WARMING TREND for this week!

Today (5/29)  49/37;  Wednesday (5/30) 65/40 Partly Cloudy; Thursday (5/31) 64/46 Isolated T-Storms 30%; Friday (6/1) 66/49 Mostly Cloudy; Saturday (6/2) Few Showers 30%  67/42; Sunday 63/37  Partly Cloudy

After the cold weekend for Memorial Day the warming trend starts.   Red always brags on the beautiful summers in Montana with low humidity . . .looks like it is beginning!   Let's go camping!

Are you sure it's Memorial Day???

Well here in Indiana it is 94 degrees for the running of the Indianapolis 500.   This morning in Montana Red left to attend church services and look what greeted him.    Oh my goodness!!  So far there are 15 sites still occupied . .maybe they are hoping for a little bit better day tomorrow!   This has not been a good Memorial Day for camping but it can only improve RIGHT??    I know there are many idyllic days and weekends ahead for Holland Lake!   Hope one of them is when I get to come and spend a week with my sweetheart June 13 thru June 20th!   I am so excited!!!

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y R E D ! ! !

H A P P Y   B I R T H D A Y  TO YOU !!!!!!!  Saurday is a special day, Wayne,  because we celebrate your birth!! Hope  you have a wonderful day and weekend!   You give so much of yourself to make sur everyone is having a good time and is happy!  It is YOUR TIME to enjoy as well!  You are always in my heart and in my thoughts!   Wish I was there with you!!   I will be soon!!     Love Vicky

Still Snowing in the High Country

As you can see from this picture taken yesterday that fluffy white stuff just doesn't want to leave Montana.  Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day camping and enjoying what Mother Nature wants to dish out!  

Weather Forecast Has Changed Slightly - to the GOOD!

Per the latest updated Forecast there should only be AM showers on Friday morning.  Then a chance for showers on Saturday and Sunday and just a SLIGHT chance of showers for Memorial Day Monday.   Red just acquired another canoe bringing the number to 3 . . so come out and have some fun camping for the weekend!!    Here are some beautiful Montana wildflowers that are blooming presently.  Red says you will see whole fields of them in bloom!  Per online database of yellow wildflowers in Montana I think this is an Arrowleaf Balsamroot.

Quiet Solitude

Recent campsite pictures and forecast

Here are a couple of pictures Red took this weekend.

FORECAST FOR Monday, MAY 21 THRU  Monday, May 28, 2012  Today (Mon) Rain 70%  56/47;  Tues Showers/Wind 54/36 40%; Wednesday Showers 50% 52/35; Thursday  Showers 50% 53/35; Friday FEW showers 30% 56/37; Sat. FEW Showers 30% 56/38; Sunday Few Showers 30%  62/39; Monday Few Showers 30% 57/37

Nice group of campers this weekend!

Despite the cool temperatures all sites except the reserved sites were filled over the weekend.  Despite a wet week upcoming and "few showers" possible 30% on Fri, Sat, and Sunday spaces will fill up quickly on the first come first serve sites.  This is a recent picture taken of Larch Loop camping area this weekend.

A View Up Close of the Falls

Here is a view that shows he made the mile and a half trek up to the falls.

A View of the Lake on the Way Up

Here was a breathtaking view on the way up to the Falls.

Beautiful Day for a Walk to the Falls

On Tuesday it was a near perfect day and Red walked to the falls.   He took some beautiful pictures along the way.   As the campground gets busier he will find it more difficult to slip away.

Brrr . . Friday was cold . . But Sat and Sunday were Perfect!

Some brave souls turned out on Friday (overnight temperature 29 degrees)  to camp for the weekend and more came on Saturday and Sunday.   Temperatures soared into the 70's which is just about perfect.    9 campsites were occupied for opening weekend.  Red enjoyed the company . . even had a canoe rental (we have two available).  He totally finished the clean up in Larch Loup and he is still doing some clean up of fallen trees  in Bay Loup but hopes to be done by next weekend.   This week's weather is promising some good camping:  Monday  High 78/low 41     Tuesday 81/47   Wednesday 77/45   Thursday has 30% chance of rain 65/43   Friday 30% chance of rain  60/34   Saturday and Sunday look clear  63/35 and 68/42   Some come out and do some camping!! 

THE CAMPGROUND IS OFFICIALLY OPEN!

The Forest Service representative inspected the campground with the concessionaire and deemed it ready to open!   Red threw open the gates and can't wait for you all to come campin'!  We have two canoes for rent, WIFI, and Red is getting the campfire wood cut!!  See ya soon!

WIFI COMES TO HOLLAND LAKE CAMPGROUND

WIFI will be available this summer at the camphost's site for $3.00 a day.   As of today, per Red, it is operational!

Beautiful Picture from the Boat Launch at Holland Lake

Red took this picture yesterday from the boat launch.  He already is beginning to receive reservations.  Campground will officially open on Friday, May 11th.

Spraying Crew protecting trees from Beetles

Red reported yesterday that the spraying crew had shown up to spray the trees for beetles that are affecting the forests of Montana.   They can only spray above a certain temperature and had to wait for that temperature yesterday.  They worked all thru the day.  Red had to leave his host spot and spent the night watching the Super Moon down in Bay Loop. 

Another view of the Deer

Here is another view of the same Deer in the campground.

Holland Lake Deer Enjoy the cut down trees

Red got this deer to pose from it's browsing of moss on the cut down trees by whistling at it.  He says deer are very curious and will stop running and listen to the whistle!

Reservation Sites also Available On Line!

Here is one of the favorite reservation campsites #36.   According to Red just up over the rise is your own private beach area on the Lake.   Let's go camping!  Just a reminder, you cannot "switch" campsites if you have one reserved.  If you are insistent that there is a better open site for you will have to pay the additional money for the new campsite which is "first come first serve."  And, you will be charged for your campsite which  you have "prepaid" regardless if you decide to use it or not . . after all . . .it is RESERVED for YOU. 

Camp Opens Friday May 11th . . your favorite site is waiting for you!

Red anticipates a total "thumbs up" for the campground when the National Forest Service comes in to inspect and officially open the 2012 Camping Season.   This is a beautiful picture taken at site #34.

More Tree Crew Pictures

Annual Campground Tree Crew

Each year the hardworking concessionaires and camphosts team up to cut down "hazard trees" that might come down on their own in windy conditions and storms.  To avoid problems (and to provide the camp with much needed firewood for cozy campfires throughout the season) it was necessary for the tree cutting crew to come in "drop" 55 trees this year.  It is Red's job to move them from the drop sites.  . . notice they are blocking roads in the campground once the cutting crew moves on to the other campgrounds they manage.  Meanwhile, Red will spend many hours of back breaking work getting them cut up into useable sticks of firewood.   The next time you view that woodpile know your hard working host and the tree crew put in many hours making your stay enjoyable!  It will be an "ongoing" process to get all this wood in useable condition as it dries out.

New Signs for the Campground!

Red was busy over the wintertime thinking of ways to improve the traffic flow in the campground.   Here is the product of his ideas . . .looking very professional and blending right in with the other signs in the campground.   Hopefully this will cut down on the confusion when a camper asks . . why are the pads facing the right direction!!!  He worked very hard on these!

Brrr . . .Ole Man Winter Just Won't Let go!

While back home we are basking in 80 degree weather . . . up in the mountains at the campground it is a different story.  Red has reported several frosty mornings in the 30's and a beautiful snowfall coming down a couple of different days.  Here is the proof!

How did it get there???

This is a very unusual picture that Red took of the mountain top jumping in the lake!  Actually, the water was so glassy that it just naturally appeared that the mountain was upside down!

Mission Mountains

Here is a beautiful picture of the Mission Mountains Red took right opposite the entrace to Holland Lake campground Sunday.

Wildlife UP CLOSE!

In the early morning dawn Red drove up to Columbia Falls to go to church and visit with church friends there.   Just on the highway he encountered an Elk.  Look carefully to the side of the road on the left and you will see the white of his rump and make out his outline . . .right next to the lane of traffic just on the shoulder!   Glad Red wasn't coming the other way.   Something that big would sure demolish even his big Chevy truck!

Official Greeters at Holland Lake

The Candian Geese were some of the first official wildlife greeters at the campground.   In addition there were several deer in the campground wondering who was disturbing their peace!!   On the way to Holland Lake Red saw elk, mule deer, white deer, turkey, and a bald eagle.  He was glad to be back to the wonderul wildlife whose home is Holland Lake Campground.  Remember,  you are the summer visitors!!  This is their home year round.

SURPRISES . . . Good & Bad!

On Saturday Red was sure amazed that someone actually drove thru the campground checking it out the first weekend he was there!  The "official" campground opening date is May 11th.   Unfortunately the bad surprise was that the bathrooms are locked as there is a water pressure problem.  Hope to have that operational soon.  Camphost has electric but no electric to the pump station.  Hope to have that done soon, too.   Oh . . .and someone made off (stole) with the entire seasoned wood supply while the campground was closed.   The Forest Service is investigating the theft.   So Red has some work to do to make sure campfires are burning soon!

Holland Lake 4/27/12

The lake looked beautiful!  This is off campsite #18.  Just waiting for visitors.

Camphost Made it into Camp!

Red happily pulled into Holland Lake Campground about 4 pm on Friday, 4/27.   It sure felt great to be there but was he surprised at the snow showers that greeted him!  Although there was no snow in the campground and the snow melted as soon as it hit the ground, he was reminded that "spring was right around the corner and winter barely over in Montana!

Welcome to Montana

Red experienced a shock between Billings and Butte on his trip back to be Camp Host at Holland Lake!  After enjoying a beautiful early spring in Indiana he drove to Illinois and Kansas where he experienced 90 degree days.  Then off on the trip west where he had nice weather and temperatures in the 70's.   Then on Thursday April 24th . . he ran into THIS!!!   Of course to Red it just meant he was "back home in Montana!"