Hiking Red Canyon Trail (Pic Heavy)

[Rick]

The Red Canyon Trail is in an area known as Earthquake Lake in Montana. It was the site of a 7.1 earthquake in 1959. The largest to ever hit the Rocky Mountains. I guess the official name is the Hebgen Lake Earthquake. Twenty eight people died in the quake and resulting landslide some of whom are still buried there. The slide blocked the Madison River and created a lake 5 miles long and 190 feet at the deepest. The signs of the quake are still very much apparent.

As it happened, we were there on August 17 the fifty fifth anniversary, which was a little spooky. Here are some shots of our hike and the area. Really beautiful place but a little reverent knowing the history.

The hike is two miles one way with a 500 foot elevation change. So, yeah, lot's of switchbacks.

A neighboring peak. We'll make that elevation some day.

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0937_zpsd6e6de2e.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0937_zpsd6e6de2e.jpg.html)

On the way up....

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0885_zps0ab90b5e.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0885_zps0ab90b5e.jpg.html)

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0893_zps5a21cae9.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0893_zps5a21cae9.jpg.html)

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0898_zpscfd14474.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0898_zpscfd14474.jpg.html)

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0899_zps571929a7.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0899_zps571929a7.jpg.html)

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0894_zps7241a74f.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0894_zps7241a74f.jpg.html)

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0941_zpsca82b2ee.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0941_zpsca82b2ee.jpg.html)

Yeah!!!

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0958_zps720b787e.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0958_zps720b787e.jpg.html)

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0955_zpsf99e24d7.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0955_zpsf99e24d7.jpg.html)

It's a bit hard to see in these pics but this is a vertical heave of about 12-15 feet caused by the earthquake. Erosion has occurred since the quake obviously but it's still nearly vertical.

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0964_zpse2a65493.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0964_zpse2a65493.jpg.html)

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0965_zpsa954e7a5.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0965_zpsa954e7a5.jpg.html)

The mountain that slid into the valley...

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0971_zps9a6b5218.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0971_zps9a6b5218.jpg.html)

Remnants of trees that used to stand well above the banks of the Madison River. Now submerged by the "new" lake....

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q348/safe_zone/DSC_0966_zps1cb3a5ae.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/safe_zone/media/DSC_0966_zps1cb3a5ae.jpg.html)

[Solar Geek]

Fantastic pictures. Feel like I'm walking along with you -thanks for posting!

[hunter63]

Those are Great Pics......Wow.
Thanks for posting.

[1stimestar]

So interesting. I can very well tell where the side of the mountain slid off. Really makes one appreciate mother nature.

[crashdive123]

Fantastic pictures.

[canid]

I need a nice couple days of hiking someplace that green asap.

[Tokwan]

Wow...beautiful place..what are the dangerous animals here Rick?

[Tokwan]

Would I be right to say that there are bears and wolfs in these kind of terrain/area?
No crocs or gaters right?

[ElevenBravo]

Sweet!


No crocs or gators... only in Florida. :-)

[Logarius]

Would I be right to say that there are bears and wolfs in these kind of terrain/area?
No crocs or gaters right?

Remember when I was asking about land navigation? You can see the difference. Not so many places for hammocks but the snakes are not in the trees either.

You suspend you food and anything with an odor in a "bear bag" between trees and 6 to 10m up so they don't visit you for a late night snack. Humidity is much lower unless it rains and if it does thing dry out quick. Evenings are cool, days can get warm enough to break a sweat, but not drenching humidity.

Texas is big so the terrain in one part of the state is very different than others. You can get swamp, high desert, pine forest or canyons. Gators and snakes in the swamps.


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[Tokwan]

Thanks Log, nice place to visit....now..if only I am a millionaire.....sigh! Maybe I made a mistake joining this forum...its gonna make me spend...hahahaha

[Rick]

The area is known for Grizzly, Black Bear and Mountain Lion. We made a lot of noise especially on blind corners and we didn't see anything larger than a chipmunk. Sadly, we met two other couples on the trail that were not carrying any sort of defense at all. One couple was making noise but the other couple just appeared. My wife and I both carried bear spray and I had a .357 with Grizzly loads.

I have a bear canister for overnight trips but both the Teton National Park folks and Yellowstone Park folks told me it was not necessary for day hikes. My son used the canister recently on a trip out west. The next morning it had been moved about 50 yards from where they left it and it has some scrapes and dents from a bear kicking it around.

[Tokwan]

Mountain Lion and Cougar are the same...right?

[Rick]

Yes. It is also known as Puma and Panther. All the same animal.

[JohnnyBe]

great shots man! seems to be such a nice and calm place

[MrFixIt]

Sweet, love the pics!
Thanks for sharing!

[finallyME]

Mountain Lion and Cougar are the same...right?

Depends. If the cougar is a large wild cat, then yes, the same. But a cougar is also.......well, here is wiki to the rescue. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cougar_%28slang%29

[finallyME]

Man, that lake looks like it would have some good trout in it. YUM!

[Rick]

We floated the Snake River in Jackson. The river is NOT stocked and they estimate it has 1400 trout per mile. Lot's of flies being flung on it every day.