I woke up yesterday in the mountains. I opened my eyes, stretched my arms over my head, and said " Happy Birthday Brian" I turned 57. Part of me wonders how I got to 57 so fast, but another part of me says I've done a lot of living for my age. Bottom line though is, I was left thinking life is sweet. I came out of mountains today to have dinner with Mom and Dad to celebrate my fathers 86 birthday, as he was born on July 26 1930. I asked Dad what he thought of turning 86 and he looked at me and said " Son, all I know is life is so sweet." So are genetics Dad...thanks.

So a few things went down the last few days. I've been looking for where an old horse trail intersects one of my trails. I knew where it hit my trail along the creek, but have never been able to find the other trail head. The bush is thick and it's on steep sidehills. I had a couple hours the other day and decided to make a concentrated effort to find the trail. It only took a short time. I just cut across a sidehill and hit a heavy trail and started following it. Within a few minutes I spotted a familiar sight. An aboriginal fellow had owned and trapped my line, back in the 90's. Some white guy owned in in between and never trapped.

I've come to recognize his lynx sets so I was pumped when I saw what looked like one of his sets.




Then I looked up and saw a real treasure



I knew for sure I was on the right trail

I decided that what a 57 year old needed was a day trip up into the alpine. i got a thing about this place called Caw Ridge. so decided to visit. Got a few miles into my trip and hit fresh grizzly crap. Ohhh back home.

I climbed up into the Alpine and the weather was perfect except for mach 10 winds.




See the sheep? I saw about 200 ewes and lambs over the course of the day. i screwed up and left phone on roam and ran it down. of course perfect photo opportunity arose. came over a ridge on foot and a band of 30 were right there. i was 15' from the lambs for 10 minutes. man they were cute

When you get up high the flowers are still in spring mode. the slopes were alive with colour.

By the way thanks for the 1,000,000+ views of my journal. I've been writing since I'm 14 but I only write in a few things constantly. Number 1 is my own personal journal, next my column for Alberta OutDoor's men ( greatest mag around) then the Alberta Trappers Association magazine, and finally and maybe most important this forum. We all are learning to navigate this new digital world but this forum has been an old friend and you all have been friends in a digital kind of way., So thanks

Happy birthday to you and your Dad! Thanks for sharing. Congratulations on your find. That's quite a nice present!

You beat me to 57 by a couple months Brian. Happy Late birthday. Glad you took some time to enjoy it. Great photos and stories as usual.

Banner year for berries. Within an acre I have raspberries, blue berries, cloud berries, high bush cranberries, saskatoons, and even some strawberries still ripe. Great eating.

I like grilling the breast on grouse, lay a piece of Havarti Cheese on the breast until melted then put blueberries on top of the melted cheese and eat when hot. Hmmm

happy belated and keep up the great work on the thread. I eagerly await your new pics and posts.

best regards,

Drake

I've been getting lots of bush time but pretty much exciting stuff like repairing and staining cabins. Yesterday though took the jet boat out and checked on some hunting spots and a buddies cabin. Got to run some white water and went on a death hike to check out a lick my buddy wanted to show me. I've never though that hunting around a lick is that good personally but he was jacked up. 3 more weeks and bow season opens up. Hunting soon.

Water was high






One of the little tributaries shows why. Lots of rain over last 24 hours. Water up to car windows in down town

All the usual suspects on the river

We've been having a wet year as I mentioned with lots of lightning and thunder. A hotel under construction just burnt down after getting hit by lightning. We also had a direct strike on a tree about 150 yards from our house. It blew out the controls on my electric gate.

His favourite tree





Bow season starts in a week. the hunt begins for another year

Hi Brian, what season starts for bow season in a week? We have an early black Bear season that starts here on Sept. 17 I think it is. That is our earliest season that starts here. I haven't been on here all summer. Caught up on some beautiful pics of yours and your journal. Always nice stories, and pics. Thanks for sharing your beautiful area on here. Lucky you are.

On Aug 25th moose - elk - deer - etc are all open for bow.

I blasted out to the coast for some fishing this week. fished off Vancouver Island. Action was slow but the company was good and the scenery stunning. We managed to boat some springs or kings as some call them.

A good feed

Man that looks tasty.

Boy, that black and white film sure makes you look a lot younger, Brian!

JEEZ! I just saw that you have had more "READS" than Family Trapper's daughter filleting halibut! And you did it all, right here! Way over a million!
I'm impressed, to say the least.