A Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Hike

Cedar Creek in the Kootenai National Forest near the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness

After re-supplying in Kalispell and taking a fantastic hike in the ‘Jewel,’ we headed west to Libby, Montana where we had reservations to spend the Labor Day Weekend.  We have been relaxing and doing a few necessities (like laundry) but we have also taken time to enjoy this remote northwest corner of Montana.  No huge Labor Day crowds here.  

The Kootenai National Forest surrounds Libby and to the west is the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness.  The Cabinet Mountains got their name from French-Canadian voyageurs who called this area the Cabinet Gorge because of the massive shelves of rocks lining a spectacular gorge on the Clark Fork River.  This relatively small range of mountains receives Pacific maritime air that drops up to 100 inches of moisture per year on the glacially sculpted terrain.  In the northern portion of the wilderness, all that moisture creates richly forested slopes with sheltered valleys of old-growth giant cedar, hemlock and grand fir forests.

Near Lower Cedar Lake in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness

 

When we were in this area two years ago we visited the beautiful Kootenai Falls and walked in the Ross Creek Cedars among 600-year old cedars.  But this time we wanted to take a hike in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness.  Like several of the other wilderness areas we have hiked in this season, the Cabinet Mountains are celebrating their 50^th Anniversary.

Upper Cedar Lake

 
The hike we selected was only about 8 miles from Libby, but we had to walk 3 miles before entering the wilderness.  The Cedar Lakes Trail follows Cedar Creek for a good portion of the way before it reaches Upper Cedar Lake.  The trail was described as a “long straight steady 5 miles to the lakes.”  That doesn’t sound too arduous, does it?  Well, they left out the “climbing” part. This trail broke our 10 miles/1800 feet rule.  By the time it was all said and done, we walked 12.1 miles and climbed 3,213 feet! 

Lower Cedar Lake

 

We were all pretty whipped last night, but have felt fine today.  Not that my knees and David’s ankle aren’t a little sore, but we feel surprisingly well.  Maya has been napping a bit more than usual, but she has had enough energy to play with the Rottweiler in the campground.

It was all worth it even if the trail was steeper than we realized.  The lakes were beautiful and hiking along the winding creek in the heavy, dark forest of cedar and fir was enchanting.  There were thick patches of devil’s club, thimble berry and huckleberry along the trail.  Maya and I scored big again with the huckleberries.  Just for a little while I thought I might have overdone it with the berries, but then I starting feeling better.  I guess there can be too much of a good thing sometimes.

 

Huckleberry stained fingers

Tomorrow (Labor Day) we are headed into Canada to meet the newly-weds, Jim and Harumi.  We will be traveling and sightseeing for about 4 days before we arrive in Lake Louise.  After a week in Lake Louise, we will spend a little time in other Canadian Rockies parks before heading to Waterton International Peace Park that borders our Glacier National Park.  All in all we should be in Canada about 3 weeks.

Devil's Club

 

A 'sea' of devil's club growing along the creek

If this time is anything like our trip two years ago, we may not have much if any access to Internet.  So the blog may be ‘on vacation’ for a few weeks but I will be taking photos and writing so that I can get several posts up as soon as we return to the United States.  Happy Labor Day!

 

Pearly everlasting with sulfur butterfly

David's Stats:
Days Hiked   1 
Total Miles Hiked   12.11  
Total Elevation Gain     3,213