Landmark has quickly come to hold a very special place in my heart. Dad was awarded yet another Forest Service contract in the Landmark Complex for the summer--LUCKY ME! Although I was a VERY busy girl, I somehow managed to find a few free days to head for those glorious backcountry hills! How wonderful to arrive at the complex -- Mom and Dad's literal home away from home for the summer -- and have to do nothing but roll out my sleeping bag!
I'm so spoiled!
The day I arrived, I arrived just in time for a PARTY!
The crew was celebrating the completion of a particular unpleasant portion of the job!
Campfire + Patron = ONE HAPPY CAMPER!
THE BAR!
NO LANDMARK BAR WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A KEG OF OUR INFAMOUS RIVER-RITAS AND A CAN OF BUG SPRAY!
CHILLIN' WITH JACKS AND SADIE-BOO
THE CREW: LOREN, TRAVIS AND JIMMY :)
NOT SURE WHY THERE ARE NO PICS OF DAD BUT I PROMISE YOU HE WAS EXTRA SILLY THAT NIGHT!
~MOM AND DAISY DOG~
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF CAMP LANDMARK IS THE SETTING OF THE SUN!
Although the arrival of darkness is certainly not the only time you can hear the WOLVES howling in Landmark, it is by far my favorite time. Their low, long wailings somehow seem to belong in the darkness of the night. Unfortunately, the night of the celebration, the wolves were mysteriously silent. There was however, a hilarious yet hideous attempt at howling from a particular drunken crew member who wandered over the ridge hoping to scare this particular city girl. Unbeknownst to said crew member, this CITY GIRL had purchased a WOLF HOWLER before her arrival, hoping to scare HIM! I'm not sure which sounded worse though, his drunken attempts over that darkened ridge or the squawking that came from that howler the instant he wandered off! Wolf howler -- not such a good investment apparently! In fact, I think when we actually attempted to "howl" at the wolves with it, I'm pretty sure we heard them LAUGHING.
WOLF MEADOW
I will be the first to admit that one of my biggest draws to Landmark, is the Landmark Pack. They are a very real presence at the complex. Their howls are loud and clear there (even during the day) yet they never actually show themselves. Although the crew spent the summer hearing them howl day and night, one has yet to be spotted. I think it is amazing to get to hear the wolves but I would absolutely LOVE to see one! So, while I was there, we went to super great lengths to spot at least one member of the pack!
Several weeks before I arrived, Dad hiked into this remote meadow and left his
BIGFOOT CAMERA
hoping to capture a wolf or two wandering through the meadow!
HE WAITED UNTIL I ARRIVED AND TOGETHER WE HIKED BACK INTO THE MEADOW TO RETRIEVE THE CAMERA!
UNFORTUNATELY, THE ONLY PICTURE THE CAMERA HAD ON IT, WAS ONE OF ME DANCING IN FRONT OF IT WHEN WE ARRIVED TO RETRIEVE IT! BUMMER!
AS WE STOOD THERE, WATCHING THE SETTING SUN . . .
WE HEARD THAT FAMILIAR, EERIE SOUND COMING FROM ACROSS THE MEADOW . . .
JUST INSIDE THE TREE LINE! SOOOOO CLOSE!!! TOO CLOSE?
NOPE! SOMEHOW DAD CONVINCED ME TO HIKE CLOSER!
THEN WE STOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT MEADOW . . .
AND HOWLED WITH THE WOLVES!
WE STILL DIDN'T SEE THEM BUT THIS WAS BY FAR MY VERY FAVORITE WOLF ENCOUNTER. THEY WERE SO CLOSE! AND DEFINITELY CURIOUS ABOUT WHATEVER IT WAS WE WERE SAYING TO THEM! (heck, we're not even sure what we were saying to them)! EVENTUALLY THEIR HOWLS BEGAN MOVING FURTHER AWAY SO DAD AND I RETURNED TO THE TRUCK--WONDERING WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE IF WE HAD ACTUALLY SPOTTED A WOLF WAAAY OUT THERE!
ONE MORNING WE GOT UP EARLY (WE HAVE DISCOVERED THE WOLVES ARE ACTUALLY THE MOST VOCAL IN THE MORNINGS) AND DROVE UP THE DRAINAGE WHERE WE MOM AND DAD HAD SEEN WOLF SIGN. WE DROVE INTO THE WOODS WHERE THEY WERE SURE TO BE BUT UNBELIEVABLY NO SIGHTINGS--NOT EVEN A SINGLE HOWL THAT MORNING!
IN FACT, THE ONLY WOLF "THING" WE SAW WERE THESE NOTICES POSTED BY THE FISH AND GAME WARNING THAT THEY WERE PLACING LEG-HOLD TRAPS IN THE AREA IN ATTEMPT TO COLLAR THE WOLVES. DANG EVASIVE CREATURES!
MAYBE NEXT SUMMER . . .
BETWEEN WOLF HUNTS, DAD AND I ENTERTAINED OURSELVES WITH A TRUE FAMILY TRADITION . . .
HORSEFLY WRANGLING!
STEP ONE: SMACK A HORSEFLY
(trust me, there are PLENTY in landmark)
BUT NOT HARD ENOUGH TO KILL IT! JUST LOOKING TO STUN IT . . .
STEP TWO: MAKE A LASSO.
WE USUALLY USE A LIGHT FISHING LINE BUT (since we were fresh out of fishing line) I GOT THE BRILLIANT IDEA TO PLUCK A HAIR FROM MY HEAD AND USE IT INSTEAD!
MAKING TINY LASSOS OUT OF A LONG HAIR, NOT AS EASY AS YOU MIGHT THINK!
STEP THREE: TIE THE LASSO AROUND THE HORESEFLY.
AROUND THE HEAD BUT NOT TOO TIGHT! HEADS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO COME OFF!
AND THAT DEFEATS THE WHOLE WRANGLING PURPOSE!
STEP FOUR: RELEASE HORSEFLY.
HOLD ON TO THE ROPE!
GIVE HIM A FEW MINUTES TO RECOVER . . .
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A HORSEFLY ON A ROPE!
THEY FLY AROUND ALL CRAAAZZZY!
ITS GOOD, CLEAN, HILARIOUS FUN!
PLUS THERE IS SOMETHING SO UNBELIEVABLY GRATIFYING ABOUT WRANGLING THOSE RELENTLESSLY EVIL CREATURES!
AND ONE FINAL CAMP LANDMARK FAVORITE . . .
WHAT THE HECK IS IT?
HOME DEPOT
LANDMARK DIVISION
LANDMARK ROCKS!
1 comment:
Oh Tess!
GREAT STORY!
You have that wonderful knack of storytelling!
I've sure missed your Blogs. Looking forward to seeing you this summer...
Love Ya, Grandma B.
Post a Comment