Forest Products Report--huckleberries

[slowp]

I took off on a fact finding mission early today. Saw more huckleberry buyer tents set up, so I had to see if maybe there were some ripe ones. So, I took the Low Rider pickup up the road of many waterbars. Thankyou logger-----.
Where he smoothed out the "drivable" waterbars it was pleasant. The dips still work and have held up through the past 2 winter deluges as well as the Mt. Everest sized ones (made by your tax dollars). I hit twice on the way up.
Got the used dog loaded down with his new PINK pack and 2 quarts of water for just in case we did find the mother lode berry patch and had to spend some time picking. He didn't protest too much.

We hiked up an old spur road that the elk are keeping maintained well for walking. In fact, we walked past where a deer or elk had been skinned out.
There was a sweatshirt left behind. The hair looked like it was from last fall or winter. Anyway, this is what the huckleberries looked like, although most were greener.

The Super Secret patch is so Secret that I couldn't find the way to it today. I'll have to return next weekend with a map and compass. But the merely secret patch isn't looking too good.

This area is usually OVER ripe this time of year. The outlook for huckleberry pie is grim.

 

[Gologit]

Well, I appreciate the effort. Maybe huckleberry muffins?

 

[RPM]

mmmmmmmmmmmmm.....huckleberry jam!

 

[slowp]

The sun appeared yesterday afternoon while I was doing yard work and is supposed to maybe stick around and warm up to the 70s this week, so maybe the ripening will accelerate a bit. Yup, warm up TO the 70s. I considered starting a fire in the stove this weekend. But most of the firewood is out at the other place.

 

[WidowMaker]

Is there a preferred elevation to search for huckleberries.

 

[slowp]

Is there a preferred elevation to search for huckleberries.

Yes.

 

[WidowMaker]

Figured there was.

Thanks

 

[slowp]

I'm back from the super secret huckleberry campout. Camping was good, full moon, clear weather, chocolate martinis, and a scary night thinking about the small deposit of bear poop left behind the tent the first night. There also were bear tracks around the camp. Nothing gotten into and the used dog barked off and on. Oh, there was a coyote that wouldn't be scared away too. The berries were not yet as ripe as I like them. I picked more than the other campers which is very strange for me because I like to wander a lot searching for the "trophy sized" berries. I gave my berries away to one of the campers from the hinterlands. I'll return next weekend if I can, and most of the berries should be ripe.

The commercial pickers sent some scouts up but they didn't stay long enough to discover THE patch.(It requires hiking a ways.) Sounds like they are giving up and going to switch to mushroom picking. I heard a rumor that the berry buyers were only paying $14 a gallon. That might be because the commercial pickers seem to increase in numbers every year-- lots of competition for fewer berries. There's also a rumor of more restrictions for them next year. We can only hope.

 

[slowp]

Yesterday, went here. I hadn't gone there because the convenient route washed out two years ago. The alternate route takes longer, and has lots of potholes in the gravel. A logging company should be blading that one of these days. We need more logging so the roads get fixed!

Since it is now mushroom season, the commercial pickers are looking for fungus. So I got these.

I'm feeling happier so next weekend if the weather is good will look again at another spot. These were almost too ripe. Here's another picture.