Ferry Canyon Reservoir

20090603 – Hellgate Campground

We went to the East out of Helena on Ferry Canyon Road, reaching Ferry Canyon Reservoir, a BLM project. We passed up a few campgrounds, and pulled into Hellgate Campground, a large, mowed and open place 65 numbered sites in 3 loops and access to the reservoir. Very few spaces are occupied. We camped along a small stream, lined by cottonwoods and cedars. The higher land surrounding the camping area starts with sagebrush, then a bit higher up has patches of lodgepole pine. Part of the higher area burned several years ago. The area is very quiet during this off season and it feels like we have the place to ourselves. I walked about 1/2 mile into the surrounding wooded hills in mid afternoon. Back there, there were several 5 minute periods when I could hear no manmade sounds.

We spent a very relaxing afternoon reading, napping, walking and birding. There were some fun (for us) interactions between Tree Swallows and Mountain Bluebirds competing for a nest box, and, later, a Common Raven attempting to get supper from unseen nests along the stream and being chased by blackbirds.

Patt is getting quite adept cooking in the Rialta, creating pasta dishes (from jars of course, served over soba noodles, along with cooked mixed vegies and salad. She is calling me for dinner now. I expect dinners will be more sparse later, unless Tim has hidden talents when we join up in a few days.

The reservoir is apparently home to a large and unwelcome population of Carp. There is a bow hunting festival approaching that takes many of these each year, destined for the park dumpsters. We could easily see many Carp from shore anywhere we stood. We saw one high tech bowhunter pulling his boat along with a trolling motor, and shining lights into the water, hunting through dusk and long after dark.

Birds: House Sparrow, Robin, Vesper Sparrow, Brewer's Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Mountain Bluebird, Red Winged Blackbird, Common Raven, Bullock's Oriole, Yellow Warbler, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Starling, Grey Catbird, Eastern Kingbird, Osprey, Mountain Chickadee, Northern Flicker, Mallard, Western Kingbird, Canada Goose, American White Pelican, Killdeer, Black-billed Magpie.