Enjoying Summer

I'm from Southeastern South Dakota. When you mention summer to me, I immediately think of high 90's or triple digit temperatures combine with high humidity levels.  I also think of my last summer there being spent in the upper level of a house that had been remade into an apartment.  An apartment with no air conditioning.

I think of buying and installing my first and (probably) only window AC unit, otherwise the internal temp of that apartment would have also been in the 80's or 90's.

I think of hiding inside all day until the sun is down so that I can go outside for a few hours before sunset and mosquitoes.

I think of wishing that the large river than ran through town, The Big Sioux, wasn't also known as "The Big Muddy" and polluted.  Because, darn it, if it weren't dirty and polluted, people would be swimming in that thing at all hours.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm on a brief retreat home to see family and right now it's high 60's and cloudy.  Beautiful, really.

But, when summer really hit this year after teaching was done, you can imagine how happy I was to get out into the mountains where it was 70's-80's regularly with no humidity.  Sure, we had a few hot days, but nothing like what I was used to.

And so Koda and I hiked. And hiked, and hiked, and hiked.
Our average hike wasn't that long - between 8-10 miles generally.  But we did venture some longer ones ranging from 10-15.

Don't believe me?  How about some photos!

On the way up to Hyalite Lake

Learning to Fly-Fish...a Montana must!

Hidden Lakes Trail

So, we have been out quite a bit.  It's actually gotten to the point where I don't even bring my camera much anymore.  It's beautiful country and any photo I take will only come within 1/10th of a percent of doing it justice.  

With all the hiking, you can imagine that Koda is getting quite a bit stronger.  Actually, he's gained a lot of muscle mass.  He still weighs in between 56-58 lbs, but I doubt that there is much body fat on him.  Which is great! Right?

Well, anytime you build up one set of muscles, other muscles tend to get neglected and it seems a similar thing has happened with Koda.  I noticed that he was walking oddly a few weeks back and took him to a veterinarian in Bozeman that said it was merely a pulled muscle and to rest it.

We tried that and still he was walking very stiffly with his back legs.  

So, on this trip home, I brought him to the only veterinarian crew that I really trust.  Seriously, folks, if you are looking for a wonderfully dedicated staff of animal lovers that are willing to do anything for your pet's betterment, go to Best Care Pet Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.  Drs. Spoo, Heyden, and Hardy are wonderful in their own right, but they are backed up by a staff of dedicated and caring individuals.

Okay, I'm off of the soap box. I really do appreciate individuals who do their jobs well and love what they do, even when the pay-out isn't the best in return.

So, after talking with Dr. Spoo, Koda is now doing some exercises and stretches to work muscles that have been neglected/over worked.

We have a lot of rest time planned in the next few weeks.  Which means more fishing time for me!

Oh, and school is starting soon as well...so that cuts in to "out and about" time.

Hopefully this winter I'll be a more dedicated blogger.  Hold me to it!

Best,

A

Garnet Mt. Trail

Okay, so I'm not dead.

I haven't been eaten by bears or mountain lions.
I haven't been taken captive by crazed mountain men.

No.  I'm just a teacher approaching the end of the year and all its craziness.

But, next week is the final week of teaching.  From there, I'll settle in to my part time summer job at a local bakery and a lot of hiking.

Yesterday I finally got out again with Koda (and Nathan).  We decided we would try Garnet Mountain Trail.  The trail is 8 miles round trip.  You know you're done when you reach the top and see the Forest Service Lookout Tower (which can be rented out for a few nights here).  The total elevation gain is around 3,300' if you start from Storm Castle's Trailhead  parking area.  Some people drive around past Storm Castle/Squaw Creek and go to Rat Lake, which also has a trail leading up to Garnet Mountain Lookout.

We went by way of Storm Castle.

To be honest, the trail isn't terribly difficult or steep until the end, then there is about 0.5 miles of steep, gravelly road to walk on.  Part of this is because this portion of the trail is also used by 4-wheelers and dirt bikes.

(Side Note: I really hate having trails accessible to motorized vehicles like this.  I think it totally defeats the purpose of going out into "nature".  If you want to ride your dirt bike around, go into town.  Bozeman would do well to invest in a dirt bike track and keep these folks off of the trails, I think.)

It's a beautiful hike.  Arguably the most scenic one I've done in Bozeman thus far.  The trail is lined

with alpine wildflowers and it seems like you get a new and incredible lookout every half of a mile.

I wouldn't recommend it for anyone visiting from lower altitudes.  If I had tried this last fall when I moved, I would've gotten frustrated and not even enjoyed the scenery.  But, if you're feeling up for a good 4 hour hike (about how long it took us) and a bit of a workout, then I would say to give it a shot!

But remember, bring bear spray!

With summer will come more time to hike and blog, so I'm hoping  to get this blog up and running again.  One more week of school and then I'll be cruisin' through summer.

I have a few trips planned, but not too many.  I will be in the Black Hills at some point in July and running a 5K not too long after that.

Until then, enjoy the photos!

Best,
A

The Pacific Crest

Alright, I've been putting it off, but it's time to write about another trail involved in "Triple Crowning".

The Pacific Crest Trail goes from Canada to Mexico (or Mexico to Canada, if you'd rather) by way of California, Oregon, and Washington.  It, arguably, features the widest array of ecosystems.  The trail itself covers 2,650 miles.  It is friendly to dogs.....kind of.  The PCT is open to dogs except for areas covered by the National Park Service and in the California State Parks, through which is passes.

I'm sorry, but this is possibly one of my larger pet peeves.  I understand why they don't like dogs on trails in certain areas, but I also have a hard to rationalizing it.  I would not have a bit of a problem if they were "leashed pets only" type of areas.  In fact, I think that could be wise for many locations, especially when you're travelling through an unfamiliar area.

But, as a favorite teacher of mine used to say, I digress.

One of the fun facts on the PCT website that really surprised me was:

"fewer people have thru-hiked the PCT than have climbed Mt. Everest! Could it be that a thru-hike is tougher than climbing the tallest mountain on Earth? "

Now, I'm still living on a prayer that I'll be able to through hike it.  With that kind of mileage, it would take about 5-6 months of 20 miles+ a day of hiking.  That's a lot of hiking, and, unfortunately, that's a bit longer than teachers get for a summer break.

I will admit that the PCT website is more user-friendly than the AT website.  They even include the email address of a couple of gentlemen that will help you calculate your hike.

Even their list of individuals that have accomplished 2,600 miles on the trail is educating and entertaining. The list includes not only the individual's first name, but their trail name.

I know you could have done the research on this trail yourself, and that this overview is all too brief.  However, the purpose of this blog is to introduce you to the trails and provide the general resources you may need to research information further.

Here are a few photos, just to catch you up on what life with Koda has been like as of late:

Best, 

A 

Skijoring - Attempt One

There comes a time in every girl's and dog's life when the snow flies and it's just not much fun to trudge waist deep in snow.

It's at these points in time when the girl has to toughen up and say "It's time to try something new."  Luckily, this girl had a boyfriend that was willing to help her and not laugh at her too hard.

That's right, my friends, last Saturday I learned how to cross-country ski.  Simultaneously, Koda continued to learn how to skijor.

"Wait." You may be thinking "What the heck is skijoring and how on Earth do you say it."

Skee-yor-ing (if you're a Norsky) or Skee-jor-ing (generally how most folks Stateside pronounce it) is when a dog, horse, or snowmobile pulls a human who is wearing cross-country skis.  The biggest trick in skijoring (as far as I can tell) is ensuring that your dog will pull you on the trails and not take off after wildlife.  There are a few common commands that folks like to use when skijoring:

"Hike" - Let's Go
"Easy" - Slow Down
"Gee" - Right
"Haw" - Left
"On By" - Pass without slowing (or a "leave it" command for those who have dogs that may want to stop and smell everything).

The key, as far as I'm learning, in this activity is to maintain patience and consistency.  Really, in this way it's not much different from teaching elementary music.

So, off we went! I wish I could tell you the trail that we went on, but I forgot to look at the name. It's north of Bohart Ranch in the Bridgers (which is north of Bridger Bowl).  There are a lot of off-shoot trails that you can go on, we went to the very top of the road and took the left trail.  Side Note: You'll need 4-wheel drive to get up to the top.

Koda did really well for being scared stiff of the skis and ski poles.  At first, we started with Nathan and Koda in front and my following (I mean, c'mon, it was my first time).  It was entirely uphill and the snow was deep.  Koda was a champ though and kept going, even though the snow was above his chest.  Nathan was a champ for being patient with Koda and his wanderings.

And you know what, the entire way going uphill I didn't fall. I didn't biff even once.

However, the time came to turn around and go home, and that was an entirely different story. Yes, I fell. And, yes, it seemed like a lot to me.  But, that's part of learning. I'm starting to appreciate the struggle and I think that's important.

Besides, if we all didn't struggle with something, how dull would life be?  It's the constant pursuit of something and the struggle that comes with the pursuit that teaches us more about ourselves and our environment.

Best,

 A

PS: Check out Nathan's Blog to read about his summer travel experience! And Happy Holiday Season from both of us.

Storm Castle Trail

My friends, I am pleased...nay, elated...to tell you the tail of Storm Castle Trail.

You head down the highway,

Gallatin by name.

And take a left on a dirt road,

if hiking is your game.

You then take a right,

BUT DON'T YOU STOP.

You go past a helibase,

to make it to the top.

Then you're at the trail,

with three other choices.

Choose one wisely,

(listen to the voices).

You start up the trail,

it's not hard at all.

but then it gets perilous,

careful, don't fall!

Some trail is smooth,

and other is stoney.

Wear good hiking boots,

the trail is no phony!

You go past one lookout,

then two, then three!

Look towards Hyalite,

oh how far you can see!

The exercise is great;

the scenery is charming.

Developing in Gallatin?

NO! How alarming!

The world looks so small,

the higher you go.

You gain a sense of peace,

time seems to slow.

Hiking is more,

than just trying to get fit.

It's about realizing yourself-in this world,

in spite of it.

So when you begin,

please leave no trace.

This place is sacred,

separate the rat race.

Alright, all joking aside...this is truly a beautiful hike.  The only thing I managed to complain about (and honestly, probably too much) was the snow.  Hiking in it was not the most exciting thing in the world as it wasn't "powder soft and Christmas-y". No, no, no. We've had a warm streak in Bozo and the snow was compacted and slick from other hikers.

But otherwise, not a complaint. Nathan and I realized how nice it is to sometimes hike on a trail that has an actual end point.  You feel like you've completed something and can gain a small sense of pride.

And, have I mentioned enough how BEAUTIFUL the scenery is throughout the entire hike?  There wasn't one moment where I wasn't awed by something. Or, perhaps in a more understandable sentence structure...I was wow'd by everything.

                         











You might be wondering why Koda is back on the lead. Well, he had a bit of a falling out with Nathan on a hike last week and completely ran off......twice.  So, to me, that says he isn't ready to be off lead.

(He knows he's in trouble, I think).

So we're back to walking him on the long lead, calling him back, and rewarding him every time he comes.  I've taken him to the dog park a few times and he has done exceptionally well there.  He's returned even when distracted by other dogs.

Oh, and I'm pleased to say that this hike wasn't hard for me (although, it's not a terribly hard hike...just steep).  So, that leads me to believe that I'm getting somewhere in the "get ready for days of hiking" category.

I'm also extremely excited to announce that some friends and I have agreed to do The Color Run in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN next summer.





Alright, exceptionally long post done.  If you're ever in Bozeman and trying to decide which hike to do...I think this would be my number one suggestion!

Happy Monday and Happy Thanksgiving!

Best,
A

The Trails - Appalachian

To further explain what it means to "Triple Crown" in USA hiking, I thought I would discuss the trails involved.

Today, we'll just cover some jargon and the Appalachian Trail.  In a week, we'll discuss another one of the trails, the Pacific Crest. Finally, two weeks from today we'll wrap up with a discussion about the Intercontinental Trail.

There are three trails (hence the "Triple") that hikers must complete and a variety of ways to do so.  Some people argue that you have to do the entirety of one trail in one backpacking excursion (known as thru-hiking).  However, for those of us who have jobs, completing the entirety of a thousand-mile or greater trail in the matter of months simply isn't possible, no matter how much we may want to.  Fun Fact provided by the official website of the AT: Only 1 in 4 hikers who attempt to thru-hike actually complete it.  Ready for a cheesy pop-culture reference? "May the odds be ever in your favor".

Some people like to hike against the general population, so they complete one portion of the trail starting from a mid-point, then go back to the mid-point of the trail at another time and complete the other half (this is known as "flip-flopping).  Sometimes flip-flopping makes a lot of sense.  For example, on the Appalachian Trail, one hikes from the southern most states (Georgia) up through to the northern most state on the east coast (Maine).  To get an early start, a large quantity of people start hiking in April.  It's still rather brisk in Maine at April, so it makes more sense to start in Virginia and work your way up to Maine so that, come the heat of mid-summer, you're in Maine. Then, upon completing Mt. Katahdin, going back to the starting point in Virginia and working south so that you're in the southern states when fall sets in and the temperatures start to drop.

Finally, for those who cannot do either of those options, there is "section hiking", which is exactly what it sounds like. You select a section of the trail to do and do it.

Going back to the three trails, they are:
Appalachian Trail (fondly known at the AT): 2,184 miles long, the AT goes through (from South to North): Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

According to the AT's website, there are three main types of blazes.  For those unfamiliar with the vernacular, blazes are trail markers that allow hikers to know that they're on the right path.

One type of trail marker is a white blaze that can be found on trees, posts, rocks...you name it.

Another form of blaze is a double blaze, these are used to "signal an obscure turn, route change, or incoming side trail".

Finally, and perhaps my favourite form of blaze, is a cairn.  They're used above treelines or in any area where a blaze may be obscured.

Dogs and the AT
There are portions of the AT that are dog friendly and others that are not.  The areas of the AT that do not allow dogs are:

• Baxter State Park, Maine
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Bear Mountains State Park (though this one has an alternate road route available....but how safe is it to walk your dog along the road?)

Then, of course, those that are dog friendly can vary from allowing complete off-leash hiking to those that require leashing your dog.

For the parts that do not allow dogs, occasionally there are kennels available to house your dogs while you're hiking. In most cases, you can find a kennel, though it is best to do your research.  I will continue to look this up and post links as I find them under an applicable tab.  However, remember, thousands of people hike the AT yearly, it is best to reserve a kennel as early as possible.

There are hostels and shelters along the way - but most of these expect you to keep your dog outside.  So, if you have a hard time leaving your dog alone in unknown territory, then plan on tenting it most of the way.


To read more about people who have hiked the AT and they're journey, check out any of these online journals.

Middle Cottonwood Trail

This post is brought to you by Middle Cottonwood Trail in the Bridgers near Bozeman, MT.

Here's the stats:

Directions:  Head north on 19th off of Main. Continue to Springhill Rd and take a right (you'll only have the option of taking a right or left turn).  Continue along Springhill Rd until Toohey (gravel), which will also be on your right.  Follow Toohey until you, once again, have to take a Right or a Left onto Walker.  Take a Right.  Walker will curve around and you'll take a gradual left onto Saddle Mt Rd.  This will also take a gradual left and you will see a Mdl Ctnwd Trl Forest Service sign.  Take a right at the sign and take the service road up to the trail entrance (a dead end).

Length: Middle Cottonwood Trail splits about a mile up and you can choose to go to Fairy Lake on a 16 mile trek, or go to the "M" on a 6 mile hike.  Either way, it's advisable to give yourself the majority of the day to complete the hikes.

Allows: Hikers, Dogs and Mountain Bikes (no motorized vehicles)

Here's my personal opinion:
While I haven't completed the hike up to Fairy Lake or to the "M" - I have gone about 3-4 miles in and enjoyed it the entire time.  The hike allows you to ascend to multiple beautiful lookouts and to go into valleys where you feel completely engulfed by the nature around you.

It's also a great hike for the pooch as it follows a stream/creek for the first portion of the hike, which all dogs seem to enjoy.  There is minimal wildlife on the first portion of the hike, so if you dog is the run-away-at-anything-that-might-move sort, you needn't worry too much for a short day hike.

The trail itself goes from being very smooth to very rocky.  I'm told that, later on, the hike turns to a slight scramble, but I cannot vouch for this myself.

This trail is exceptionally popular on weekends, so I might wait until the week to attempt it.  It's also more popular in the afternoon than in the morning (as are most trails around here) - so if you are going to try it on the weekend, get out there by 9am and you'll find a peaceful xanadu awaiting you.

Also, this hike is completely Koda approved.

Off-Leash Training

Off-Leash Training

Alright, so, I'm going to start this out by completely owning up to the fact that Nathan helped me out with training Koda to be off leash.

He helped me out a lot.

You see, I'm exceptionally protective of Koda (probably due to the fact that I have wanted a dog since I was 8 and have finally achieved that glorious goal).  I'm also exceptionally aware of the fact that, if he does get hurt, so does my bank account.  I'll do whatever is necessary to "fix" him, but a teacher's salary isn't extensive and being cautious doesn't always hurt.

But, as you'll notice in upcoming photos of recent hikes, Koda is completely off leash.  I've only had him 6 months, so how could this happen so quickly?

I'll give you a write down of the process that we went through to get him to the point he is now:

First, it was the re-tractable leash.  This was for the first 4 months of owning him. Koda was previously called "Tex", so I needed to be sure that he knew his name.  I constantly rewarded him by giving him small treats when he came after I whistled or called his name.  I also am consistent with the whistle I use to call him (For any Wes Anderson fans, it's the same whistle as used in "Fantastic Mr. Fox").

On the Lead

Second, my parents purchased a 20'-25' lead.  Originally, we were just going to use it to let him hang out in the backyard while we were doing other things.  Eventually I used it as his leash (connecting it to my day-hiking backpack) when hiking.  It allows him enough room to maneuver and be a good distance away from us, but not outside of a controllable range.  The lead also allowed me to test his listening skills and see if he would come when called.

Snowfill Dog Park

At this point, I had also moved to Bozeman which has a phenomenal dog park called Snowfill Dog Park (see previous post).  This park is large enough that we can really test Koda's listening by having him be half a mile away and calling him.  It also allowed us to see how well he listened while being distracted by other animals/people.

The next step Nathan took the initiative with - I was too nervous about it.  When Koda seemed mostly responsive to his name and coming when called, we stopped holding on to the lead.  We still had it drag behind/under him - so it provided some resistance - but Koda was essentially free to run around where he liked.  This part we did for about a month and a half and continuously rewarded him with praise and treats when he did return.

Once Koda proved that he would come when called both at the dog park and on hikes/other walks with the lead still attached, we removed the lead.

BAM. Off-leash dog.

Finally Off-Leash

Now, does Koda respond 100% of the time with alacrity?
I wish.

When on hikes, he likes to get a good distance ahead of me.  I learned this really well today on a hike (post about that next week).  There were points where he would be beyond my sight (something I'm not okay with).  So, when he proved again and again that he wouldn't come when called, I attached the lead to him and made him stay on lead.  I'm blessed with a fairly intelligent dog, so he knew what he did/did not do, and walked very nicely on the lead.

Do I think this method will work with all dogs? No, I honestly don't.  If you have a dog who is high energy and easily distracted, or a dog who is stubborn and likes to test your ability as "Alpha" - this may not work for you.  It also may not work if you don't have the time to devote to it.

It worked for me, and so far so good.
Knock on wood!

Best,
A

Bozeman

So, as I mentioned in my last post (a long time ago, sorry about that!) - I scored an awesome job teaching K-8 music in the Bozeman, MT area.  This. Is. Wonderful.....

....for so many reasons.  While I could talk extensively about how much I enjoy my job and the area in general, it is specifically wonderful for the purposes of training for a long distance hiking trip.  Bozeman is surrounded by mountain ranges, and all of them have extensive hiking trails throughout.

So, in staying with priorities, one of the first things I did upon arriving in Bozeman was purchasing a day-pack for Koda.  I took a quick trip to Dee-Oh-Gee and started looking at packs. A word about Dee-Oh-Gee - they're product may be on the pricier side, but they have a staff that seems to be knowledgeable and willing to help with any questions one might have.  The woman that was working, and I forget her name, showed me some packs made by RuffWear and one pack made by Kurgo.  While I do believe that, in many instances, it's best just to purchase the pricier option first (in this case, the RuffWear packs) and never look back, I opted for the Kurgo Wander Pack.

So far, I'm very pleased for a day-hike, light usage pack.  The pack comes with two pockets on either side which are secured by zippers.  The pack itself is black and bright orange, which is awesome for visibility purposes.  There is heavy-duty metal ring on the back, which you can use to clip to a leash without having to worry about the dog stumbling over the cord as is often the case with collars and Gentle Leaders.

A Hiking Dog is a Happy Dog

The pack also features three straps, all of which are adjustable.  Two that run around the dogs chest from under the pockets and one that connects up in front of the chest onto the collar that runs around the neck of the dog.

Too much text? Have a look.






I'll work on updating more frequently, now that things are finally (sort of) beginning to settle down.

Also, just to tease you with the hiking possibilities in Bozeman, here's a photo of an easy 6 mile (round trip) hike to a place called Lave Lake in Gallatin Canyon.

Nathan (the boyfriend's) hand holding a Clif Bar (classic) and Koda up at Lava Lake.

Next time, the discussion about which trail of the "Triple Crown" legacy to attack first, when to do it, and what I need to get and be able to do before that (sure to be) fateful summer.

Best,
A

The Move!

Wow.

So, in the time that has passed, big things have been happening. Big things that will most definitely alter the course of planning for the AT and backpacking with Koda in general.

I have been looking for a job teaching music all summer.
I've had a few offers, but they didn't feel completely "right", so I turned them down.
Then, in a whirlwind of awesome that was 2 weeks ago, I get a call from a small town outside of Bozeman, MT about an interview.

36 hours later and I've been told that I will be put up for recommendation in front of the board of trustees as the new music teacher for that school district.

I don't know how many of you know much about Bozeman, but it's essentially an outdoor lover's paradise.  Hiking, Camping, Backpacking, Kayaking, Canoeing, Snowshoeing, Skiing, Snowboarding, Bicycling........anything-ing.

So while the weather has cooled off here, I've been so busy packing and tying up loose ends that it's been hard to go hiking.

Koda and I did do a 4 mile hike the other day.  No pack or anything. And, stupidly, no food or water for either of us.  The hike was only supposed to be a 2 hour one, but the state park didn't have the best blazes for the trails and we got lost for 2 hours, then add the 1 hour hike back.

I was crabby. Koda was crabby.
We were both tired, hot, and hungry.

But we survived.
Most importantly, Koda was able to keep going consistently throughout the 4 hours. No needing to stop and rest or anything.

He's getting healthier every day, and I think this fall and next spring/summer are going to bring a lot of wonderful hiking surprises!

I may not update again until I'm full settled into Montana.
Buuut, photos and stories are to come!