FOREST RECREATION DEPARTMENT 



247 



out the great trough now occupied by lake and stream. 



Pictures taken, and lunch eaten, a rough scramble down 

 the rocks brought us again into shady woods, a grateful 

 change from the hot afternoon sunshine. We entered 

 a small draw, which soon deepened and was bridged in 

 places by windfalls, causing us to either bend low and 

 crawl under, or with much exertion to hoist ourselves 

 over. Here, where the moisture gathers and is con- 

 served, grow ferns, lichens, and delicate mosses, with 

 here and there the Solmon's Seal, its row of conspicuous 

 red berries drooping from the nodding stem, and the 

 leaves already yellow from the early frosts. We found 

 cool water oozing out of the damp ground in a tiny 

 pool ; trickling away and disappearing, only to reappear 

 in more volume farther down the draw. After scooping 

 out a basin with our hands, we sat and waited for it 

 to clear; resting long in the spot after our thirst was 

 quenched. 



It was late afternoon when we reached the lake, for 

 the beauty of these woods invites one to take a leisurely 

 pace, forgetting that anything is more important than 

 to enjoy their loveliness. They are, however, but a 

 fitting introduction to the wonder of the scene which 

 meets the eye as one emerges from their shadowy tran- 

 quility to the lake shore. Beautiful as seen from above, 

 embosomed as a jewel in its setting of timber clad slopes, 

 the lake is yet more beautiful from the shoreline, flooded 

 by the golden sunshine of late afternoon, the light glanc- 

 ing and darting from myriads of little waves which 



come dancing on to break with a gentle lap, lap, against 

 the pebbly shore. The air, sky everything, seemed satu- 

 rated with the splendor of light. But across the lake 

 the blue shadows began to gather under Locomotive 

 Rock, and delicate pencils of shade were cast by the 

 taller trees on the timbered slopes, above the further 

 shore ; all being softened by a veil of golden haze. 



We lingered in this enchanted spot until sunset, and 

 then, leaving the lake to falling darkness, hurried back to 

 camp. Each of us felt that the climax was passed and 

 that nothing more could add much to the success of the 

 trip. Certainly nothing can spoil our memories of it. 

 Two hours later, seated about the fire, musing more 

 than talking, Henry expressed the secret feeling of all 

 in one sentence : "Let's hit the home trail tomorrow !" 



Thus our trip in the Flathead Forest drew to a close. 

 Our journey out was uneventful, leading by a series of 

 forced marches (for when one starts homeward, his 

 zeal to go is bounded only by fatigue), over the Monture 

 trail to Ovando. Two more camps were made along 

 the way, each occupying its niche in the history of the 

 trip. On the last evening we reviewed it all with no little 

 satisfaction. For the time being our "wanderlust" was 

 satisfied, but we nevertheless speculated on a return some 

 day to Big Salmon Lake where, if anywhere in Uncle 

 Sam's forest domain, one may find God's unmarred 

 wilderness. 



[Note Supervisor's Headquarters, Flathead National 

 Forest, are at Kalispell, Montana.] 



GEMS OF RUBY MOUNTAIN 



BY AUGUST ROHWER 



FOREST RANGER, HUMBOLDT NATIONAL FOREST 



AT the head of a small valley where the elevation is 

 near 9,000 feet and where the Ruby Mountains 

 tower over the stretches of the Humboldt National 

 Forest, are Robison and Soldier Lakes. Like many 

 beautiful recre- 

 ation grounds in 

 National For- 

 ests, this country 

 has no National 

 renown. But for 

 one who wishes 

 to get away from 

 the mad rush of 

 modern life in 

 the city or town 

 the place is ideal. Although only a half mile apart at 

 their sources in the lakes, the streams draining these 

 bodies of water travel far apart only to join again after 

 traveling on different sides of a mountain range for 

 miles. Robison Creek originates in Robison Lake, flows 

 rather hurriedly for a half mile to the edge of the moun- 

 tain and then plunges madly down a thousand feet. 



Often the jewels of outdoor scenery are just the other side of a wall you pass. 

 Or a hedge may rob you of a view magnificent in robes of seasonal colorings. Or 

 you may miss some scene of beauty because your path leads straight ahead and 

 you will not hesitate to explore the byway. Ranger Rohwer here tells of an 

 interesting vacation country in all its pristine wildness which is just a few miles 

 from two great railways and a national auto road. What an opportunity this 

 offers to step aside from over-worn travel lines for even a few brief days and 

 visit this little known but extremely interesting bit of forest wilderness. Arthur H. 

 Carhart, Editor, Recreation Department. 



This is its entrance into Ruby Valley where it joins 

 the Franklin River. 



Soldier Lake, a half mile north of Robison Lake 

 drains into Soldier Creek which flows west past Old 



Fort Halleck and 

 later joins the 

 Homboldt River. 

 Waters from the 

 same cloud pass- 

 ing over these 

 lakes starting on 

 different courses 

 are widely sepa- 

 rated because of 

 the interesting 

 topographic features here. Other lakes are found here. 

 Deep Lake immediately draws the attention of a trav- 

 eler. The east shore is a large dam covered with pine 

 and aspen trees. This dam has all the appearances of 

 being artificially constructed. Old settlers, who always 

 cherish tales of the past, say the soldiers at Fort Halleck 

 once tried to sound the depths of this curiously formed 



