Last weekend I took Anders and Finn camping. Without a second adult. I know, brave of me. Other than a few minor episodes, it went really well.
We drove about 2 hours from Livingston to the Stillwater River in the Beartooths. We were at the base of the Beartooths, but it sounds more hard core if you think we were up in the mountains.
It was so beautiful. This is the second weekend in a row when I thought, “Why haven’t I been here before?”
That’s the thing about living here–there is always another amazing place to discover. I was struck again by how lucky we are.
I high school I was voted “most likely to be poor, but happy”. It’s true, look it up in the 1991 NPHS yearbook. That has basically turned out to be true. We live pretty hand-to-mouth, but look where we live.
We stayed at the Woodbine Campground at the end of the road. It’s a big campground, but the sites are spread out and we scored a spot along the river.



We played in the tent a little until the rain stopped, then got out and played in the dirt. Anders “made” a campfire and Finn chewed on pine cones. I made dinner. We tried to go to bed, but that wasn’t really working.
Me: Anders we have to be quiet so Finn can fall asleep, then you and I will read books.
Anders: Mommy, we have to be quiet. No talking. Be quiet. Mommy, no talking. Mommy, I am not talking. I am being quiet. Finn is not tired.
Me: sshhhh
Anders: I am sitting on Finn. He is crying. He wants his mommy.
So, plan B. Put them in the car and take a little drive. I swore I’d never drive the kids to sleep. it is a total waste of energy. Desperate times.
After 10 minutes or so they were both asleep and I enjoyed the view from the steep dirt road.


The campground is just past the Stillwater Mine. (The only US producers of palladium and platinum.) Fortunately, the campground is upstream from the mine. I really don’t know anything about it except that it is in a beautiful area and men, wearing hard hats, drive golf carts around.

After they fell asleep I carried them into the tent and slipped them into sleeping bags.
The next morning we went for a hike up to Woodbine Falls. It was just .75 miles. Easy. Anders walked about the first .5 mile, then refused to walk anymore. I considered giving up my agenda of getting to the falls, but we all know that wasn’t going to happen.
So I carried Anders the last .25 mile up (and all the way down) and Finn rode in the back pack. It was worth it.
(There are a lot of flower shots in here. If they bore you, do like Henry and scroll right past them.)


























More pictures…I take a lot of pictures and if I don’t post them here, they get lost in my computer.















Enjoyed the photos, esp. the one of just feet on the rocks!
My one and only time in the Beartooths (2004):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7230309@N05/sets/72157620292401695/
Haven’t been camping with the boy yet, but hoping to start next summer (I’ll be done with school!) and we get some gear…
that will be our next excursion… looks amazing!!!!!!!!!
Michael- we hiked at Island Lake, too, but I wonder if there is more than one in the Beartooths. The one we went to http://www.travellingmel.com/index.php/TravelingMel/2007/10/02/hike_to_island_and_night_lakes_in_the_be was right off the highway.
Your pictures are beautiful, by the way.
Brooke- call me when you go, we’d love to join you!
Yes, there must be at least 2 Island Lakes – ours was on a trail which takes you past Mystic Lake, at the West Rosebud Trailhead …