Jody, Emily, and Ben at the point were got to in the truck, we are about six and a half miles from camp.
For a short while the road as only blocked by drifts that looked like we could easily push through, but we were soon, with in half a mile, walking on snow.
At the snow pole we found the snow level down two feet from the 11th, but still at about three feet.
The crew at the snow pole. We were determined to make it to camp, stay over night if we had to, and see what Loll was really like.
This is the view down the east side of Calf Creek.
This is the point of the Calf Creek Divide were we usually meet the deepest and longest lasting drifts.
Still on the east side of Calf Creek. At this time I was hoping that we would hit open road as we started up the next west facing slope. It was not to be; we would never see a stretch of open road.
Just over the bridge we ran into a set of grizzly tracks. He was headed west, we were going east. Thank goodness never did we meet.
I would call this a big bear. I remembered how E. T. Seton wrote that the exciting thing about a set of tracks is that the maker is always at the other end of the string.
At one place a stream of run-off cut across the road. This shows quite clearly the depth of the snow on the road.
We stopped for lunch at noon - a few hundred yards below the turn off. We looked up into Yellowstone, just across the week.
Looking up the turn off road.
There was a lot of "water mellon" snow.
The upper lot - not so hot or so dusty.
This is the road down from the parking lot into Loll.
Our first view of Lake of the Woods. As always, my heart skiped a beat - but perhaps for reasons other than joy this time.
The lodge at Loll.
The parade ground and the lodge under snow. You can see some minor damage along the overhang between the two halfs of the building.
Some more minor damage on the lodge. One can only imagin the forces these building face through the long winter months.
The north portch.
The east porch.
Off the south porch. This bank of snow is as high as the porch and blocks the entrance to the basement.
View inside the lodge; looks good to me.
The view from my beadroom wondow of the parking lot. Note the broken pine on the trail to the lake.
Emily in the kitchen. All we need is a staff to feed; well some food and fule would be nice too.
West door.
This tree went down on the north end of the parking lot.
The new roof on the old office. You can see the broken tree and where it hit the edge of the roof when it fell.
The danger lodge - in danger. This picture was taken from the parking lot.
Looking down from the snow drift to the door of the Danger Lodge.
Jody on a "hot" tin roof.
The new bridge. This picture also shows how much snow is in the camp sites.
The Nes Pierce KYBO.
The Rifle Range.
Jody at the Rifle Range. Some slight damage can be seen along the ridge line.
This is a snow drift in camp Nez Pierce.
This broken tree just missed the Staff KYBO, one chunk fell to each side.
Very big moose tracks on the trail to the landing.
At the landing.
Just some proof I actually made it.
Lake on ice.
The waterfront.
Ben easly reached up to top of the Pioneering Area bear pool.
The hike crew and the lodge on Mid Summers Eve. To quote from Through the Looking Glass:
From "The Walrus and the Carpenter:"
If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year.
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.
The view of Yellowstone from the road out of Loll. I didn't take many pictures on the hike back. My left knee was hurting so badly I was beginging to wonder if I was going to make it. I farmed my pack and camara off on the "young ones" about three miles from the truck. It was carry my camara or carry me.
Once more at Indian Lake . . . like summer, the lilly pads are just peeking out.
At Indian Lake, Jody bagged the first mosquito of the summer.
On the way out, a black bear posed for us in the middle of the road. By time I got the camera out, the bear was on the run.
Enlarge the picture with a click and see that this bear is really running very fast.
Our big adventure passes through Big Jud's. The "Big Jud" will also pass, thanks to Ben.
11 comments:
Darn you Tetonic Snow! Hopefully the snow melts soon!
We're supposed to come up on July 11th. Hoping the snow is mostly gone by then! :)
All I can say is that I am extremely jealous!!! As I sit here in the tropical heat and humidity of Okinawa Japan, my heart yearns for a cool mountain breeze. I have never seen so much snow at Camp Loll. What a magical place.
Wow. When we snowmobiled into camp over Spring Break in 2006 there was more snow, but this is still remarkable.
Thank you all for posting. I suppose the comfort you give me is at least one evidnece of the old line, “misery loves company”. I am indeed miserable, and I do love your company. Thanks.
Thanks for posting all these pictures, they bring back a whole slew of memories - I've never met you, but I've heard your name plenty from the Grover's - I was on staff for two years, and I've been back one to hike Union Falls. Anyway - great pics thanks again.
When is camp supposed to start having troops come?
What a disaster. I hope this doesn't completely mess up the summer schedule! Wishing we could join you so you could meet baby Atticus. He'll make a good scout someday.
Thank you all for posting. I am glad so many care so much.
Here is the News.
We will not be able to get into Camp Loll this week, we are doing our best to pin down a date, but it is impossible to know how fast the snow will melt. John Darrington (Big John's grandson) will try to drive in on Friday, and send us a report, and Bill Wangsgard, and a few of the staff will be trying to get in from both sides on Monday. It is our plan to take the whole staff in by Thursday, June 30th, but we hope to get them up there even sooner.
Now for the hard news; because of the snow conditions at Camp, the road, and our need not only to get in but to prepare for our campers, we have decided to cancel our second week at Loll this summer, July 4 – 9.
We were blessed to have a chance to send all of our troops to Camp Aspen Ridge, which has an open week. The Director at Aspen, Ben Prall, is a former Loll Staffer, as are his wife Kristy and Mike Stetler, Aspen Ridge’s High Adventure Dir. I am sure they will do a great job, but I am saddened that our first two weeks of campers – close to 500 people - will miss out on being with our wonderful staff this summer. We will have to give even more to the five weeks of campers who do come with us.
This gift form Aspen Ridge and the Council will allow us to have a week and a half of preparation and training, and make it possible for us to do even a better job for the scouts. More importantly it will alow the snow to go and the camp to be ready to accomidate the scouts without dammaging the environment. It is the price we must pay for living in the tops of the mountains.
Wow. That's a long hike on snow. I hope your knee is doing better now.
Hopefully there is some good melting going on now that the climate has decided to act like summer.
It will be mud city for the first two weeks. I'm going to have Steven bring my cow milking boots.
While it is heartbreaking to see the first two weeks of campers lose the experience of enjoying the magic of Loll, D&C 53:3 keeps coming to mind:
"Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men."
Well this is my first visit. Great stuff over the blog. Illustration has something special and I think we can't avoid this kind of initiative.
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