A short trek through Big Horn country...

Waiting for Spring…

An old cottonwood along the banks of the Kettle River reaches up into the cold, early March sky. Not much thawing of the ice flows today. Snow lay deep along the trail. Listening close I could hear the whisperings of ice and water as the river enters the transition from the cold season to one slightly warmer. For a moment the thick clouds parted and rays of sunshine found a distant mountain. It soon passed. The message was clear – not today, not today…

Trekking around in big horn country again today. What a difference one day and a bit of warm sunshine make. Temperatures near 50* give a feel that this winter may be relinquishing it’s near four month grip on the Kettle River Valley.

Here are some images (remember to double click to see the photographs in larger format)…

Mary’s Dome, a prominent feature in the upper Kettle River valley, on the SW flank of Vulcan mountain.

As the ice recedes the lichen grows. Such is the way on these vertical south faces along the banks of the Kettle River. Later in the year temperatures will be so hot that the lichen will all but vanish, drying and shriveling to naught as there will be no moisture to be found during the hot.

Below the ice and lichens, on a very wet, south facing rock wall, the mosses grow thickly.  Look closely and you can see several trickles of water dripping through the dense, wet moss. The sound of small, cascading waters were prevalent along this cliff line.

The Oregon Grape are in full ‘red’ as winter’s grip leaves the steep and rocky south slopes of Little Vulcan Mountain.  The white snow, red leaves and speckled rock made for a strong composition of the natural elements.

Lichened rocks, red leaves, distant cliffs, towering Ponderosa Pines and a shear rock wall, what’s not to like on a sunny afternoon trekking about in the mountains? Given this was the warmest day of this winter, the ice falls that had frozen onto the vertical rock faces were melting and breaking loose, often tumbling 100+ feet from the rock above. Hundreds of pounds of ice crashing down and shattering thousands of small pieces on the rocks below. Made for an interesting hike.

Pinja pup on a boulder that several years ago came to an abrupt stop against this young tree (which still bears the scars).

An image of a cottonwood starkly silhouetted in the winter’s afternoon sunshine…

These three rocks, still frozen into the Kettle River remind me of a Japanese sumi drawing.  That simplicity of form, the stark contract of light and dark, the line of composition

Pinja on guard…

It was a strenuous day, hiking about in the mountains. Walking was a combination of post-holing thru snow, skiing on loose rocks, sliding on hard crusted ice and slipping in muck. But the warm sunshine made up for it all…

To close a fine afternoon we had this pileated woodpecker visit as we were walking back to the rig….


Thanks for checking in...

The Perch...

Dawn approaches on a cold and wet, early spring morning. New snow has fallen in the nearby mountains. I can see the hint of fresh whiteness in the parting of the valley mists. As daylight comes I perch looking out over the river, looking to the east, looking to the new light of day. A bald eagle is also perched in what we call the 'eagle snag'. An old cottonwood with a dead, heavy branch protruding over the flowing of cold morning, quicksilver water. As light enters the valley the eagle watches intensely for the shadow of trout just below the dark water surface.

My perch is more comfortable then my neighbor eagle's. The fireplace crackles just behind me, radiant warmth taking the chill of night out of Riverhome. Hot, strong, coffee aroma wafts up from the ceramic cup tucked close to my chest. There is movement at the river. I note a whitetail doe leading seven others across the shallows from my side of the stream to the other. The deer walk cautiously thru the water. Wavelets break against their belly’s and last years fawn breaks rank and runs for the shore. Shaking itself like a dog and bucking like a tiny filly when it reaches the gravel bar. The does do not seem to mind. They continue to plod through the water. It is a daily routine.

The eagle appears to pay the whitetails no attention. The great bird stands erect, and with it's back curved inward stretches it's wings. One big shudder and the eagle has tucked itself back into the slender, dark form against the growing light. Morning has broken...

Call of the Wild...

Curlew and the Kettle River Valley has been unseasonably warm this February. Upper 40’s today, the 17th of the month. Those of us who’ve been here for awhile have seen this time of year when the daylight hours barely reach zero degrees and the nights fall to near -20° below.

As fellow firefighter Rob Slagle told me today, he’s not sure if he really likes this mild weather. “What will fire season be like?” He asked. Good question.

How warm has it been? Here’s today’s weather and part of the forecast:
Current Temperature 43° (1733:hours). Conditions ‘fair’. Wind N 05 mph. Humidity: 46%
Forecast - Tonight Lo 29°. Thursday, sunny with  Hi 48° / Lo 29°. Friday, sunny with Hi 46° / Lo27°

Home from work I poured a glass of wine and sat comfortably on the river deck in a T-shirt and jeans. As the afternoon sun set the top of Drummer Mountain glowing, two bald eagles flew by, between them clucking an early mating song. But what caught my attention the most, here on this mid-February afternoon, was the ribitting (sp) of a frog. And it was this lone frog calling on a temperate winter afternoon which inspired this blog. The frog, like many of us, is an optimist in life.

The above image of the 'frog in ice' by Gary Nafis from this website: http://www.californiaherps.com/noncal/northwest/nwfrogs/pages/r.cascadae.html

The 1st image of this posting is from this afternoon looking eastward down the river valley to Drummer Mountain (NE of Curlew).

The above photograph of the Kettle River taken Monday evening 02.15.10 shows how little ice there is on the river. It is not unusual for the river to be frozen bank to bank this time of year.

And I'll close this post with a stock photo of mine of a bald eagle perched in a cottonwood watching the winter river flow by.

Take care, and enjoy the weather...

The Nez Perce: A People in Exile

I live along a river in a land that once was the northern portion of the Colville Indian Reservation. Often I allow my mind to drift upstream, rock to rill, back in time, long before the reservation, along the shores of this river before the arrival of the white man...
Being fortunate to have a number of Native American friends I perceive the history of my 'Colville' neighbors, and subsequently this land, is more complex than most of us care to know or understand. I found this video, from the 2007 Spokesman Review video archive worth sharing: "When Chief Joseph said he would “fight no more forever” at the battle of Bear Paw, he gave up his rifle, but not his way of life or his claim to his ancestral land. Today, nearly 130 years after the last great battle of the Nez Perce War, descendants of the Joseph’s band continue his struggle to preserve the old ways, including their spoken language."

I'm dedicating this blog post to a wonderful lady living up the mountain near Boulder Summit, in the Kettle River Range - Lucy Antoine who celebrated a birthday this week. She, a distant cousin of Chief Joseph, tells the story of hearing her elder kin refer to the great chief as 'Uncle Joe'. Happy birthday 'Ruby' Lucy...

INDIAN SUMMER...

INDIAN SUMMER...

As noted by William R. Deedler, Weather Historian for the National Weather Service "An early American writer described Indian Summer well when he wrote, "The air is perfectly quiescent and all is stillness, as if Nature, after her exertions during the Summer, were now at rest." This passage belongs to the writer John Bradbury and was written back in 1817. But this passage is as relevant today as it was way back then. The term "Indian Summer" dates back to the 18th century in the United States. It can be defined as "any spell of warm, quiet, hazy weather that may occur in October or even early November." Basically, autumn is a transition season as the thunderstorms and severe weather of the summer give way to a tamer, calmer weather period before the turbulence of the winter commences..."

From this perspective on the latitude of the 49th parallel autumn is a short lived affair. We are often gifted with what is described above as an Indian Summer, which is usually swiftly followed by the onset of winter like conditions (even with several weeks left before the transition of seasons). Thankfully at this time we are simply in wet autumn weather.

Here are a few of my rendered photographs reflecting on this season.

Hope you enjoy...

Foster

Rendered photo #1 "AUTUMN'S PAINTBRUSH" location is just north of Riverhome, my cabin on the Kettle River. Soft autumnal colors muted together forming a landscape of light and hues. Inviting one for a hike along river trails hidden in the bush.

Rendered photo #2 "AUTUMN RIVER" location is just two miles up the Kettle River from the small town of Curlew. It is the combination of landscape and reflections that make this image work for me. This is a spot I often sit and watch the river flow by.

In "MOUNTAIN MISTS & SNAG", rendered photo #3 we move up in elevation, into the Kettle River Range, a north/south run of mountains separating the Okanogan Highlands from the Columbia River Basin. Soon these mountains will be under a deep, white blanket of snow...

Here are a few links to the general area of these photographs:

Washington whitewater - Kettle River, Ferry/Stevens County

http://www.riverfacts.com/rivers/13729.html

Kettle River (Columbia River)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettle_River_(Columbia_River)

Kettle River Range

http://www.peakbagger.com/range.aspx?rid=13138

Kettle River Rats

http://www.overniteproductions.com/rats/index.htm

Brown Bear Real Estate

http://www.brownbearrealestate.com/

Curlew Medical Clinic...

This session is really a preview of a blog-to-come. 2008 marked the opening of the Curlew Medical Clinic (new building) and it is beautiful piece of architecture. Besides being a Medical Clinic this edifice houses historical photographs of this unique mountainous river valley and some local artwork. I am one of the fortunate photographers to be featured with a permanent display therein.

The ownership, design, construction and decor are all the result of local folk, artisans and craftsmen.

In the future I hope to work within a collaboration to create a web-site featuring this beautiful construction, discussing it's forward looking design and sharing it's local artwork. Until then these photos will whet your appetite for learning more. Here's to your health... Foster

Want to find the Curlew Medical Clinic - follow the list below:

http://web3.userinstinct.com/46806896-curlew-medical-clinic.htm