Memories of an old friend, shared with new ones
Out of the fog of Valentine’s Day morning, 11 hearty hikers on snowshoes marched up a trail in the East Face of the Cabinet Mountains. Some of the ladies had the new neon colored outdoor jackets that really stood out in the foggy drape that enhanced the mystery of the morning lights approach. This hike, sponsored by Montana Wilderness Association, was billed as a Winter Snowshoe Foray, but recent weather and snow conditions made it less than ideal for snowshoeing, but the group stayed optimistic.
We discussed forest structure, habitat analysis, evergreen plants and wildlife utilization as we advanced slowly, in a serpentine manner, up a grade. We analyzed moose tracks, elk tracks and scat, fox tracks, coyote scat, pileated woodpecker sign, fungus, predator-prey relationships and the adaptability of animals to survive winter.
Adaptability became the word of the day. When we went off trail to check out sign, we had to deal with wet snow. We hit a couple of bends where torrents of water plummeted down the mini ravines in the trail.
The group reached a bench for a break. There we paused and conversed about the moose research going on in the Kootenai valley, some of our information graciously supplied to us by our friend and local biologist, Tonya Chilton.
And then a funny thing happened. The sun came streaming through like shafts through the fog. The sky showed its blue hue, a refreshing contrast to say the least. The intrepid hikers’ moods elevated and, as we headed back out, we were treated to snow-capped mountain scenery.
We now heard our own chatter pick up against the quiet background of the woods as we sucked on huckleberry lollipops and jumped in our rigs for our second destination.
Travelling up river, we stopped and hopped out to check the muddy banks of the river, finding otter and raccoon tracks, and spotting bald eagles, herons and waterfowl. We took a number of photographs, and now the sun was in full bloom.
Our discussion then turned to the historical aspects of our location and we talked about native peoples , the David Thompson trading post and the local legend of Liver Eating Johnson, otherwise known as Jeremiah Johnson.
It was at this point that I experienced a special moment that I felt worth sharing with our little group, now that we were becoming more bonded by Mother Nature. Gazing up at Johnson’s Draw, I thought of my friend Mark Jungst. Mark was an excellent welder, and it was said that he could weld anything except the crack of dawn and a broken heart.
Mark and Barb Jungst bought the private land parcel where Johnson had purportedly lived up the draw. There, led by Mark’s ingenious methods of harvesting the hydro and solar power of nature, they built a mountain retreat. It took a while, and they had lived in a tepee for a bit at the start. Many friends helped out, and many gatherings were enjoyed.
We all shared full-moon cross-country ski and hot spiced wine parties and summer celebrations that lasted into the wee hours and sometimes for several days. Mark and Barb raised three children, Jeremiah, Laura and Kyle, up at the draw. All three of the kids are doing well. Mark was one of the fairest minded, quiet strength, humble and humorous guys I ever knew. This modern day mountain man passed away recently, and will surely be missed by many. He was a local guy with a gift of harnessing, enjoying, sharing and loving nature. Thanks Mark!
— Brian Baxter has worked as a wildlife researcher, forester, and land surveyor, and currently leads and coordinates outdoor educational programs for adults and kids