Spring has arrived!
by Maggie Craig
April 4, 2006
The weather is warmer, the snow is melting, and the birds are arriving…it’s spring! Most of the snow has melted in the valley bottoms, although you don’t have to go too high to find snow. It’s still too early to expect to get very far on unplowed forest roads. If there’s no snow, there’s likely to be mud. The advice is to stay on roads that have been plowed through the winter and are now clear and dry. Otherwise, make sure to carry a shovel in case you have to dig yourself out.
The sounds of robins, thrushes and chickadees fill the air now. And there’s nothing quite like the sight of the first mountain bluebirds! Ducks and Canada geese can be found in flooded fields everywhere, and the geese are beginning to pair up to prepare to nest. The osprey are arriving and some have found geese occupying their nests. There haven’t been any reports yet of bears emerging from their dens, although that could happen soon in the lower elevations. The ticks are out – so inspect yourself and your pets when walking through brush and grass.
An excellent place to take a springtime walk is along the river in the Kootenai Falls Wildlife Management Area at the end of River Road. Not only is it a beautiful walk and easy to access, but you will also probably see wildlife of some sort. You stand a good chance of seeing bighorn sheep in the grass fields this time of year. To protect wildlife and other recreationists, please remember that dogs must be on a leash at all times in this area.
Fishing is always enjoyable on the Kootenai River and while the water is still cold, the fishing is steady. The river is closed from Libby Dam to the Hwy. 37 bridge from April 1 to June 1 to protect spawning rainbow trout (another rite of spring). Ice fishing is rapidly becoming marginal on the Thompson Chain of Lakes. The shorelines are warming and melting, and ice conditions are changing very fast. This is definitely one activity that requires the utmost caution now.
Snowmobilers are still able to enjoy their sport in the higher elevations. The snow can turn soft in the afternoon, so use caution when riding through open areas later in the day. And be aware that avalanches can be triggered by settling, unstable snow this time of year.
Turner Mountain had a good season, being open every weekend starting January 1. It was open the April 1-2 weekend, with its last day of operation April 2. It is now closed for the season.
The golf course opened for the season on Saturday, April 1. The course is in good shape and the regular greens are being played. With a breathtaking view of the Cabinet Mountains, the golf course is a beautiful place to enjoy the sport.
And another sign of spring: the Libby Polar Bears wrapped up their season on Sunday, April 2. With air temperatures in the 50’s and water temperatures warming into the 40’s, it’s becoming much too warm (and the water too swift and muddy) for them to continue their weekly dips in Libby Creek. They’ll be back in October.
And drivers, beware: deer are everywhere right now. If you see deer on the highway, please slow down, and recognize that if you see one deer, there will be others. Give them a “brake,” and save yourself and the deer a lot of grief.
With the warmer weather it seems there is a tremendous amount of construction going on. New houses are going up all around Libby, and remodeling is occurring at area businesses. McDonald’s recently completed remodeling of its Libby store, and Subway temporarily closed April 1 for inside remodeling. Libby Sport Center is expanding their building. The new business complex by the Caboose Motel is finished and the tenants have moved in: Glacier Insurance, Investment Centers of America, the new Crosscut Casino, and Copper Creek Espresso and Deli.
The grass is greening up in town and most folks have their raking and spring cleanup done or nearly so. Tulips and other spring bulbs are well on their way. Spring burning is evident all over the area, and some hayfields have already been plowed.
It’s a great time of year in northwest Montana. Enjoy the season!
Thanks to Jon Obst of Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for his contributions to this article.
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