A Swan Ranger checks signs of wildlife along the narrow closed road! (Keith Hammer photos)

Ten Swan Rangers skied the Peterson Creek Road on a snowy Saturday, January 4, 2014!

The snow was fresh and still coming down, so the Rangers skied as far as the first creek on the Peterson Creek Trail as well!

Click here for a free Forest Service PDF map of Peterson Creek Road (a.k.a. Bear Creek Road) #5398 and Trail #293.

Click here for Flathead National Forest District maps (free as PDFs).

The initial stretch of Road #5398, which is seasonally closed to motor vehicles, is wide and of gentle incline.

Then the road narrows at a permanent barracade and begins to offer stunning views of the Ferndale area - like this one!

It was instead a good day for attention to detail, like this tree chewed on by what was likely porcupine!

The trail is still skiable after it leaves the closed road, but the creek crossings soon encountered are not yet bridged over for the winter.

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.

Everyone is welcome!