June Challenge Picture

We are late this month with our Once-A-Month Photo Challenge, which tests your familiarity with local attractions, views, landmarks, etc. The first person to correctly identify the picture above wins a $25 Mud Creek Gift Card! Only e-mail answers are accepted, please. Send us your best guess, but keep in mind that broad answers can be trumped by a more specific one. The winner will be notified in the July Mud Creek newsletter, sign up to receive the newsletter by entering your e-mail address in the box on the right of your screen.

Kennally Creek Hike

This time of year it is challenging to get onto the trails without snowshoes on. For our Tuesday hike we tried the North Fork Kennally Creek trail with some success. To get there, you head south towards Donnelly, turning east onto Paddy Flat Rd. After Paddy Flat crosses Farm to Market road it turns to fairly good condition dirt road. Just stay on 388 and follow the signs for Kennally Creek camp ground.

It's a very scenic drive. The sun was shining. The sky was blue. A light breeze blowing...it felt really good to be out exploring new places. Didn't see another car up there, but there was evidence of recent logging.

Didn't hit any snow until after we hit Paddy Flat summit. At first it was just occasional banks of snow stretching across sections of the road. Eventually though it was more than we wanted to try and test the element's low clearance on. About a mile from the trail head we parked and hiked into the campground.

The campground itself was clear of snow.

Great signage showing all the nearby lakes. The campground would be a great jumping off place for a backpack trip, or use it for a basecamp and do dayhikes out to the lakes. If you click on the picture of the map, you will get a larger version and can see all the possibilities.

Kennally creek was full and loud. We were practically yelling at each other to be heard over the roar of the water. We kept Daisy back, if she fell in there would be no going in after her!

We were trying to tell if it was one solid rock across this stretch of the creek in the picture below. It looked like it was. We will have to come back when the water is lower.Can you spot the wild Yaker Spaniel in the picture below? The trail was in good condition, a bit soggy in places. A bit of windfall across here and there to climb over. A couple of trees had fallen but were hanging up in branches of neighboring trees. They made ominous sounds when the wind blew.

Wildflowers were just starting to come out.

After half an hour or so we hit snow again. I sunk in up to my knees- brrrr! and we decided to head back. Definitely coming back in a month or two to check out the lakes.

May Picture Challenge

It's back! The Mud Creek Picture Challenge....test your local attractions knowledge by identifying the picture above. E-mail your best guess to us and win a $25 Mud Creek gift card. Please note that we do have a new e-mail address, listed on our website & facebook page.

More detailed answers trump bland answers....etc, etc. Don't forget to sign up for our once a month e-newsletter & coupon by using the sign up block on the right if you haven't already.

Brundage Cat Ski

March 19, 2009: Gordy goes on a Brundage Cat Ski Trip

Thanks to my beautiful wife and cool bosses at Brundage Mountain Resort, I got to go on a full day cat ski trip. A wonderful opportunity.

Took this photo while riding in the cat. Had to stick out my tongue to get the shot framed properly, and amuse Kevin. Somebody took my picture while we were skiing, but I accidentally deleted it.

I researched online to properly prepare for the trip, but turns out the guides do all the work and you ride in a cat and ski. Perfect.
The Brundage cat ski crew are fantastic people.
Seth: killer skier and instructor, man about town, my ski buddy!

Ride cat up slope, ski down, repeat as necessary.
Slab Butte. From left to right: Will, Stern and Carol.

Above is Casey waiting his turn to ride the ridge to our take-off point.

Rick pointing out lines, Kevin ready to drop in.

Photos don't do justice to this landscape.

My friend Carol, the skiing machine.
Watching friends come down the slope. Waaaay steeper than it looks.

The cat ski boss Nikki (sp?). She rules.

Rick giving us the 411 on the slope. Tye (in green) hucked a cornice here. It was awesome and I have the video to prove it. What a great experience.
Those who also rocked the cat trip: Brett (cat driver), Tera, Linda, & Caleb.

March Challenge Picture

E-mail us your best guess and win a $25 Mud Creek Gift Card! Tell us where this is, and any other pertinent info. Remember, a more detailed answer always trumps a non-specific answer (i.e. "its at the pond!") so give us some details. Winner will be announced in the April newsletter...if you are not on our newsletter e-list, put your e-mail into the sign-up box to the right.