[jfralph]

Last week, here in town we had 18" of new snow, over 4 feet in some of the surrounding subdivision. Now, we have 6" of new on the ground, with two feet in those same subdivisions, and up to another 24" expected. Yup, its June, and its snow, so it must be global warming. Actually, we appreciate the moisture and hope to get couple more storms like this the help the drought situation. My jeep still is garaged as I continue to be overwelmed by Murphy's Law.

I hope to get my welder back from the shop next week so I can finish my projects.


Enjoying Montana's Big Sky

 

[jfralph]

FYRBALL MT:

I work for the "utility company" I understand a lot of the Bozeman area was without power for quite some time with yesterdays storm. 4k customers in bozemans outskirts, and lots of isolated radials to individuals and groups. We were scrambling to bring in crews from around the state to help deal with it. Last week we did the same thing except sent them to Missoula.

I have a skiing and camping buddy in bozeman. I took his grandson out for a ride on a rainy day a couple of years ago, and since then I have been assisting him (in purely a technical I'll ask questions on this forum aspect) in building a, sounds like, pretty awsome YJ. I have yet to see it but if we continue to get moisture, he will probably make one of the trips this summer.

Enjoying Montana's Big Sky

 

[jfralph]

FYRBALL MT:

I also like the same area, in fact, we camp at Potossi and head over the ridge to the Mcelvy lakes. It was up there on Labor day several years ago, the road on top still had the previous winters snow on it and I decided to try it. Usualy that old snow has a soft top layer and then a harder layer under it. Not this drift, it was all hard! I made down through it, the road ends just past the drift, my wife and I hiked one of the mountians, got back, and by then I was hopeing the snow in my tire tracks would have begun to soften. No such luck, started up it and of course the snow is at a 40 degree slope, and I slid off. There was a little bit if dirt on the edge of the road, or should I say soggy mud from melting drift. The next safety below me were the scrub trees at treeline, about 1000' below. Needless to say I spent 2 hours with a shovel on that drift to make sure I stayed on the road. Fun Country!!!

We could have a good trip up there somewhere. I must confess however, I usually don't just go up there and drive back out, I usually fish or hike to relax. The 4wheeling is more the means to an end, rather than the end.



Enjoying Montana's Big Sky

 

[jfralph]

I have been up the twin lakes road, although I have to admit I have never been up any of them in the winter. I learned a long time ago to stay away from off camber or sidehill stuff with snow, I don't think there is any off camber stuff up there except up towards the cabin maybe? Anyway, in the winter, all my free time is spent at the ski hill south of Bozeman, I seem to have some desire to spend lots of time and energy there. I hear you with the trails, one of the trails I looked forward to doing one day is the one to sunrise lake in the south Tobacco Roots, but, like everything else, the FS has closed it in the last road revision, to anything bigger than a 4wheeler. That last climb would have brought a sweat to MY brow?

On the Mcelvy lake side, there is supposadly another trail that goes up some ridge that is deemed quite difficult, As of yet, I have not found it.

Enjoying Montana's Big Sky