Woody in the Kootenai

For years, my family has refused to watch my "Montana slides". They only saw them 3 or 4 times. Well, perhaps more. Now, thanks to technology, I've scanned my 35mm Montana slides into digital files, put them on the web, and I can inflict these slides on the whole world.
      These slides were taken by me during the summers of 1957 and 1958 when I worked for the US Forestry Service in the Kootenai (pronounced "kootney") National Forest of far northwest Montana.
     Working in the beautiful mountainous forest in remote areas was enjoyable. I recently found a letter I wrote to my late father telling him "I can't believe they're paying me to do this".
      There's a guest book at the bottom. Let me know if you looked at the pics and what you thought of them..
                         NOTE: Click on the pictures for enlarged views

In 1957, I applied for and obtained summer work on logging road/fire access road survey crews in the Kootenai National Forest. This picture was taken on the way to field work. It was a rainy morning, and the sun broke through on the Yaak River. This pic is worth enlarging, so go ahead and double click on it.
On another trip to a field site, some deer were spotted, again while traveling alongside the Yaak River. This spot is about 10 miles from the Canadian border in Northwest Montana.
Some treks to our work sites from our Chevy Suburban took us over burned out areas.
Though the treks to work sites became longer as we surveyed deeper into the woods from the main roads, it took us through beautiful areas.
On this area of work assignment, we had to cross the Yaak River twice daily to get to our survey line. In one place we were fortunate to find a fallen tree as a footbridge. We weren't always so lucky.
Tom Tiano of Santa Fe, NM, takes his turn crossing. The members of the survey crews were 95% or more college students.
Tom spots movement through the trees. One day we heard a very loud noise crashing and rumbling through the woods. Big rocks rolled downhill as the thundering steps faded into the distance. "What was THAT?!" We all stood there bug eyed momentarily. "Dunno! But I'm sure glad it was going the other direction!" We all vigorously agreed.
In this wilderness area about 2 miles from the Canadian border, we had to hike 3 1/2 hours in, work 2 or 3, and hike 3 1/2 back. The fallen trees over this Yaak tributary kept us from wading through swift, cold water.
Left to right: Tom Tiano, Ray Pruitt, and Jon Lindsay of New Mexico. Vern Lang of Florida on right. We surveyed paths through the forest 200 feet wide, to the left and right of the stakes. The surveys provided data for building future logging roads.
"Thisa way!" "No, thata away!" Ray, a local guy, is recording "Thisa way" and "No, thata way" data in the cross-section book (project ledger) while in a prone position.
Four of the 5 man crew. L to R: Jon Lindsay, Vern Lang, me, and Ray Pruitt. The fifth member, Tom Tiano, took the picture.

Sign the Guestbook

Read the Guestbook