|
BRETT FRENCH COLUMN Take a hike In the spring a young man's fancy turns to . . . mud. More specifically, to muddying up their four-wheel drives. At least that's the way it was when I was a punk. There was some macho cachet in pulling up to the curb with globs of clay thrown across the hood and plastered to the fenders.
This is a round-about way of making a point - Lesson No. 2: Springtime is a great time to get out, but don't go into the mountains unless you're planning on skiing, snowshoeing, post-holing or digging. While it may feel summer-like in the valleys, the mountains are still embedded in winter. So when heading out, look to the lower-lying areas for springtime enjoyment. With that in mind, and the fact that Memorial Day and summer tourists have yet to arrive, it's a great time to avoid the crush and hit the region's big-name attractions - you know, Yellowstone National Park and Pompey's Pillar National Historic Landmark, to name a couple.
 Gazette photo by Brett French A beach along Lake Yellowstone is blanketed in snow after a spring storm. Springtime outdoors enthusiasts should be prepared for the worst when heading afield. "There's a lot of neat areas out there," Pat Gubbins, of the Bureau of Land Management, says of Pompey's. "There are nice trail areas and great places for birding. There's solitude along the river and fishing." Birders can find geese, great horned owls, Bohemian waxwings, song birds and raptors while staking out the east side of the property, Gubbins says. After Memorial Day, interpretive programs will be geared toward tourists with loads of information on the history of the area. Dick Kodeski, manager of the facility, advises the disabled to call ahead if they plan on going before Memorial Day since the facility is officially closed and gated. The restrooms, however, are always open. Yellowstone National Park in the spring provides an excellent opportunity to view young-of-the-year wildlife and increases the opportunity to see recently-awakened bears. Last spring, on a family loop through the park, bison swimming across the Madison River was a highlight. At Lake, an overnight storm turned the world into an Ansel Adams-like photographic portrait as the fresh snow sharply contrasted with the beach's black boulders. To keep the youngsters occupied, we made a game out of adding up all the wildlife we saw - hundreds of buffalo and elk, a few dozen antelope, one coyote and a few swans. Adding to the attraction was the relatively-sparse road and foot traffic. You can also head to the not-so-big-name areas for spring recreational opportunities, but remember, most campgrounds don't open until Memorial Day. Gubbins recommends the Pryor Mountains to look for wild horses. "The Pryors are spectacular," he says. Closer to home, he suggested Riverfront Park, or the Rims to watch a panoramic sunrise or sunset. He also suggested the Altman property at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Yellowstone rivers. Take the Highway to Red Lodge, south of Laurel, and turn left on Thiel Road after crossing the Yellowstone River. The access point is about three or four miles down the road. The 360-acre parcel is a "primo" pheasant area, according to Sandy Brooks, BLM field manager. The area also features deer and waterfowl. Further west of Billings, the Woodbine trail in the Stillwater drainage can offer springtime opportunities for hikers, according to the Forest Service. Happy trailsThere's nothing as intense as the green of spring, but it comes at a price. Spring is typically a wet season.So, just as in the fall, be prepared for the worst when heading afield. Always take along rain jackets and a warm change of clothes. Don't forget the mittens and hats. Remember, although a day may start out in the 60s, the thermometer can plunge to the low 30s in no time. Another word of caution: avoid those gumbo roads if there's rain in the forecast. Besides being stuck in the mud, venturing onto such byways tears up the road surface - many of which are rarely graded. A few passes on rain-softened roadways can deeply rut them, sometimes making them impassable. (I know I earlier mentioned mud-throwing, four-wheel driving in the spring, but I also said I was a punk then. I know better now.) I also try to avoid muddy springtime hiking trails. A little damage now can carry over throughout the season. Mountain bikers, horseback riders and motorized users can have an even more detrimental impact on wet trails. The ruts created by tires make for runoff funnels, increasing the speed of runoff and sediment loads in adjacent streams. So how do you balance that burning springtime desire to get out in the hills with an environmentally sound sense of trail stewardship? It's easy if you plan ahead. Call the recreation agencies where you would like to go for an update. If you have a specific place in mind, they can usually give you details on trail conditions.
Brett French is the outdoor writer for The Billings Gazette. He can be contacted by telephone at: (406) 657-1387, or by e-mail at: citynews@bsw.net
|
