Holiday spirit

The late December melt-off, creating treacherous travel conditions once again, was as real as, well, impeachment, this past weekend.

Multiple cars succumbed to the will of Vance Hill. On down towards Spring Creek they went. Perhaps it was the holiday spirit in the air, or just the utter ridiculousness of reality, but spirits were high among the intrepid travelers and their rescue crews as the rain spit down, tow straps tightened and standing on two feet was quite the task. Again, though, all cars were returned to all fours on the ice rink and sent back down the way. We had friends that were able to make the trip up, however, staying at both the Ford and Ben Rover Forest Service cabins over the weekend. Everyone arrived with big dreams of skiing in the woods. After lots of head scratching and some serious thought, we ended up divvying the ice cleats we had and charged our selves with taking the longest walk on the shortest day as our ultimate goal.

Chickadees and waxwings were out happily singing their songs, bouncing from branch to branch and it seemed that the Chinook-induced warming wind was welcomed by a herd of elk as well. Their tracks moved from one freshly exposed grass patch to another all through the meadow. More good news for them and anyone already feeling those winter blues: the days are now officially getting longer. And 2019 is almost over.

Over Christmas dinner at Sondreson Hall, hosted by the Heaphys, once again, on Christmas Day, there will be plenty to reflect on. The lack of wildfire activity in the North Fork was a welcomed change from the last few years. We could focus a bit more on breathing and fun rather than evacuation preparations. And, due to clear skies and decent weather, Park visitation rebounded from a lull in July and August, keeping overall numbers at near record highs due to record visitation in September and October. Grizzly bear mortalities in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem reached record highs for a second year in a row. Chronic Wasting Disease is here. And don’t forget, with that piece of pie on your plate, to recall that Steve Bullock ran for president of the United States.

Flannery Coats lives up the North Fork and is a Hungry Horse News columnist.