Autumn Splendor On Cedar Creek

The mountain peaks in the high country are resplendent with the brilliant hues of autumn. However, the beautiful sun blessed day provided little warmth as the air was crisp and brittle. 

In the lower valleys, there was frost this morning. The "old timers" say an early frost is another sign of a hard winter. It was chilly enough at dawn to light a fire and the subtle, sweet scent of woodsmoke rides the wind.

A perfect day for exploring the back country - the colors are glorious. Today's destination was the Cedar Creek drainage in Mineral County, Montana. 

The trail to Mink Peak is normally closed. Today, the gate was open. My mining partner, Starr and I took advantage of the access to do some exploring. During the Cedar Creek Gold Rush there was a lot of activity and several productive claims on Mink Creek. We hoped to find some old tailing piles and workings and do a bit of metal detecting. 

We put a note on the gate, dated with a description of our rig and a time when we would return; we were concerned that we could be locked in behind the gate. 

The trail was very rough and washed out in several spots. We could not have made the trip without four-wheel drive, so I was grateful "Jessie", my old reliable jeep. 

View from the Mink Creek trail.

September is the "National Month Of The Mushroom". That acknowledgment seems appropriate in the Lolo National Forest. Everywhere we searched, we found an abundance of forest fungi; incredible natural works of art. 

We enjoyed our time on Mink Creek, but could not readily locate any old mining digs, so we went back to the Hard Times No. 3 to get in some panning in the creek. Everyone is getting ready for hunting season, just wonder why they choose our mining marker to use for target practice. Perhaps it gives it character.

Wishing you color in your pan and adventure filled days. Please send in photos and stories of your prospecting experiences to share. I appreciate your comments.