16 June 2014 Creston to Libby

With only a morning available in Creston, our choices of where to cache and see the area were limited. Ali chose very well with a stop at the Creston Valley Wildlife area. It offered a nice loop hike including at a place designated as Balancing Rock. Our available time did not allow us to complete the entire loop, but it did give us a chance to take in the views and wildflowers up to Hanging Rock and back.

Ali signs the trail register at the start of the Balancing Rock Trail

The view is nice from Balancing Rock.

After our walk above, we dropped down to the wetlands nature area for a walk near the waters. The nature center was closed, but the walk was fun with lots of lilies and a few nice bird sightings. We both wished we had set aside more time in Creston with a second night at the hotel so we could explore this area including a visit to the viewing platform and explore Creston the town more, but we left the Wildlife area after just a few more caches.

On our way back to the US, we stopped for a find at a real lonely multi (last found February 2012 :O) with a first stage starting at this historical marker for the first settlers of Creston.

We returned to the states with a border crossing in Idaho. Before moving on to Montana, we made a stop at a cemetery to find a tribute cache for deceased cacher kowboyk. The cemetery was right at the border with the rear line of the cemetery along the border. Besides finding a well done tribute to a cacher who has passed, we were able to visit a unique border benchmark at the edge of the cemetery. I was also able to make my third visit to BC. ;)

This location is a great place to see the vegetation cut at the border. We didn't know there was a large path cleared bewteen the two borders until the prior Sunday when someone described it. It was very visible traveling up the mountain at this location. It is a straight line in the vegetation just to the right of the marker tip.

We made our way into Montana and stopped at a hunting area for a cache. While searching for the cache, we spotted our first orchid in Montana and saw mariposa tulips for the first time!

Our last big stop of the day was Yaak Falls. The water was awesome. I kept creeping closer, but Ali kept dragging me back. The power was amazing.

After settling in our room in Libby Montana, we headed off for dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant and a visit to the town's neon lights, ;)