Spend a Weekend on the Rocky Mountain Front!

September 3-5, Labor Day Weekend &
the 40th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act

Day Hiking on the Rocky Mountain Front. Photo by Cameron Naficy.

September 3, 2004: Camp out along the Rocky Mountain Front.
Celebrate the end of the week and the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act by camping along the beautiful Rocky Mountain Front. Pack up your camping gear and dinner for the night and join us in A.B. Guthrie’s Big Sky country where we’ll camp along the Teton River. Meet at the Cave Mountain Campground anytime after the work day is done. There will be signs showing where exactly we are.

September 4 , 2004: Visit to the proposed well site in the Blindhorse Canyon
Gather at 9 am at Choteau’s Visitor Center (located on the main street near the north part of town) where we will spend some time talking with several locals about the proposal to open up the Rocky Mountain Front to gas and oil drilling. We will then head to the Blackleaf Area, traveling along the proposed road that would cut through a privately owned ranch to the proposed drill site. There, we will speak with the local ranch owners about the proposed drilling operation and explore the nearby Blindhorse Outstanding Natural Area. Those who are interested can then embark on an optional 7 mile hike up into the mountains above the proposed site to fantastic views of the Front Range and the Great Plains before heading down the North Fork of Blindhorse Creek back to the vehicles. For anyone interested in exploring the Front, the proposed drill site, local attitudes toward drilling, or the Front’s natural history the day’s activities are a must.

September 5, 2004: Day hike in the Teton River Country
Spend the day exploring the Teton River area. There are plenty of trails that head out from the Cave Mountain campground that provide for a wide range of day hiking opportunities. We will be leading a 7 mile hike up to Our Lake, a beautiful lake surrounded with high alpine slopes that lies adjacent to the Bob Marshall Wilderness. For those interested in venturing on a longer day hike, there are plenty of opportunities to do so from our campsite.

The Rocky Mountain Front. Photo by Cameron Naficy.		Balsalmroot in the Muddy Creek drainage. Photo by Cameron Naficy.

What to Bring:
Camping gear including: tent, sleeping bag, flashlight, water filter (no filtered water is provided), food, stove, warm clothes, rain gear (just in case), day pack, binoculars, camera, plant book.

For more information about the Labor Day weekend events contact Cameron Naficy: 406.542.7343, cameron@wildrockies.org

Directions & Logistics
The Cave Mountain campground area is located northwest of Choteau, in the Lewis & Clark National Forest near the Teton River. Just head north of Choteau on 287 for 5 miles until you get to the "Teton Ski Area" sign. Take a left at the sign and head in towards the mountains. The road is paved except for the last few miles before the campground. The trip from Choteau should take under 45 minutes. There are several campsites in the Teton River area including: the Cave Mountain Campground, West Fork Teton Campground, Mill Falls Campground on the South Fork of the Teton River and the Elko Campground. We will be congregating at the Cave Mountain Campground, but you are welcome to stay at any of the others as well. Cave Mountain and West Fork Teton Campgrounds cost $6 per site. Elko and Mill Falls Campgrounds have no fees and no pumped water, but there is a water source nearby that can be used if filtered. Sites are available on a first come first serve basis. Camping is free in the surrounding National Forest so there will be plenty of space for tents. For more information on campsites, call the Forest Service in Choteau at 466.5341.