Opinion: Moose, lead the way

So we’re at this longish lake doing a loon survey for the Park Service. It’s not known as a “loony” lake, even though it has plenty of fish and no human fishermen because it’s closed to fishing.

It’s full of bull trout and I suspect, other fish, based on the number that were rising when the wind died and the water calmed.

The last time I was here, which was 10-plus years ago, the lower end was all but dry and I saw a set of wolverine tracks in the mud.

This time around, the lake was more than full and where the wolverine tracks had been, fish were rising.

Still, there were no loons to be seen, though I did see a duck and a coyote, sneaking along the bank.

The hike in had been uneventful and not too long, though steep. The kind of steep that’s rough on the old toes and knees.

After seeing that coyote I wondered if there might be a trail along the lake and sure enough there was — a moose trail of all things. I have walked many game trails in my life. Mostly deer and elk but this one was definitely a moose trail, as it was all moose tracks.

A big critter like a moose makes a very nice trail and this one was easy to follow. Typically hiking along a lake is a nightmarish experience, with brush over your head and muck up to your knees.

I can think of one trail-less backcountry lake I hit just about every year and it’s not only brushy, it has a jackstraw of big spruce down to add to the um, adventure.

Still, it’s kind of fun to go back to it, even if the bugs are thick enough to pick you up and carry you away.

But I digress.

The moose trail lead to the head of the lake and a pretty waterfall. There was even the remains of an old miner’s cabin, which I didn’t expect. I recall a press release probably 10 years ago from the Park Service saying they had gated over the mine itself.

We couldn’t get too close to the waterfall. The moose trail petered out and the stream was cooking with gas and we would have had to cross the creek to really get close to the waterfall. I enjoy my evening strolls, but I didn’t want to go for a swim with a camera, so we bagged it and turned around.

There will always be a next time, maybe this fall. There’s another lake farther up I’d like to get to. Maybe with help from the moose, I’ll get there.