Ah, Yes, Summer In Montana...

[Al Agnew]

My wife is taking a class in Bozeman that will allow her to be a Yoga instructor, so we drove out to our cabin (an hour away from Bozeman) last weekend, and we'll be here for several weeks. I knew that it was the wrong time for flyfishing, since the Yellowstone and other rivers were going to be high and muddy from snowmelt. So I planned on working around the cabin and getting some paintings done until the rivers got into shape.

We arrived late Monday night to typical weather...cool and clear. Tuesday started out nice, sunny and warm. But Tuesday afternoon a storm system rolled in, and the temp dropped into the 40s. By Tuesday night it was snowing.

Our cabin sits in the valley, at about 5300 ft. elevation. Weather forecast called for snow to be accumulating down to 5000 ft. It didn't quite stick at the cabin, but the mountains a thousand or so feet higher turned white. It snowed hard much of the day Wednesday, turned to rain Wednesday night, and rained all night with temps in the high 30s. Yesterday the rain turned to snow again in the morning before finally ending. Today it's a bit closer to normal weather for this time of year out here, temps in the 60s and somewhat windy. A far cry from what it's been doing in Missouri!

Our friends out here say this is the strangest weather they've ever seen. It stayed cold with rain and snow much of May--in fact, since early May the area has gotten nearly its entirely yearly quota of precipitation. The Yellowstone is high and muddy already, and Yellowstone Park has been getting hammered with new snow, so if the weather turns very warm (which is pretty likely) and that snow all melts at once we could be looking at big floods on the Yellowstone and other area rivers. I have to say I kinda hope it DOES all melt quickly, or else I won't be fishing the Yellowstone at all while I'm out here this summer.

There are a few places I can fish. Some lakes. The Bighorn is 2-3 hours away and it is dam-controlled and almost always fishable. I could pay to fish the spring creeks, which is what all the tourist anglers here now are doing. The lower Madison was marginally fishable Wednesday when I drove out and looked at it. The Boulder is high but fairly clear.

If I get to missing bass fishing, I've found a cluster of ponds that are reputed to be full of largemouths. The lower Bighorn is supposed to have smallmouths. And the Flathead, three or four hours away, is apparently a great smallie fishery.

I'll report from time to time on my adventures out here.

There were grizzly tracks in the lane leading up to the cabin.

[HeavyC]

Nice location for a cabin!!!

We are in the same boat here in Colorado. I have lived here for 40+ years and I only recall 2-3 years with weather like this throughout the whole year. Looks like it was the same for the folks up in tana. Give the rivers a couple of weeks and it will prolly really get cookin!!

Enjoy and carry the bear spray! I have a few around at all times when I head abck in the hills.

I am so jealous!

HC Out!

[jscheetz]

Hey Al - pictures????

You could post a few photos along the way to help our flatlander souls back here! Our land up there is just down the road a spell near Red Lodge. Neighbors there told me there is more bear activity around there this spring than they have seen before. Maybe all the late snow up high is driving them down a bit more than usual. I won't up get there for another couple of months - but you should wander over to the Bighorn, I know it's up right now, but at least not blown out - when I was there last Sept - had to fish with a Musky lure just to keep the little 18 inchers off your line

JS

[RSBreth]

Without you floating the rivers around here for Smallmouth, I'll try to pick up the slack, but it'll be hard.

I use to do a trip in Fall to Eleven Mile-Spinney-South Park Colorado area every year (South Platte River) , but just too much other stuff to do the past years due to my little one and everything else.

Maybe next year.

Keep us all posted.

[Phil Lilley]

Weather- speaking of... my friends in AK say that their weather is "back to normal" which is 40's and 50's instead of 50-60's like it's been for the past 4-5 years up there. Very wet. Snow too.

[Al Agnew]

last night we had a nice sunset and I took some pictures... This is the view of Imigrant Peak off our front porch.

From the front porch, if you look down Paradise Valley to the north, you get a good view of the Absaroka-Beartooth Range. There's a creek with brown and cutthroat trout in it in the near trees. If you look a little farther to the left, you can see the Livingston Canyon gap where the Yellowstone emerges from Paradise Valley, with the Crazy Mountains about 40 miles away but visible through the gap, but I didn't take a picture of that last night.

Looking across the valley from in back of the cabin, you see the Gallatin Range.

[Trav]

Hey Al!

Beautiful place! I can see the inspiration behind alot of your Art.

Was wondering if you ever take requests. My Lil Lady collects art of Princess's and an Al Agnew version of the Dove Princess would be a great holiday gift for her.

Will you think about it?

Anyway, I am so jealous of your Montana property. Have a great summer!

[jscheetz]

Thanks for the pics Al!! THAT'S what I am talking about!!!!

JS

[Al Agnew]

We drove up into the park yesterday. The Yellowstone below Yellowstone Lake looked gorgeous...high but very clear. Of course, fishing season doesn't open on that stretch of the Yellowstone until July 15! The river still looked marginally fishable at the bridge below the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (the loose volcanics and rotten thermal rock in the canyon erodes into the river in high water and muddies it). But the Lamar was dumping a big load of muddy water into the river. Once the Lamar settles down the river should get fishable below the park. Weather is supposed to be in the 80s and sunny the next five days, so a lot of snow should melt.

We saw wolves in the Lamar Valley, just on the other side of the river from the road, and a black one crossed the road above the confluence with Soda Butte Creek (Soda Butte Creek was pretty clear, by the way). Saw a grizzly but it was a long way off. Watched a pair of peregrine falcons dive-bombing a bald eagle--cool! The eagle probably didn't think so. Lots of bison with babies. The tourist hordes were not too much in evidence yet.

I think I'll go flyfishing on a local lake this evening. Possible hatches just before dark. I know there are BIG rainbows in it, along with some walleye.

[jscheetz]

Sounds like fun! I've caught a lot of cutts in that Soda/Lamar area - it is just usually really crowded in the summer -

Good to know the wolves are still safe in the park - I read an article that said in the 61 days after the elimination of federal protection of the wolves - 69 were killed!

Here is a pic of two years ago this same time in June in Yellowstone - hiking alone up Slough creek. Looked across the river and saw a mother grizzly and two cubs walking - then all of a sudden two wolves came at them. The mother just sat down with the two cubs next to her and the wolves stood on either side - each taking turns running in at them - trying to get the mother to chase one so the other could steal a cub. The wolves finally got tired of it and couldn't get the mother away from the cubs so they left and the bear family wandered up the hill.

I was on the other side of the river using a 300mm lens so didn't get real great shots - but you can at least make out the bears and the wolves on each side looking ominous. It was one of those times in the wilderness where you feel like you have been treated to seeing something special!

Keep the updates coming!

JS