Forest Service Cabin Tour: Hogan Creek, Twin Lakes, Canyon Creek, and Stoney Creek (July 2013)

This summer we rented 4 different forest service cabins in Montana.  Renting the old forest service cabins is something we really enjoy and it is camping on the easy side.  Plus, the dogs enjoy getting out of the bugs if needed.  Cooking can be a bit fancier. We brought our bikes on this trip for a bit of biking and we did some hiking too.

Our first cabin was Hogan Creek Cabin.  This cabin we have skied into during the winter and we have wanted to get back to it in the summer.  It sits on the edge of a nice meadow.  We did some biking in the area but like many of the forest service trails they are not maintained and we were climbing over dead fall which I HATE!  I become very pissy about hiking and hauling my bike up and over down trees.  I would recommend hiking in the area instead.

Hogan Cabin

Evening photo inside

Enjoying some reading time with my buddy

Sadie!  My constant companion who I love dearly and spoil always!

Early morning dog walk in the meadow.

Early morning

Breakfast, toast, coffee, and other yummy treats.

My other dear companion Tally in the Bear Grass taking a break on the mountain bike ride.

"The Girls" Tally and Sadie on the mtn. bike ride.

A little single track up high with view towards Lost Trail Ski area.

Riding single track through the Lupine . . . bliss!

Christian working his way through the rocks.

Morning coffee

Morning knitting, outside, with coffee and some great yarn who can ask for more!?

The next cabin we were off to is outside of  Wisdom, Montana and up in the    mountains.  This cabin although it was nice it was right in a campground.  I would give this cabin a miss next time.  We were there during the week and one of about 5 groups in the whole campground. We did get in one day of hiking.  I got in a day of knitting and reading as someone drove themselves to Wisdom  to have a certain finger checked for stitches!  We finally or I should say a certain person did get a few stitches at a great clinic in Dillion later.

Twin Lakes cabin which does sit in a campground.

Reading with a view

Hike up towards a pass were we had hoped to find a lake, but we found the "Montana Air Force" mosquitos galore!

Old miners cabin as this part of Montana has an abundance of mining claims.

At our turn around point as we were all sick of the mosquitos.

Sadie and Tally recovering from the massive amount of miles they covered.

Lower Twin lake and we hiked to that pass in the far distance.

This is where I spent most of my day reading and knitting. I was waiting for a certain person to return from Wisdom with a cut open finger. 

Later we drove up a pretty good dirt road until the last section.  We found snow and a great lake.

Tally the water dog she loves chasing a stick!

Tally's favor thing is to get air as she jumps into the water.

My DH and photographer!

Next we were off to Canyon Creek north out of Dillion.  We had to go into Dillion to reload on ice, food, and to get some stitches.  The "Rainbow Family" was in the area for their big gathering and this added some color to the community.  I can highly recommend this cabin and we be returning to it in the future: great fishing, hiking, biking and general exploring abounds in this area.

On the way into the cabin one can stop and see this excellent site on the Charcoal Kilns.

The Kilns are easy to walk around and well maintained.

Canyon Creek Cabin as cute as can be and well loved!

Below me and just a bit of a walk is the river.

Inside

Hiking in the lupine up above the cabin.  Also notice the finger . . .

Evening fire with my gal Sadie.

Breakfast in the early morning sun.

The next cabin sits across from a campground. I didn't enjoy this spot much as it was very hot, dry, and dusty.  Up the road is a nice swimming hole in Stoney Creek.  Stoney Creek Cabin is in good shape but like many of the cabins they need screens int he windows so one can have some fresh cool air.

Cooling off in Stoney Creek.

Tally enjoying her air time.

Before she gets her stick and Sadie just wanting to bug Tally. 

Stoney Creek Cabin to the right about 6 feet is the road.

Great hiking around the Rock Creek area. 

UGH!

Where does the time go?

Dear Blog,

I am very behind on posting and I have a long list of topics to write about to get you up to date.  We are back in Alaska for another year of work.  We have been getting ready for the new year with the normal meetings, and classroom organizing that goes on every year.

I am extremely excited to be back in second grade as I have not taught this age group for several years.  I find second grader to be a wonderful time in child development/learning.

Since being back in the village the weather has been wonderful with some very warm sunny days and also days of rain.  I am one that really enjoys the constant changing weather that Alaska offers.

Stay tuned blog you have not been forgotten!

Wool-n-Ski

My Local Yarn Shop the Knit 'n Needle

Don't you just love your local yarn shop!  I know, I love my favorite local shop and for me it is truly a local shop.  I just have to walk out my front door and walk 3.5 blocks right to the front of door of Knit 'n Needle.  Not only is there a great sales staff but this warm cozy shoppe is full of great yarns and accessories.  If you are a fan of Ravelry they have a wonderful online group.  If you are saying to yourself "What the heck is Ravelry?" Don't worry just click on the link and check it out.  As many of us describe Ravelry to the non-knitting population (is there such a thing) we often say it is the facebook for knitters only so much more!

I wanted to include some of the great items I purchase this year at the Knit 'n Needle's annual sale.  One of my favorite purchases which I am just loving are my Addi Click needles.  I have had other interchangeable needles but of course typical of Addi these needles out shine the rest.

Addi Click needles--oh how I love knitting with these needles!

Another great item that I purchased although it was not on sale is this book.  I just love 100% wool and learning about fiber.  I have been wanting this book for some time.  I figure it will be great reading when I am up north for the school year.

My yarn purchases are below.  The GINA is for the KAL that I have yet to start.  The shoppe is hosting a Knit Along (KAL) that I really need to jump in on!  Crown Jewel Knit Along  is in progress but don't ever feel afraid to join in late to this group!  The other yarns to below are purchases for the stash.  Next is some Schoeller + Stahl Limbo superwash to add to the "hat stash department."  That beautiful rusty color is of course Malabrigo Twist in sunset.  Who in their right mind can pass up Malibrigo on sale? Last but not least is a wonderful organic cotton by Blue Sky Organic.

The yarn below is for another pair of Northman Mittens which was a winter KAL from earlier this year.  I will be using the idea of the Northman Mitten for the mittens I am planning.  However, the color motif  will be altered from the Norwegian Rose/snowflake to a skier.  Below, I have Ultra Alpaca from Berroco for the outer part of my Northman Mittens (blue and white).  The lining for these mittens will be out of the middle yarn which is actually a nice bold magenta from Blue Sky called Brushed Suri.

Fiber-Friends and Seattle

Woolnwords and Woolnski at our annual knit & fiber retreat!

In June my dear fiber-friend from Unalakleet and I met up in Seattle for a fiber visit.   Since "woolnwords" has moved on from UNK (as it is locally known up north) we decided we would meet up every year some place to knit, explore yarn shops and 'fiber related things."  I felt a bit like the Country Mouse (from Alaska/Montana) visiting the City Mouse (who grow up outside of Seattle and now lives in eastern Washington).  The trip was wonderful!

City Mouse completely comfortable with city travel! I must say traveling by ferry is still one of my all time favorite ways to travel.

Leaving Seattle behind as we head out to Bainbridge Island.

One of the first places we were off to was a nice outside cafe.  This is one of those small pleasures one craves when you live in a rural, remote, Alaskan village.  We had to go do this together as we were never able to treat ourselves to this type of a place in UNK.

Do you see those orange boxes on the shelf in the distances?  You may ask what is the big deal about those boxes?  Those boxes are one of the many little things that makes our lives in the far north wonderful!  Once a week in UNK we receive  fresh box of produce from Full Circle Farms.  Here in the Seattle area they also make delivers.   I can not tell you how wonderful it has been having fresh organic produce delivered to us in the village each week for over 5 years.  Nor can I tell you enough how wonderful it is to work with Full Circle Farms!   They are extremely professional and stand by their produces' quality. 

Once coffee and baked goods were out of the way we were off to explore a wonderful Bainbridge Island yarn shop.  The Churchmouse Yarns & Teas.   Churchmouse is a wonderful shop full or colorful yarns and knowledgeable staff.  They also have a classic collection or teas and accessories.

I am always looking for a yarn that represents the place I am visiting.  Seattle and Bainbridge were full of flowers blooming their summer wardrobe. I purchased this pattern and yarn below.  One has to agree the linen stitch has a wonderful way of showing off color with texture.  This scarf is a nice knit even if one has to cast-on 450 stitches!  Yes 450 stitches!  I thought OMG no way!  Casting on went smoothly and placing stitch markers every 50 stitches makes this process a breeze.

The yarn I am using is Koigu.  I have never knitted with this yarn before but I am enjoying the wonderful rich color ways I picked.  I truly feel like I am knitting a garden full of blossoms.

A few little tricks I am using to help keep the yarns organized are:

1. zip lock bags for the three different color ways

2. each bag is labeled with A, B, C to follow the pattern row labeling

3.  the rows are on each bag as there is a six row repeat

Progress is being made on this scarf:

Knitting away on the scarf on a recent forest service cabin camping, hiking, mountain bike trip, with knitting in between all the activity.

 The Next stop on our trip was to the Nordic Heritage Museum.  The reason for the visit was to see all things Nordic.  We have wanted to visit the museum for years to see their knitted items.  My words of advice if you are most interested in fiber and needle work is to start at the top of the museum.  The top floor has a dedicated room to each Nordic country.

 All photos were taken without flash.  Below is the classic Norwegian National dress and Setesdal sweater. Not only are we fans of this style of sweater but we both love the stitching/embroidery that is incorporated in these sweaters.

Woolnwords working on her Setesdal style sweater on the Bainbridge Island Ferry.  She always uses EZ's percentage system plus she is picking her own color work motifs from a variety of sources.

What the heck a table---I am hoping to have my FIL build us a dinning room table along these lines.

Biking and Paddle Boarding

We had a great day yesterday!  We all need to get out and enjoy what Montana has to offer during the summer.  We are right on the edge of a heat wave for Montana and luckily for us we have not gotten the higher temperatures that others have been recording.

Single track riding in the green.

Sadie cooling off as she always does-she will just lay right down in the stream and chill for a bit.

Christian cooling off as well after he fully submerged himself in the creek.

Sadie in her Ruffwear vest and I enjoying a hot afternoon on the river cooling off.

Tally sporting her wonderful Ruffwear life vest.  This great fitting vest has a handle which makes  it easy to get her onto the Versa board.

Heading home at the end of a great day outside in the sun!