Traditions

After six summer seasons I have grown to anticipate our seasonal traditions. Each year, the end of summer brings the departure of our summer help. The end of the year always signals the start of the winter season - and the return of guests we only see that time of year. The sun's return to the northern hemisphere, signals the end of the winter season and the anticipation of the coming green! And, of course, as spring begins to color our world, we anticipate the return of warmer temperatures and oru special summer friends who grace us with their company year after year. And, of course, we look forward to meeting the new folks who will find their way to our door.

One tradition, however, which doesn't really affect us - and yet affects us a lot - is the arrival and departure of the cattle which graze around the resort. Cattle grazing on public lands has been a controversial topic. Some see cattle as leeches up the land, depleting our natural resources without adequate compensation. Others see cattle as beneficial to the eco-system.

While sometimes I address topics trying to present a balanced view of both sides of the subject, that is not the purpose of this post. Today's post is first and foremost a support of cattle grazing on our public lands. This is one Elk Lake tradition I greatly appreciate. Why?

Especially in a dry year, I look forward to the cattle's return. Granted, cattle are not the best respectors of private property. And, with Montana's 'fence out' law, the burdon of keeping these critters (who often epitomize the old saying 'the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence) falls on us.

None the less, the service provided by these sometimes too friendly animals far outweighs any frustrations their presence may cause. What service? You may ask. Grass removal. Or, more properly - grass removal and fertilizer application.

In a political climate where we no longer manage our forests, the fire danger gets higher and higher with each passing year. If, to add to the fuel load created by the dead, dying, and overcrowded trees, we add a heavy grass fuel load, we are guaranteed the forest (when it burns) will burn hotter and longer and to more devastating effects. So, with each passing year, the presence of the cattle around the resort, consuming at least some of the fuel, is more and more welcome.

Furthermore, as wildlife refuges in some areas(such as Red Rocks National Wildlife Refuge) have found the cattle grazing helps the smaller mammals and birds by depleting the heavy grasses which actually limit or even prevent their ability to survive in the grasslands. Thus, by simulating the activity of bison, or by just doing what they do best, the cattle grazing our national forest lands are doing us a favor (at least in the vast majority of cases).

I have probably already given away this point - but I have spent considerable time in the past around cattle operations. I appreciate the perspective this has given me - not only as to the value the cattle provide, but also to the difficulty and challenges the rancher experiences.

As I've said in previous posts, there is little which gives me a greater thrill than hearing a wolf howl up the draw. However, that wolf's howl can be a precurser to the death of some rancher's stock.

Perhaps your response is, "Serves them right. After all, their cattle are trespasser's on the wolf's territory." Well, that is a point which could be argued. However, as the recent kills just outside of Ennis and Dillon, Montana prove, the wolves are opportunits who will each wherever and whatever is easy and 'good'. So, location is not the only key.

However, this is one risk the cattle rancher takes. And it is not just wolves which provide them a challenge. There are wolves, but there are also bears (Grizzly and Black), and cougars to prey upon these slower moving domestic animals. Furthermore, there are noxious weeds which poison numerous cows - some years being worse than others. Tall Larkspur has taken a heavy toll in our area the last few years.

Another challenge few people who have not been involved in this business can comprehend is keeping track of and caring for cattle who are running on such vast sections of land. I doubt there is a much more practical example of the proverbial 'needle in a haystack' than that of the rancher seeking to watch over his cattle on these vast areas of land.

My finally reason for enjoy the traditional cattle which run around Elk Lake is: cattle come with ranchers. While these hard worker, peace loving (at least the ones I know), quiet folks tend to get a bac rap from the more liberal side, I have yet to meet a 'real' rancher who didn't work twice as hard and twice as long for about half the pay of his / her city counterpart. So, when it comes to making friends worth keeping, the farmers and ranchers of this great country are some of the best.

So, while the cattle have gone and the ranchers are back at their home places buttoning things down and stocking things up for the coming winter, I wish them all the best and look forward to their return next year!

Lady of the Lake

Gifts From Friends

As I promised in my last post, I am going to share with you some 'gifts' I have received from our guests. All my readers know I take LOTS of pictures. I guess I feel that, to a point, a picture really is 'worth a thousand words.' However, if you have spent any time at the resort, you also know I spend the vast majority of my time (during season) inside. I cook. I clean. I answer the phone. Then, when I'm done, I start all over again. Thus you will understand why the photos taken by guests who are here enjoying the glories of a Centennail Valley are such gifts!

Furthermore, many of our guests are better photographers than I am - and many have much nicer camera equipment. In addition, many of these photos share aspects of life at and around Elk Lake which I enjoy but cannot capture due to schedule constraints. Thus I thought our blog readers would probably enjoy these offerings and recognize why I consider them to be more than a nice gesture but a real gift.

The Centennial Valley is beautiful. It is wild. It is pristine. It is home to many more people than animals. Thus most of these photos have wildlife as their subject.

PLEASE NOTE: WHILE THESE PHOTOGRAPHERS HAVE SHARED THEIR PHOTOS WITH ME (AND THUS WITH YOU) ALL OF THESE PHOTOS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT AND MAY NOT BE USED WITHOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S CONSENT.

The top picture and the first few which follow are courtesy of my favorite wildlife photographer, frequent winter (rare summer) guest, and good friend - Gary Pumplin. As you can see, Gary is a talented photographer. While many of his photos are not taken in the Centennial, they nonetheless, portray animals and birds which call the Centennial home.

Moose are year round residents in the Centennial. While they are seen most frequently in the winter, a young bull moose found his way into the yard just the other day. These guys, however, weren't in the back yard!

While less frequent than last year, bear sightings or track sightings are the norm around here. These beautiful, large predators are a thrill to see - from a distance!

Another illusive Centennial resident, badgers are not easy to spot - but they are extremely photogenic if you get lucky.

Another generous and talented photographer we were privileged to meet this year is Jerry James. While Jerry and his wife reside in California, during their week in the Centennial they proved to be more comfortable in a 'my' environment than I would be in theirs. Please remember, the images which follow are NOT public. They belong to Jerry James, San Mateo, California.

During their stay, Jerry and his wife, Sue, spent quite a bit of time pursuing the Centennial's wild inhabitants. All the pictures which follow were taken in the valley. And for those of you who wonder where the wildlife are in the middle of summer - these were all taken in the middle of summer.

On one of the last days of their stay, my hubby shared the location of our favorite 'swan viewing' spot. Jerry and Sue spent about an hour and a half enjoying the birds and capturing some wonderful shots.

While I have captured a few shots of these beautiful birds, nothing I have compares to the beauty of these. Thank you, Jerry, for sharing with us!

However, swans were not his only subject. He managed to capture a pair of pronghorns:

A beautiful young Swainson's Hawk:

A couple of young Grebes:

And a fantastic upclose of a pair of Sandhill Cranes:

Not every photo we receive is taken in the summer. Some are winter shots, like this one from Brian Holliday. This is definitely a shot you will NOT see coming from my camera. In fact, were it not for Brian's willingness to walk out to the far end of the front yard and take this photo, I'd have no proof that once in a while we get mighty busy!

With 49 snowmobiles in front of the lodge, you can imagine how many people we are trying to serve inside the lodge!

Not every photo our guests share with us involves wildlife. Not everything centers around the resort. In fact, our wisest guests (in my opinion) are those who take the opportunity to spend a night packed up into the Centennial's high country. The LaFay family (our French-Japanese friends who have spent more than one summer day in our company) took such a trip. And, in spite of less than perfect weather, they are already vowing to repeat the experience next time they visit.

This photo is courtesy of the LaFay family.

Of course not every fantastic horseback trek has been taken in the Centennials. Just saddling up and taking off from the lodge can be fun, too. This next fantastic photo of Bugs and Tina crossing The Narrows at Elk Lake is courtesy of Russ Johnston.

As you can see, we have been blessed with MANY beautiful photos and our guests have been blessed with MANY wonderful sightings and experiences here at Elk Lake. However, lest you think the wildlife sightings stop when winter comes to call, I have two more photos to share with you - one from my friend Gary whose photos I've displayed above:

And one from Len Tillum - another local, talented photographer who enjoys visiting the Centennial, but makes most of his treks in the winter.

I hope you have enjoyed this photo tour as much as I have enjoyed receiving these 'gifts' from friends. These are just a sampling of the many photos we have received over the years. If you have photos you'd like to share with us, please, send them along. If these images have sparked your interest, check out everything the Centennial Valley and Elk Lake have to offer. For now, I've got to get my camera. I see another photo opp coming up!

Lady of the Lake

Bits And Pieces

As I type this the view outside my window has taken a sudden turn toward winter. While yesterday's temperatures were warm and blue mixed liberally with the hazy clouds scattered across the sky's face, today things look completely different. Last night I went to bed to an Indian Summer. This morning I woke up to a preview of winter!

However, there are several reasons why I am enjoying the snow outside my window:

First (and most obvious): I'm inside looking out!

Second: With the Yellowstone fire doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling its size every day recently, I am glad to have weather to slow it down. While 'naturally started fires' are considered eco-friendly, I can't figure out the difference between the smoke from a man-made fire and that from a nature-made fire. Besides, the end result of the extremely hot fires which have been the norm over the last few years, is sterilized soil which grows little but weeds and dog-hair thickets of the junk tree, Lodgepole Pine. But then, that wasn't where this post was supposed to be headed!

Third: Any time you mix white snow with green evergreens, the sight is beautiful. However, add in gold and red aspens and the sight becomes absolutely glorious!

While we thought it might slip away unmarked, the Centennial didn't let us down. So, another September goes on the books as giving us our first day of measureable (barely) snow.

The pleasant but unseasonably warm weather made for good business. However, this time of year we are looking to take a break. So, while the cooler weather has slowed down the traffic, it has also signalled our soon up-and-coming break. Of course we don't 'officially' close until after the first week of hunting season, but things look like they will slow down substantially within the next week.

On another subject - I'm happy to say wildlife sightings are picking up. Several deer sightings of late. A moose tramping through the yard and entertaining dinner guests last night. A red fox trotting by the dining room window at the close of the evening. Elk bugling on the nearby hillsides. And, with this new weather pattern, I'm hoping the sightings will be picking up even more.

A recent post about our day on Red Rock Lake brought an unexpected but pleasant response. Peg Abbott from the Trumpeter Swan Society posted a comment and passed on some interesting (and valuable) information. Apparently the Trumpeter Swan Society has a blog. If you love these beautiful big birds whose preservation was the primary impetus for the setting aside the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, do check out their blog and website.

Another recent treat I will share with you more in an upcoming blog are photos we have received from this summer's guests. This swan photo is courtesy of Jerry James, a Californian who found (and obviously enjoyed) Montana's Centennial Valley.

One more blog I am contemplating is a mostly-photo sampler from our recent jaunt to Grand Teton National Park. While you may wonder how 'that' ties in with Elk Lake and the Centennial, several of our guests have made the trip while staying here or visited there before or after visiting the Centennial. Thus I thought they (at least) might enjoy viewing some of what we enjoyed. Just a sampling follows (but probably not exactly the subject you may have expected to see - more about that another time):

However, for now, I will cut this blog post short and, hopefully, leave you tantalized enough to come back and visit another day!

Lady of the Lake

Local Fishing Exposed

(Top photo of Elk Lake's dock courtesy of Aurora Waclawski) Sometimes there is just so much to talk about, one has to pick and choose. That is the way I feel today as I sit down to write my blog. The elk are starting to get serious - serious about bugling and carrying on. The trees and shrubs are starting to get serious - serious about turning the various shades of gold and red which signal the season change is upon us.

Even the fish are starting to get serious, again - serious about biting the various flies and bait and artificial lures which the few fishermen still around are throwing their direction. We are starting to get serious, too - serious about slowing down and taking some time to enjoy this wonderful place we call home.

Nonetheless, now that the season is drawing to a close, I have time to tell you about some of the great fishing we have been enjoying this summer. In fact, courtesy of various guests who have graced our resort with their presence this summer, I not only have information, I have pictures to wet your appetite.

Many visitors to our area do not realize the abundant local fishing options. Of course this is due, in part, to other fishermen who prefer not to share the location of their favorite fishing spot. Take the fishermen one of our guests chatted with last night. When asked how the fishing had been they replied, "These are pretty wily fish. You have to go about it just right to have any success."

Huh? Sounds more like an avoidance than an answer. Our guest thought so, too. However, various vague replies are the norm around here. After all, when you find a great fishing spot with few other fishermen to share the water, well, really, what fisherman in their right mind wants to share that?

So, in keeping with the local ‘tradition' I have waited until the end of the season to share with you information and photographs which prove the local fishing is not only beautiful and private and unpressured but rewarding.

Red Rock Creek may be better known as the headwaters of the mighty Missouri than for being a quality fishery. However, there are a quite a few fishermen out there who are doing their best to stay mum about the place. Nevertheless, this beautiful mountain stream is worth a closer look.

Winding through the scenic Centennial Valley, Red Rock Creek flows from the high mountains into the Upper Red Rock Lake. Because this large, shallow lake is nesting and breeding habitat for various water fowl, the Red Rock Lakes Wildlife Refuge does not open these waters to fishing. However, many of the large Yellowstone Cutthroat and one of the last surviving Grayling populations which spawn and live in this large lake, also enjoy the cool, clear waters of Red Rock Creek.

Thus it is not surprising to find some gorgeous fish in these waters. Take the 17-inch Grayling caught a few weeks ago. Or the large fish skittering out of my way as I rowed up the creek in my kayak a couple weeks back. Not only is this creek beautiful and wild and pristine, it is worth a second look.

Then there is probably one of the best kept secrets - a pond which has produced some monster fish over the years. While the Refuge's new management plan includes turning this pond into more Grayling habitat in the near future, this year has proved to be one of those ‘fisherman's dream' years.

Take it from someone who really knows his stuff. Bob Jacklin, owner of Jacklin's Fly Shop in West Yellowstone, recently shared a little of his knowledge on this pretty little pond with The Big Sky Journal. I'd encourage you to read what he has to say.

While most would assume Elk Lake, because of its more ‘obvious' location (on the doorstep of Elk Lake Resort) would receive a lot of pressure, they would assume wrong. In fact, the Montana fish biologist responsible for the lake's management said the fish density in the lake is extremely high.

Of course, some fishermen turn their noses up at Cutthroat. Yet, I dare you to find a prettier fish, or a trout which fights with more natural skill and physical ability than the Westslope Cuts which inhabit our lake.

Certainly those ‘in the know' would agree. Don Roberts and his lovely wife spent a week with us last summer pursuing the local fish and photographing the area - all in anticipation for the article he wrote for Northwest Fly Fishing Magazine. Published in their July / August 2009 issue, the article on Elk Lake is well-worth reading. Especially if you are looking to fish quiet waters which receive low pressure and yet enjoy a dense fish population.

Hidden Lake, the area's ‘a-little-bit-better known' (to many folks' chagrin) gem, receives more fishing pressure than Elk Lake. Nonetheless, this naturally producing Rainbow Trout Lake (considered one of the finest natural Rainbow Trout fisheries in the state, but don't tell anybody!) regularly yields beautiful fish.

Not a few fishermen have tried their luck at catching another like the one caught by a young man in 2005. This 12-pound lunker was a beautiful specimen to behold. While you may not catch one that size, a 3 to 5-pound rainbow is a common sight.

If that is not enough to tempt you, I'll briefly mention two more little hike-in lakes where the wily fisherman can snag into a lovely rainbow trout. These lakes are not managed fisheries. In fact, I do not believe anyone has messed with them in many years. Combine no ‘messing with' and few fisherman and extremely clear, shallow water and one can understand why the fish in these two lakes are so difficult to fool.

Goose Lake and Otter Lake are two pint-sized hike-in lakes located between Hidden Lake and Cliff Lake. If you don't want a challenge, stick to the easier waters. These fish are extremely suspicious. Yet, if you are a skilled fisherman who enjoys testing your talents against those of your prey, these lakes are worth your time.

Like I said, there is a reason we save this kind of information for the end of the season. Our local waters are special! Located less than an hour from the world famous Madison River or Henry's Fork of the Snake, few fishermen even know to take the drive over the hill. And, while you are now ‘in the know' chances are only a few of you will chose to make that jaunt. Don't take us wrong, but we kinda like it that way.

Lady of the Lake