Phillipsburg Bay Campground (near Phillipsburg/Anaconda) on Georgetown Lake is now open and I am the camphost.  We have 69 camping sites so come on down!   Looking forward to seeing all my rowdy friends!!   The wildlife is great . . moose, deer, elk!      Follow our blog:   www.wayneandvickymay.blogspot.com

Your friendly camphost . . .  Red May

NEW CAMPGROUND ASSIGNMENT

I have been asked to be the camphost for Phillipsburg Bay Campground on Georgetown Lake this season.  There are 69 sites so come on down.   I am now at the campground and it is officially opened!  I will have a new blog:
www.wayneandvickymay.blogspot.com where I will be sharing news about our camping experiences durng the summer.  I hope you save that in your favorites and visit us often.   Red May

Well how has everyone been doing? This is your old friend Red ( camp host at Holland Lake ).  I hope that everyone is having a good winter so far.  Here in Indiana it is nice out with no snow so far.  This is where I live in the winter.  I just got an e-mail from the Jantzen family ( they are the ones that had the contract with the forest service to take care of the campgrounds including Holland Lake) and they did not get the contract this year so there will be a lot of changes this year.  I will probably not be there this year at all so everyone have a great summer when it gets here okay.  Since they still run a few other Montana campgrounds I may get a re-assignment.  I have worked for the Jantzen family for many years and do not want to work for any other concessionaires.   I will write more on this blog as I know more about where I will be.  Everyone have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR and we will see what the new year brings.

Your friendly host ,
Red

     Due to the heavy smoke and fire nearby we are closing the campground on Sunday 9/30/2012. 

Everyone have a great winter and we'll see you all next season.  Throughout the winter I will try to put something on here to let you all know when we are going to open back up for the season. Take care and be safe too.    RED  (your  friendly host at Holland Lake Campground)

 These are some awesome pictures of Holland Lake from Holland lookout that is about 8000 ft. elev. The campground is at 4000 Ft. Elev. . Two couples from the campground went up to Holland lookout on 9/17/2012 and this is what they saw. The lower picture is the cabin that was used for the lookout station. Thanks Kevin and friends for these great pictures.

Well today we only have two couples in the campground so there are only a few more weeks of camping left . . . so come on out before I lock up and go home .
Don't forget Oct 9th is the last day we will be open then it will have to be next year for camping.  It gets down in the upper 30's at night and up in the upper 70's in the daytime here at the lake. There has been no bear siting for about a week now . . . so lets go have some fun around the campfire one more time.

Oh just about forgot to let you all know about the fires.  They are still going and there is some smoke in the mornings and as it warms up and the wind blows,  it clears up.  There are about two hundred people and six helicopters on this fire at this time. They are really trying to get it put out.

Condon Fire Flares Up Again

 Well I am sorry to say but the Condon fire is going again but this time it is worse than the first time I am told.  These first four pictures were taken this morning at 6:30 am at the Condon ranger station / work station . They have more people fighting the fire and the Helicopters are back too. So if you are traveling in the area PLEASE slow down and be careful .  We will be open for three more weekends and during the week.   The campground closes October 9th.

This picture was taken as I was going back to the campground along the highway on highway 83 . The sun is trying to shine though.   The temp. was 36 out this morning and should get up to in the 70's today .

Yesterday I took the swimming buoys out so the season is coming to an end for this year . There is still time to get out for one last time before I close down for the season . . .so come on!  It is a little cool at night but gets warm in the daytime.

Over the last weekend there was a wedding at the beach area and here is a chair that the wedding couple sat in together around the fire . I took this picture on Sunday morning as everyone was starting to get up an about.

Here are two campers out on the lake yesterday afternoon with their two dogs . They told me later that it sure was fun out on the lake . . . so come on out while the campground is open, rent a canoe, and have some fun.  The weather is cool at night but warms up in the daytime.   Plenty of fresh air and sunshine!!!

This is our newest unusual pet that was here in the campground this past week .  She and her husbund say that they take him everywhere . If you don't know what it is . . . it's a Ferret and his name is Loki . 

Well each day is an interesting day here in the campground . Today at about noon this is what was going through the campground . The Black Bear was not hurting anything just going through looking for some food . There were about six campers in the camp and most of them saw the Bear . In the bottom of this picture is my truck so there you can see he was close . My truck was parked at the Host spot . He's a big one too.

 Here I was watching him to make sure he would keep going and not get into anything . I walked him all the way through the camp ground to the Group site .Then the Bear went off into the woods . So i just hope he stays out of the campground .

It was 1:30pm when i finally got back to my camper and made sure that everyone knew about the bear and that he was gone for today anyway . It's that time of the season for the bears to be looking for more food getting ready for the long winters here in Montana .

The campground is still open for awhile so come on out . It is getting cool at night down in the upper 30's at night and getting up in the upper 70's in the day time . This morning it was 38 out and it is already up to 46 out now and it is only 9 am. So you might want to bring a good jacket for the mornings. I have been told that the fishing is still good too . As long as you get off the shore where the water is a little deeper they are biting.

The camp ground will try to be open until Oct. 9 , 2012

 This one was taken in the early morning as the sun was coming up this morning .

This one is of the sunset last night at about 7 pm . Neat how the sun moves up the mountain as it is going down in the west because of all the tall trees you cannot get a good picture of the sun set from the west in the campground without leaving and going out on the highway .

Well it is good to see the clouds are back and not the smoke . Most of the fires are out in the area . This was taken at the boat launch this morning . It is about 38 degrees out this morning . We only have 12 campers here this morning so there is a lot of room for you to come out for a nice day in the campground or just come on out for a drive and have a look see at the scenery .  Larch Loop is all empty at this time too.

Hey it's raining out at this very moment.  Much needed rain,  and boy does it sound good with the rain hitting the trailer roof!  Well that's about all for today so come on out and do some camping while we are open. The rain will not last long.  We had  14 campers last night so come on out because the crowds are gone. The views are great this time of the year, too.

THE CROWDS ARE GONE - FALL BEGINS

Labor Day found the campground totally full with people doubling and tripling up on campsites.   By Monday night there were only 12 campers left out of 40 campsites.   Luckily a mild breeze was blowing and all the smoke from fires in the Bob Marshall Wilderness area went away.   Now is the season to come out during the week or weekend for your favorite camping spot and enjoy the fall atmosphere.  We are open until October 9th as long as the weather holds out ! If it gets too cold we will have to close so the water lines don't freeze up .  So come out, rent a canoe, enjoy some s'mores on the campfire and take life a little easier!!   For many FALL is the most favorite time of the year at Holland Lake!

 Holland Falls  on 8/29/2012 

 This is one on the little friends that you will see up at the Holland falls. It is a Columbian  Ground Squirrel .

 View of the Lake as you go up to the water fall

View of the lake and Misson Mountains from the water fall

Holland Lake Campground has hosted guests from Germany, Canada, and  Denmark this past week.  As the camping season is winding down our international friends are trying to enjoy the outdoor Montana beauty.   As of today there were several camping sites open but they will fill up Thursday and Friday.   Come and get your site claimed early! 

This picture was taken yesterday afternoon at 5:30 pm. There was so much smoke in the sky that the sun had a beautiful glow to it .  The smoke is from Idaho and California.  That is what I am told anyway .

Also, there is a little work done on highway 83  from highway 200 to Seeley Lake but it doesn't take long to tell you  fires are going again . . . so take care .

3 - 2 -1 Cake . . . .this is such a simple great single dessert recipe shared by campers Jesse and Linda from Kalispell in June.

1 Box Angel Food Cake Mix added to 1 Box any flavor cake mix stored in a gallon plastic ziplock bag.
In a microwavable dish or mug add 3 TABLESPOONS dry cake mix,  2 TABLESPOONS water, and MICROWAVE on High for 1 MINUTE.  Frost with favorite frosting. 
TRY IT!!!  Fantastic!   This has become our favorite quick dessert!  You can use white cake mix and use for strawberry shortcake.  We especially love the Pecan/Coconut German Chocolate Icing as well as the Lemon Supreme canned icing.   Yummy!

Well just a few more days until Labor day weekend and the last three-day weekend of the season . . . so let's get out and go camping before it is all over until next year.  As of today there are a lot of camping sites open but not for long. . . so come on out. The weather is fantastic and will be right through Labor Day weekend!   Cool at night and warms up in the daytime . I am also happy to say that the campers are doing their part in keeping the bears out by keeping their food, beer and pop put up. SO NO BEARS  have been seen in several weeks!