IMPORTANT INFORMATION - PLEASE
READ.
At some time in the past, when the parking lot at Chief Joseph was not plowed
a number of vehicles parked along State Route # 43 which is a
reasonable alternative. However one or more vehicles DOUBLE PARKED
blocking the West bound lane. Two trucks traveling in opposite
directions nearly
collided as a result of this lane being blocked. Should this occur
in the future the Department of Transportation has assured us that
the offending vehicles will be towed at owners expense.
(probably to Wisdom or Darby)
DOT's primary responsibility is the State Highway system and
they clean the lot at Chief Joseph at their earliest opportunity.
Mel Mooers, Grooming Team Leader
Bitterroot Cross Country Ski Club
There is a cow and calf (yearling) moose at
the ski area and they are staying on the trails. There is 6 feet of
snow and usually moose leave when the snow depth gets to about four
feet as a Bull that was there earlier has apparently done.
These two sink into the trails 12-18 inches but it's much
preferable to trying to navigate in the 6 feet of snow off trail.
They haven't shown any aggression to the grooming machines and I
haven't heard of any confrontation with skiers, however they tend to
be unpredictable.
There is little chance that they will be able to move
to lower elevation where they could move through the snow there and
they could become confrontational. They have been seen on many of
the trails in the area but tend to stay on Middle Fork or Joseph
Creek trails. Skiers should consider finding an alternate trail if
they encounter the moose.
Mel Mooers, Grooming Team Leader
Bitterroot Cross Country Ski Club
PHANTOM PHILANTHROPIST
The Grooming crew got a very pleasant surprise as we
finished and returned to the truck recently. A person or persons
unknown had left a very generous gift certificate to a favorite
local restaurant for each of us.
Our motivation is two fold, one is contributing to a
worthwhile cause, helping provide a healthy recreational
opportunity. Two. being abler to see the results of our efforts,
nice smooth trails and straight tracks at least until it snows
again.
We receive lots of positive comments but this most generous
recognition really put the icing on the cake!
A thousand "Thank You's" to that person or persons.
Mel Mooers and crew
___________________________________________
Some of you may not have seen this article in the Missoulian
newspaper.
New parking place for skiing to Hogan Cabin
WISDOM - There's a new place to park if you want to go
cross-country skiing to Hogan Cabin from Highway 43, west of Wisdom
in the Beaverhead-
Deerlodge National Forest. The Montana Department of
Transportation put in a new area for
trucks to put on snow chains last summer one-half west of
Cabinet Creek. The area is much safer for both parked cars and for
snowplows and designed with skiers in mind, officials said.
The Forest Service is marking the new ski route from the
chain-up area to the Shoofly Trail which goes on to Hogan Cabin.
Officials said the new route is one-half mile longer than the old
one. For more information call the Forest Service in Wisdom at (
406 ) 689-3243
BITTERROOT