Woke up to rain drops that quickly turned to heavy rain, One bolt of lightning and thunder made me wonder if we would be able to take our boat trip down the Hungry Horse Reservoir. Rain continued through breakfast but with no further lightning our Journey could continue. Despite the rain Paul and Cheryl had again whipped up a hot breakfast of pancakes with blueberries and huckleberries, and scrambled eggs. The District Ranger, several members of his staff and Frances, a representative from the original native people of the area, spoke to the group about the history of the area and the different cultural and historic laws that the Forest Service manages under.

Our trip down the Reservoir, with Tim Long at the helm, began in heavy mist and periodic rain. Our one stop was to view and discuss a campground that was selectively cut for fire suppression and to encourage better growth of lurch (sp?) pine and enhance the camping area. During our discussion several of the campers joined our group and expressed their concern with what had been done. The campers had been coming to the campground for years and had been stunned to find so much change to “their” campground with no explanation of why the cutting had occurred. What followed was a great discussion on the need to inform the public of management actions. While still a little raw from the thinning it was a neat campground just across from a small island. On the island on top of a tall lurch snag was a huge osprey nest with a couple of little heads peaking out. Starting back down the Reservoir the sun broke out and created mirror images of the clouds and forests on the Reservoir surface.

Camp tonight is at the National Forest Spotted Bear Campground. The Spotted Bear District Office, just down the road, provided hot showers, a laundry, incredible potluck dinner and play about the history of the National Forest and its three designated Wilderness areas. As the Ranger from the past was prepared to relate a bear story, that all rangers have, a mama grizzly and two cubs ambled by not a hundred yards from our little theater. She must have been listening because the timing could not have been more perfect. It will be our Journey “Bear Story” we will never forget.