. Jack wasn't real sure about the whole chaotic scene  and kept one eye on them and one on an escape route. By the time we got back to the valley, the elk were gone. 

Look close -elk moving up the mt.

 

Mike had ridden to the lake years before with a friend familiar with the area. The trail disappears about a mile from the lake. We tried to ride up the high side and back down toward the creek with no luck. Downfall and heavy brush blocked our attempts to pick up the trail. It's discouraging when you know your within a mile. I have a hard time giving up. I had left my vest containing all my shit in "my other trailer." Anybody that has ridden with me knows I carry a lot of "shit." I felt naked without it. No GPS - no InReach. Basically no way of signaling help if we got ourselves into a fix. We turned around and headed back to the truck with the intent of trying another day... armed with more information and more "shit." 

Trail Log: 8-6-2021

 

• Trail: Sheep Lake - West Yellowstone
• Miles: 12.2
• Riders: Self - Bev
• Horses: Jack - Hick
• Dogs: Hank - Cynch

Notes: A brief trail log does not do this adventure justice. I will be putting together a blog piece as soon as I get a chance to breath. Not sure when that will be, however. Life these days is pretty much a whirlwind! Apparently, I like it that way because I have nobody to blame but myself! 

A brief summary of our ride. Bev wanted to ride to Sheep Lake. I wanted to stay put, take a shower and get cleaned up for the Dave Stamey concert. A girl wants to look her best when she meets up with her future ex husband. 

Bev won. She has a way of shaming a person in to things: "But, I took an extra day off so I could trail ride!" (Big sad eyes) Ugh. Ok. I saddled up - set my timer for 2 hours and told Bev we would turn back in two hours regardless. It is a 3 hour ride to the lake. We wouldn't be making it this trip. Period.

My timer goes off and we are less than a quarter mile from the lake. Bev's horse is a walker. We view the lake and haul ass off the mountain. Three miles from the trailers and a massive thunderstorm hits. Rain, hail...thunder and lightening. The storm swelled the creek crossing 3x their size and 2 inches of water ran down the trail like a river. 

We make it to the trailers soaked to the bone. Back at the Diamond P - a cover band has been playing for 30 minutes. Thank God. I had not yet missed Dave. I ran into my trailer and put on a dry pair of pants. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get out of a wet pair of blue jeans? 

I threw on a dry hat to cover my wet hair and plopped down center stage less than 2 minutes before Dave walked on stage (actually a flat bed trailer). Dave entertained the shooters in the pouring rain and wind. Already soaked to the bone, I shivered underneath a borrowed disposable poncho. 

Dave was awesome. Any other entertainer would have cancelled. Not Dave. Not my future ex husband. He's tough. He carries a pocket knife and he can sing, to boot. 

Stay tuned for the full blog piece. Coming soon....ish. Coming soon'ish. 

Dave Stamey

Trail Log: 8-5-2021

Colleen and Emily

 

• Trail: Sheep Lake - West Yellowstone
• Miles: 12.6
• Riders: Self - Colleen W. -  Emily 
• Horses: Jack - Sunny - Ivy

Dogs: Left Hank in camp. Never road with these folks and you never know if they are dog friendly or not. 

Notes: Colleen and her granddaughter, Emily, made it in for the shoot. Colleen wanted to ride up to Sheep Lake and invited me along. I was headed to Lionhead - but since I'd not been to Sheep Lake - I took her up on it. 

Absolutely beautiful trail with multiple creek crossings (Sheep Creek). The trail is a good climb to the pristine, high mountain lake "Sheep Lake" with views of Sheep and Coffin Mountain. 

Trail Log: 8-3-2021

Met the dude string going out as we came in

 

• Trail: - Diamond P - West Yellowstone
• Miles: 8.5
• Riders: Self - Teri - Dan
• Horses: Jack - Bullseye - Woody - Jewels
• Dogs: Hank and Wyatt

Notes: Took another short ride behind the Diamond P to leg up the horses. The ground was pretty soggy and slick after a good rain the night before so we stayed to the firmer trails/roads.  

Trail Log: 8-2-2021

 

View leaving the Diamond P ranch toward the trailhead

• Trail: Diamond P - West Yellowstone
• Miles: 9
• Riders: Self - Phil
• Horses: Bullseye - Jack

Notes: Made it to West Yellowstone for the Wyoming Desperado's shoot at the Diamond P. This is always my favorite shoot of the year. I came a week early to camp and ride the beautiful country along the continental divide. 

Phil's shooting horse is lame, so we came along for the week to support the rest of us. Dan lent him Bullseye to trail ride on. We rode up behind the Diamond P with no particular destination in mind.

Scored a handful of huckleberries along the trail.