A cottonwood skyline in Cottonwood Bottom! (Keith Hammer photos)
Thirteen Swan Rangers skied and snowshoed in Krause Basin on a slightly sticky Saturday, January 19, 2019!
The skiers broke trail up through Cottonwood Bottom to Strawberry Lake Road, where some returned by the road to make a loop and the others retraced their path!
Friday's snow had warmed and was a little sticky, but very welcome, soft, and nice!
Krase Basin is finally starting to look like the winter wonderland it normally is in good snow years!
With Krause Creek at low to no flow this winter, the crossings are easy: here the South Fork crossing!
Then a crossing of the Middle Fork, which flows from Strawberry Lake.
Then another crossing of the South Fork at Cottonwood Bottom!
And finally, a squeeze alongside the South Fork just before topping the divide with Echo Creek and reaching the Strawberry Lake Road a quarter-mile below the trailhead!
The Swan Rangers meet every Saturday at the Echo Lake Cafe for breakfast at 8:30, leaving at 9:30 for a partial day outing in the northern Swan Mountains and foothills.
They carpool from the Swan River School parking lot next to the Cafe.
When hiking in bear country, remember to carry bear spray and avoid the 3-D's: dawn, dusk, and darkness.
Everyone is welcome!